Erbil:London The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported an incident involving a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday. The details of the incident remain scant, as the report received from military authorities did not include specific information on the nature of the incident.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, the UKMTO has not yet determined the crew's status, the extent of any damage, or the environmental impact resulting from the incident. Additionally, there is no available information regarding the tanker's cargo, its destination, name, or the flag under which it was operating.

The UKMTO has advised vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to exercise caution and to report any suspicious activity to authorities as investigations continue.

In a related development, the Iranian Navy announced that an oil tanker caught fire after striking a naval mine in a restricted area east of the Strait of Hormuz, as reported by the ISNA news agency. However, details about the vessel or its crew were not provided.

On the previous day, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated that an oil tanker had exploded after hitting a naval mine while using a route in the Strait of Hormuz that had not been authorized by Tehran. This incident occurs amid heightened maritime tensions following the US-Israeli offensive against Iran on February 28.

Iran has repeatedly cautioned commercial vessels against navigating outside the shipping routes designated by Tehran. Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts and a memorandum between Washington and Tehran signed in June, disputes over navigation and maritime security in this strategic waterway continue.