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Iran has claimed that its forces have targeted US naval vessels in the Strait of Hormuz following an attack on an Iranian-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, in what appears to mark a sharp escalation in maritime tensions in the region.
According to Iran's state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) on Thursday (local time), a military official stated that after the US military attack on the Iranian tanker, "enemy units" operating in the Strait of Hormuz came under Iranian missile fire and were forced to retreat after sustaining damage. "Following the attack by the US military on an Iranian tanker, the attacking enemy units in the Strait of Hormuz came under Iranian missile fire and were forced to flee after suffering damage," the military official said as quoted by IRIB. The Iranian claims come a day after the US Naval Forces fired on an Iranian-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman as part of its ongoing naval blockade against the Islamic Republic, claiming that the vessel failed to comply with the instructions from the American forces in the region. According to a statement released by US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Wednesday, US forces acted after the vessel, identified as M/T Hasna, did not comply despite repeated warnings while transiting international waters toward an Iranian port. "US forces operating in the Gulf of Oman enforced blockade measures by disabling an Iranian-flagged unladen oil tanker attempting to sail toward an Iranian port at 9 am ET, May 6," the statement read. According to CENTCOM, American forces issued multiple warnings to the tanker, informing it that it was in violation of the blockade. When the crew did not respond, US forces took action to stop the vessel. "After Hasna's crew failed to comply with repeated warnings, US forces disabled the tanker's rudder by firing several rounds from the 20mm cannon gun of a US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet," the statement added. The fighter jet involved in the operation was launched from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72). CENTCOM confirmed that the tanker is no longer proceeding toward Iran. The US military reiterated that its blockade targeting vessels attempting to enter or leave Iranian ports "remains in full effect", adding that forces are continuing to act "deliberately and professionally to ensure compliance". (ANI)
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