ISTANBUL: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy fired a naval cruise missile at a vessel after it ignored warnings, Anadolu Ajansi reported, citing the semi-official Fars News Agency early today.
Fars did not provide details on the vessel, casualties, or the extent of the damage.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) later said it received a report of an incident nine nautical miles east of Oman.
Citing military authorities, the agency said a container ship sustained damage to its stern, causing a fire on board. Authorities are investigating the incident.
The Revolutionary Guard Navy said earlier that it closed the Strait of Hormuz until further notice and until what it called US interventions in the region end, saying no vessels would be allowed to transit the strategic waterway after several ships allegedly ignored orders to follow an approved route.
Later, Iranian media reported explosions in several areas of southern Iran, including Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Chabahar, Jask, Qeshm Island and parts of Bushehr province.
The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said it launched a third round of operations against Iran this week in response to what it described as an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attack on a Cyprus-flagged container ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
It said the operations were aimed at degrading Iran’s ability to target commercial shipping. – BERNAMA-ANADOLU
