Gunboat diplomacy grips the besieged Strait of Hormuz

The duelling blockades in the Strait of Hormuz lurched into uncharted waters as the United States pressed ahead with its campaign to choke off Iranian ports and Tehran reversed an initial move to reopen the waterway, firing on a ship attempting to pass. TankerTrackers.com reported vessels were forced to turn around in the strait, including an Indian-flagged supertanker, after they were fired on by Iran. Confusion over the critical chokepoint threatened to deepen the energy crisis roiling the global economy and push the two countries towards renewed conflict, even as mediators expressed confidence a new deal was within reach.