BBC journalists visited Bandar Abbas, Iran, on a recent trip, the first visit by international media since the conflict began in late February, and observed seized cargo ships and fishermen returning to the water.

The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and the United Arab Emirates, handles about one fifth of global oil and gas shipments. The United States and Israel initiated attacks on 28 February, prompting Iran to respond by targeting commercial vessels and coastal facilities. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps began intercepting ships it accused of navigating without permits, creating a de facto blockade that halted normal traffic.

Two container vessels, the MSC Francesca and the Epaminondas, seized by the IRGC in April, remained detained despite a ceasefire agreement reached between the United States and Iran. Dozens of other cargo ships were observed waiting offshore for clearance to transit the strait.

Fishermen, who had suspended operations for months because of the danger, resumed fishing around Bandar Abbas. One fisherman, Abdol Rahman, guided the BBC vessel through the strait and pointed out the detained ships. Local markets reported increased activity as families returned to their homes and shops reopened.

An Israeli airstrike on 26 March struck an apartment building on Khushnoodi Street near the university, killing three people and injuring seven, according to Iran's Fars news agency and the Red Crescent. The building housed families and offices; a business owner identified as Fatima said many residents were civilians, including a military officer. At least 96 U.S. strikes were recorded in the Bandar Abbas area between 28 February and the ceasefire's start on 8 April, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, with more than a third targeting military infrastructure near residential zones.

Mayor Mehdi Nobani told the BBC that neither Israel nor the United States had achieved their stated military objectives, including regime change, and said the appointment of the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, had helped unite the country. He warned that a collapse of the ceasefire could lead Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz.

Analysts note that while the ceasefire has reduced immediate hostilities, the strait remains a focal point of leverage for Tehran in negotiations with the United States. The strategic importance of the waterway, combined with the presence of Iran's navy and the IRGC, keeps the region sensitive to any escalation.

Life in Bandar Abbas is gradually returning to normal, with markets bustling and fishermen back on the water, but the fragility of the ceasefire leaves the future of the strait uncertain.