A tanker has been the target of an attack in the past few hours while crossing the waters of the Strait of Hormuz, off the coast of Oman, according to the UK’s Commercial Maritime Operations Centre (UKMTO, for its English-language acronym).
"Indian maritime authorities have reported an attack on a tanker transiting through the Arabian (Persian) Gulf heading east, before entering the Strait of Hormuz," the UKMTO said in a statement.
The British agency emphasizes that the crew of the vessel is "located and safe." "At the time of this report, an assessment of damage or environmental impact is not yet known," it added. "Ships are advised to transit with caution and to report any suspicious activity to the UKMTO," it further said.
On Saturday’s day, Iranian authorities notified that up to three tankers were affected by the detonation of different naval mines.
Iran has declared the Strait of Hormuz closed --a strategic passage for oil from the Persian Gulf to countries around the world-- as a consequence of the offensive initiated in February by the United States and Israel against the country, and has warned that it is only safe to cross it via the routes authorized by its Armed Forces.
The United States, for its part, maintains that there is no blockade of Hormuz because it holds military control of the strait, a presence that is limited to the outer part of the passage, from where it claims to escort vessels to ensure that crude oil exports from the Middle East continue.