Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stopped a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz and ordered it to turn back under threat of fire, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said. The vessel complied. The incident took place about 11 nautical miles, or more than 20 kilometres, north of the Omani port city of Khasab, according to the agency.
Local authorities have opened an investigation. UKMTO advised ships to exercise caution while transiting the area and report suspicious activity. Its notice did not identify the tanker, its flag, cargo or destination.
The encounter comes amid heightened tension around the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for seaborne oil shipments. Kommersant reported that the IRGC attacked a Togo-flagged tanker attempting to pass through the strait in September. The accompanying NASA satellite image shows the strait and does not depict Monday’s incident.