India, April 18 -- At least eight oil and gas tankers crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday after Iran briefly signalled that the critical shipping route was open during an ongoing ceasefire in the Middle East conflict.

Later in the day, two merchant vessels reported being hit by gunfire while attempting to transit the strait, Reuters reported, citing three maritime security and shipping sources. The extent of the damage was not immediately clear.

The developments came hours after Iran announced a renewed blockade of the strait, following a brief reopening during negotiations with the United States.

Maritime tracking data showed that the vessels which crossed the Strait of Hormuz, included crude oil tankers, liquified petroleum gas ...