Dwell updates: Iran warfare; Israel says it killed key Iranian commander concerned in Strait of Hormuz blockade

[ad_1]

<div data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/cmn79zlp8000v3b6r49a4xf1t@published" data-component-name="video-resource" data-editable="settings" class="video-resource vertical-video" data-fixed-ratio="9x16" data-canonical-url-path="/2026/03/26/world/video/seafarers-stranded-at-sea-by-the-iran-conflict-middle-east-digvid-vrtc-hnk" data-auth-type="" data-card-url="" data-parent-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/cmn796rni00003b6ot375avw0@published" data-video-id="mea64c4ac021080a0afdf61d7ead923c0667a0042e" data-media-id="mea64c4ac021080a0afdf61d7ead923c0667a0042e" data-bolt-id="67504cc0-30f1-5a17-ba4b-a890c747c5da" data-live="" data-analytics-aggregate-events="true" data-custom-experience="" data-asset-type="hlsTs" data-content-type="uploaded-clip" data-medium-env="" data-autostart="disabled" data-show-ads="true" data-source="CNN" data-featured-video="true" data-headline="Stranded at sea by the Iran conflict" data-has-video-player="true" data-description=" CNN's Kristie Lu Stout speaks with a captain who was struck in the Middle East for three weeks and witnessed projectiles flying near his oil tanker.

" data-duration="01:23" data-source-html=" • Source: CNN " data-fave-thumbnails="{"big": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/118285-seafarersstranded-clean-thumb.jpg?c=9x16" }, "small": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/118285-seafarersstranded-clean-thumb.jpg?c=9x16" } }" data-vr-video="false" data-show-html=" " data-byline-html=" " data-timestamp-html=" Updated 9:44 AM EDT, Thu March 26, 2026 " data-check-event-based-preview="" data-is-vertical-video-embed="false" data-network-id="" data-publish-date="2026-03-26T09:13:18.719Z" data-video-section="world" data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/26/world/video/seafarers-stranded-at-sea-by-the-iran-conflict-middle-east-digvid-vrtc-hnk" data-branding-key="" data-video-slug="seafarers-stranded-at-sea-by-the-iran-conflict-middle-east-digvid-vrtc-hnk" data-first-publish-slug="seafarers-stranded-at-sea-by-the-iran-conflict-middle-east-digvid-vrtc-hnk" data-video-tags="" data-breakpoints="{" video-resource--media-extra-large="" data-display-video-cover="true" data-vertical-orientation="true" data-details="">

<div data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/video-player/instances/cmn796s1z00073b6o3kqzmbnb@published" data-unselectable="true" data-title="" data-card-url="" data-show-ads="true" data-is-vertical-video-embed="false" data-custom-experience="" data-component-name="video-player" data-autostart="disabled" data-is-vertical-video="" data-fixed-ratio="9x16" data-headline="Stranded at sea by the Iran conflict" data-auth-type="" data-video-resource-parent-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/cmn796rni00003b6ot375avw0@published" data-live="" data-content-type="uploaded-clip" data-video-resource-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/cmn79zlp8000v3b6r49a4xf1t@published" data-poster-image-override="{"big": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/118285-seafarersstranded-clean-thumb.jpg?c=9x16" }, "small": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/118285-seafarersstranded-clean-thumb.jpg?c=9x16" } }" data-video-id="mea64c4ac021080a0afdf61d7ead923c0667a0042e" data-media-id="mea64c4ac021080a0afdf61d7ead923c0667a0042e" data-bolt-id="67504cc0-30f1-5a17-ba4b-a890c747c5da" data-duration="01:23" data-description=" CNN's Kristie Lu Stout speaks with a captain who was struck in the Middle East for three weeks and witnessed projectiles flying near his oil tanker.

" data-check-event-based-preview="" data-network-id="" data-publish-date="2026-03-26T09:13:18.719Z" data-video-section="world" data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/26/world/video/seafarers-stranded-at-sea-by-the-iran-conflict-middle-east-digvid-vrtc-hnk" data-branding-key="" data-video-slug="seafarers-stranded-at-sea-by-the-iran-conflict-middle-east-digvid-vrtc-hnk" data-first-publish-slug="seafarers-stranded-at-sea-by-the-iran-conflict-middle-east-digvid-vrtc-hnk" data-video-tags="" class="video-player">

Stranded at sea by the Iran battle

CNN's Kristie Lu Stout speaks with a captain who was struck within the Center East for 3 weeks and witnessed projectiles flying close to his oil tanker.

Stranded at sea by the Iran battle

01:23

Extra vessels are crossing the Strait of Hormuz after Iran introduced “non-hostile” ships might transit in the event that they coordinate with Iranian authorities. However the future is unsure based on an oil tanker grasp who was granted protected passage after being stranded three weeks within the area.

“One explicit social gathering might say it can permit protected passage, however situations of protected passage depend upon varied components, and events concerned are too many,” mentioned Captain Samanth Baktavatsalam.

Baktavatsalam, an Indian nationwide, is a tanker grasp with 27 years of crusing expertise. However by no means earlier than had he led a crew stranded at sea throughout an escalating battle.

“It was fairly intense,” he instructed CNN. “We might truly see projectiles and naval and air pressure companies in motion, and we might truly see a number of the injury on the shoreline.”

Baktavatsalam and his crew have been caught within the Gulf of Oman for 3 weeks earlier than their vessel gained protected passage with navy escort by an undisclosed regional authority. He didn't disclose additional particulars in regards to the vessel or which flag it was crusing underneath.

Their tanker skilled near-complete GPS jamming, forcing the crew to depend on conventional navigation strategies, he mentioned. Holding crew morale excessive was one other problem that Baktavatsalam managed with open communication, one-on-one check-ins, and distant counseling help.

Provides turned tight, however his vessel was nonetheless comparatively higher off than some others.

“Certainly, we're undoubtedly one of many fortunate ones,” he mentioned. “In some locations there are excessive circumstances of water rationing and managing with no matter they've.”

Baktavatsalam was certainly one of an estimated 20,000 seafarers stranded within the area, caught within the crossfire of the US-Israeli warfare with Iran.