Iran says a supertanker has been struck in the Strait of Hormuz, the third vessel hit in the waterway in just two days, the Times of India, TOI, reports
This time, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, IRGC, Navy is not calling it an accident.
It said the tanker was struck deliberately after it ignored warnings, switched off its navigation system and tried to leave the strait through a route Tehran considers unauthorized.
In a statement, the IRGC Navy said the tanker, like earlier offenders, had deactivated its navigation system and disregarded its warnings, intending to leave the strait in a way that would disrupt its order and security. It was struck as a result, the statement said.
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The vessel has not been identified in the information released so far. There are no immediate details on casualties, its cargo or the extent of the damage.
The IRGC said this is the third vessel struck in Hormuz within 48 hours. The message to commercial shipping is clear: vessels that ignore IRGC instructions could face direct action, and pressure on the waterway is building quickly.
That raises the stakes for every tanker using the passage, which carries huge volumes of oil and gas from Gulf producers to global markets.
Even ships that are not directly targeted can be affected if attacks force them to wait, change course or reconsider whether passage is safe.
TIMES OF INDIA
