Iran attempted to seize two oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz, firing shots at one of them, according to the U.S. Navy. The Iranian naval vessels retreated after the U.S. Navy responded to distress signals. Iran has reportedly seized at least five commercial vessels in the last two years, many of which occurred near the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for crude oil transportation. This incident escalates U.S.-Iranian tensions, which have been rising since the U.S. withdrew from Iran's 2015 nuclear agreement and reinstated sanctions.