The Chinese tanker Rich Starry, subject to US sanctions, passed through the Strait of Hormuz despite the blockade imposed by Donald Trump the day before, CNN reports 

According to MarineTraffic data, the ship with a Malawian flag first attempted to cross the strait on April 13 but was forced to turn back. A new attempt was made in the evening, and by early Tuesday morning, the route was successfully completed.

In addition, on Monday, another oil tanker, Elpis, flying the flag of the Comoros Islands, passed through the strait after the blockade came into effect. The vessel was under US sanctions in 2025 for transporting Iranian oil "as part of Iran's shadow fleet". 

Adding:

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lin Jian:

China always acts prudently and responsibly on the export of military products, and exercises strict control in accordance with China’s laws and regulations and due international obligations.

Media reports accusing China of providing military support to Iran are purely fabricated. If the U.S. goes ahead with the tariff hikes on China on the basis of these accusations, China will respond with countermeasures.

Adding, from Rybar:

Close the Strait of Hormuz — open Bab el-Mandeb?📝tensions rising in Riyadh

Against the backdrop of the blockade of Iranian ports launched by Trump, Saudi Arabia started pressuring Washington: the kingdom is demanding to abandon (https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-us-strait-of-hormuz-blockade-25fbd430?mod=hp_lead_pos7) this scheme and return to the negotiating table.

➡️Riyadh fears that in response to the pressure, the Iranians could block Bab el-Mandeb — a key flow of oil and cargo to Europe through the Suez Canal passes through it.

🖍For the Saudis, this story is not new. After the start of the war, a significant portion of exports was redirected from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea — to the port of Yanbu, through which they currently manage to maintain a supply volume of around 7 million barrels per day. If Bab el-Mandeb also comes under fire, this route will simply stop working — the kingdom has no alternatives at such volumes.

🚩And the risks here are quite obvious. Yemeni Houthis, who control the coast near the strait, have already shown they can strike shipping — during the Gaza conflict, the flow dropped by almost half. And after the official entry of Ansarallah into the war with ballistic missile strikes on Israel, the risks of blocking have only increased.

❗️In addition, there remains the option of repeating the "Iranian scheme" — introducing passage fees or restrictions on vessels.

📌As a result, an attempt to apply pressure through one strait risks turning into problems in two places at once. And then the question will no longer be how to open the Strait of Hormuz, but how not to lose the Red Sea.

Adding:

Iran is open to negotiations with the United States, but only within a legal framework, President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a call with Macron. He stressed that Tehran sees diplomacy as the preferred way to resolve disputes.

Adding:

The UKMTO reported an incident on April 7, 2026, about 112 nautical miles southeast of Ras Al Hadd, Oman. A bulk carrier was hit by two unidentified projectiles, causing a fire onboard. A Pakistani naval vessel assisted, and the situation has since been resolved.