Iran says struck oil tanker in Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Friday they struck an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, according to state news agency IRNA, as Tehran presses its blockade of the strategic waterway and a British maritime agency also reported a separate attack.

Did Iran strike an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz?

Yes. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it hit and detained a Togo-flagged tanker called the Trend late on Thursday after a fire broke out on board, accusing the vessel of attempting an "illegal passage" through the strait.

Iran is maintaining its grip on the strategic waterway amid the wider Middle East war.

Was another ship attacked in the Strait of Hormuz today?

Early on Friday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said a ship was hit by an "unknown projectile," which caused a fire that was later extinguished.

The agency had also reported a "security incident" in the strait late on Thursday, without giving further details. It remains unclear whether the IRGC and UKMTO reports refer to the same vessel.

Why is Iran targeting ships in the Strait of Hormuz?

Iran wants to charge ships for passage through the strait and has attacked vessels it accuses of trying to bypass its preferred route.

The move comes as Washington presses its own counterblockade of Iranian ports as part of the wider Middle East war.