Five Greek and Indian tankers reversed course in the Persian Gulf early Saturday, abandoning attempts to transit the Strait of Hormuz as uncertainty grips global oil markets. The vessels' abrupt U-turns mark the first visible disruption to shipping through the critical energy chokepoint since Iran's foreign minister declared the waterway open on Friday.

Shipowners and traders remain in disarray trying to interpret Iran's mixed signals. While Tehran initially promised to keep the passage open, the semi-official Fars news agency later reported that closure would continue if a US naval blockade remained in effect. The conflicting statements have created a dangerous guessing game for vessels carrying roughly 20% of global oil supplies through the narrow strait.

The maritime chaos underscores how quickly geopolitical tensions can ripple through energy markets. With US-Iran relations at a flashpoint and naval forces deployed in the region, the reliability of the world's most important oil transit route hangs in the balance. Traders are now scrambling to assess whether this represents a temporary disruption or the start of a more sustained crisis in global energy flows.