The Iranian Revolutionary Guard announced this Thursday that its naval units have intercepted a tanker flying the Togolese flag, which was affected by a fire, when it was supposedly trying to cross "illegally" the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the Iranian Navy, the ship is the tanker Trend, registered under the Togolese flag, which was "hit and detained after catching fire" while sailing towards the strategic passage of Hormuz, where, according to Tehran, it was trying to cross "illegally".
In a message disseminated through social media, Iranian forces have claimed that the vessel was acting "with the instigation and deception of the U.S. Army" and have warned of the "destruction" of any vessel attempting to cross this maritime corridor "illegally".
Hours earlier, the UK Maritime Trade Operations center (UKMTO, for its acronym in English) had reported a "security incident" recorded in the waters of the strait, about 16 nautical miles, nearly 30 kilometers, northeast of Jasab, in Oman.
This agency, which operates under the umbrella of the British Navy, issued an alert for "attack" on its official channels, specifying that there had been no casualties among the sailors nor had any "environmental impact" been detected.
"Authorities are investigating. Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to the UKMTO," the maritime surveillance center added in its statement.