WANA (Aug 19) – Satellite tracking data reveals that a LPG tanker sanctioned by the United States has successfully entered the Persian Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz, directly challenging claims from Washington regarding the tightness of its naval blockade.

 

According to satellite monitoring accounts, including maritime tracking group MUNCH OSINT, the Chinese-flagged Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) tanker Mighty Navigator returned from Singapore and traversed the strategic Strait of Hormuz earlier today. The vessel remains under active US sanctions.

The movement comes despite recent statements by US President Donald Trump on Truth Social, where he asserted that the US blockade resembles an “iron wall” and claimed that Iran is powerless to bypass it. Reaffirming the policy on Monday, Trump stated that while the Strait of Hormuz remains open, the “blockade remains in full force.”

 

However, navigation data recorded prior to Trump’s Monday address indicates that Iranian forces seized a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. Following his remarks, several ships attempting to pass through the Omani-controlled shipping lanes were also targeted.

 

Analysts from MUNCH OSINT noted that if the United States truly controlled the strait, it would be enforcing its own sanctions on vessels passing through. The events of the past 48 hours, the group observed, demonstrate that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) continues to exert operational control over the waterway, covering maritime routes ranging from Iranian territorial waters to the US-backed Omani passages.