Iran’s military says oil tanker on fire in Gulf of Oman

Iran's military reported on Thursday that an oil tanker had caught fire in the Gulf of Oman while attempting to navigate through a designated prohibited zone, according to state television. Surveillance teams from the Iranian navy's army identified the non-compliant vessel that had its tracking systems disabled and was attempting to pass through the restricted area, as cited by state television.

The cause of the fire and the responsible party remain unclear at this time. US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees American military operations in the region and enforces a blockade on Iranian ports, has not yet commented on the incident. The prohibited zone was announced by Iran's Revolutionary Guards in September following a proposal by security chief Mohsen Rezaei.

The zone is said to cover parts of the Sea of Oman and the Arabian Sea, along a route that can lead to the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has threatened sanctions on non-compliant vessels in the zone, without explicitly threatening military action. Iranian naval forces have previously targeted vessels they claim used unauthorized routes through the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran has declared closed since the beginning of its war with the US in February.