India, June 21 -- Three Indian-flagged crude oil supertankers crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday and are sailing for home with 94 Indian crew aboard - slipping through, it now appears, mere hours before Iran's military declared the strait shut again, citing Israeli strikes in Lebanon and accusing the US of bad faith.

Tanker-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg had shown one of the three ships, Desh Vibhor, still manoeuvring through the strait earlier in the day, after briefly turning toward a southern route recommended by the US military and then reversing back toward Iran's coast.

Union minister for ports, shipping and waterways Sarbananda Sonowal confirmed in the evening that all three tankers - Desh Vaibhav, Desh Vibhor and Sanm...