Iran's Army Says 'Violating' Oil Tanker Hit Mines In Hormuz Strait

(MENAFN- IANS) Tehran, Nov 9 (IANS) The navy of Iran's Army announced that a "violating" oil tanker caught fire after hitting naval mines east of the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement on the army's website, the navy said on Sunday the oil tanker had turned off its identification systems and was transiting the "forbidden" region east of the strait when it hit the mines.

It warned that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed to vessels unless all threats are lifted, Xinhua news agency reported.

Earlier in the day, the navy of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said an oil tanker caught fire within the preceding hours after colliding with naval mines in the "unauthorized" route of the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement on the IRGC's official news outlet Sepah News, the navy said the explosion caused a massive fire on the vessel, which was the third oil tanker to hit naval mines in the strait's "unauthorized" route since the beginning of the day.

Meanwhile, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on social media platform X that its forces had disabled a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Oman after its civilian crew "ignored repeated warnings and attempted to violate the naval blockade against Iran multiple times."

"A US military aircraft fired precision munitions at the stern of St. Kitts-flagged M/V Huda, disabling the ship after CENTCOM forces directed the crew to abandon targeted spaces. The cargo vessel tried to depart regional waters after visiting an Iranian port," it added.

Since July, US forces have redirected 147 commercial vessels and disabled five merchant ships that refused to comply with the blockade, CENTCOM said.

Iran tightened its grip on the strait on February 28, barring safe passage of vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States following their joint strikes on Iranian territory. The United States has also imposed a naval blockade against the country.

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