From the Liveblog of
Thursday, April 9, 2026
Iranian media claims Strait of Hormuz is closed again; maritime data shows oil tanker has been turned away
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleIran’s PressTV reports that the Strait of Hormuz has again been closed, after an oil tanker appears to have been turned away upon approaching the crossing.
According to the outlet, the oil tanker AUROURA made an abrupt 180-degree turn while approaching the strait’s exit and instead returned to the Persian Gulf.
The website MarineTraffic identifies the ship as being “at anchor” in the Persian Gulf, around two hours after PressTV claims it was turned back from the Strait of Hormuz.
BREAKING: An oil products tanker attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz has made a 180-degree turn and is heading back into the Persian Gulf, per AIS data from MarineTraffic.
The Panama-flagged tanker AUROURA is US Treasury sanctioned with a documented history of moving… pic.twitter.com/z6Zdoa1EtS
— The Hormuz Letter (@HormuzLetter) April 8, 2026
The tanker is sanctioned by the US Treasury, which alleges that it is used to transport Iranian oil in defiance of sanctions.
The Times of Israel Community.