Iran's naval forces on Friday claimed to have destroyed an enemy submarine and damaged two oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz, as tensions over maritime security continued to escalate in the strategically important waterway.
The claims came amid a series of reported incidents involving commercial vessels attempting to navigate the strait, through which a substantial share of the world's oil shipments passes. The identity of the alleged submarine and the extent of the reported damage could not be independently verified.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy separately said it had destroyed a US unmanned vessel in the eastern part of the Strait of Hormuz. There was no immediate confirmation from the US military.
๐ง๐๐ผ ๐ผ๐ถ๐น ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐๐
According to the IRGC Navy, two oil tankers were involved in incidents and subsequently stopped in waters south of the Strait of Hormuz after allegedly ignoring radio warnings from Iranian naval authorities.
Iranian officials claimed the vessels had attempted to pass through a route Tehran considers unauthorised. The circumstances surrounding the incidents, including the nature of the damage and the condition of the vessels, remained unclear.
The Iranian account could not be independently confirmed, and details about the tankers' ownership, registration and crews were not immediately available.
The developments followed reports of other commercial vessels encountering difficulties while attempting to cross the strait. Iranian authorities have repeatedly warned ships against using routes they consider unsafe or unauthorised.
๐๐ถ๐๐ฝ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐๐ฒ๐
The latest incidents have highlighted an intensifying dispute between Iran and the United States over navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Washington has encouraged commercial vessels to use a southern shipping route, while Tehran insists that ships must follow routes approved by Iranian authorities closer to its coastline.
Iran has accused vessels using the southern passage of disregarding warnings about maritime hazards, including the presence of naval mines.
On Thursday, Iranian naval authorities claimed that several oil tankers had struck mines while attempting to navigate the southern route. Tehran said some vessels had caught fire or become stranded, although the full extent of the incidents remained uncertain.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre also reported a separate incident involving a tanker struck by a projectile in the strait on Thursday. No crew injuries or environmental damage were initially reported.
๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ผ๐
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, making it one of the world's most important maritime routes for crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.
The waterway has remained a flashpoint during the continuing confrontation involving Iran and the United States, with attacks on commercial shipping, military operations and competing restrictions on navigation disrupting normal maritime traffic.
Shipping companies have faced growing uncertainty over the safety of vessels and crews, while insurers and maritime operators have been assessing the risks associated with passage through the region.
The latest Iranian claims add to concerns over the possibility of further disruption to commercial shipping. However, the reported destruction of an enemy submarine remains unverified, and the identity of the vessel has not been established.
The situation remains fluid as Iranian and US forces continue to contest maritime access and security arrangements around the Strait of Hormuz.