Iran says struck oil tanker in Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed on Friday that they had attacked an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, according to state news agency IRNA. Simultaneously, a British maritime agency reported a similar incident. Tehran has retained control over the strategic strait as the United States continues its counterblockade of Iranian ports during the ongoing Middle East conflict.

The Islamic nation seeks to charge ships for passage, targeting vessels it alleges are attempting to bypass its designated route. The Togo-flagged oil tanker named "Trend" was the target and subsequently detained following a fire that erupted onboard late Thursday. Iran attributed the incident to an attempted illegal passage. Early Friday, the United Kingdom's Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) announced that a ship had been struck by an unknown projectile, resulting in a fire that was subsequently extinguished.

Reports from the UKMTO indicated a security incident in Hormuz on Thursday evening, though details were not provided. It remained uncertain whether the IRGC and UKMTO reports were describing the same event.