Tehran: Fresh tensions have erupted in the Strait of Hormuz after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reportedly launched missile strikes on commercial vessels transiting the strategic waterway on Monday night, according to an Axios report citing U.S. officials. The incident has once again rattled one of the world's most critical oil shipping routes.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed that an oil tanker caught fire after being struck by an unidentified object near Limah off the coast of Oman. Two commercial vessels reportedly sustained significant damage in the attacks, though no casualties have been reported.
Iran, however, maintained that the action stemmed from violations of maritime security regulations. According to the state-run IRIB news agency, the targeted tanker had attempted to use a U.S.-backed shipping corridor through Omani waters with support from the U.S. Navy, despite prior warnings that vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz must coordinate with Iranian military authorities and comply with regional security protocols.
Tehran has consistently rejected the U.S.-led maritime corridor off Oman's coast as illegal, arguing that Western military involvement in the region under the guise of protecting international shipping undermines Iran's sovereignty.
Although senior Iranian officials have not formally confirmed responsibility for the latest strike, the government reiterated its commitment to maintaining control over the security of the strategic waterway.
The latest confrontation follows a June 25 Iranian drone strike on the Singapore-flagged cargo vessel Ever Lovely after it used the new shipping route, an incident that triggered U.S. retaliatory strikes and subsequent attacks on American military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain before both sides reached a ceasefire understanding in Doha.
Peace negotiations remain suspended while funeral ceremonies for former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei continue in Tehran. Talks mediated by Qatar and Pakistan are expected to resume after the ceremonies conclude.