In brief
The Iranian navy announced that an oil tanker entered prohibited waters east of the Strait of Hormuz, disabled its navigation systems, and struck mines, igniting a fire. It warned that any vessel ignoring its warnings and entering the forbidden area would face a similar fate. The incident follows Iran’s tightened restrictions on ships linked to Israel and the United States after joint strikes on Iranian territory. The statement was posted on the army’s website.
The Iranian navy announced on Saturday that an oil tanker caught fire after striking mines east of the Strait of Hormuz, after it reportedly disabled its navigation systems and entered forbidden waters.
The army’s statement released on its website said the tanker had turned off its navigation systems and was transiting the ‘forbidden and unsafe’ region east of the Strait, ignoring warnings before striking the mines and catching fire.
The navy warned that the same fate awaits any ‘violating’ vessels that ignore warnings and enter the ‘forbidden’ areas of the waterway.
The incident follows Iran’s tightening of controls on the Strait of Hormuz that began on February 28 after joint Israeli‑U.S. strikes on Iranian territory; since then Iranian authorities have barred safe passage for vessels belonging to or linked with Israel and the United States.
The army’s statement was posted on the official website to underscore its enforcement measures against ships transiting the eastern reaches of the Strait.
Iran has described the area east of the Strait as ‘unsafe’ and has repeatedly warned foreign vessels that entry will invoke its defensive minefield network.
Such actions are consistent with the country’s broader strategy to deter shipping associated with Israel and the United States and to respond to perceived external provocations.
