An Iranian official tells The New York Times that Tehran is furious at Oman for allowing vessels to use an alternative route through the Strait of Hormuz without IRGC coordination. In response, Iran launched a drone at a vessel in the strait, effectively halting all movement, the official said, as Oman faces pressure from both Washington and Tehran.
An Iranian official told The New York Times that Tehran is furious at Oman for allowing vessels to bypass the IRGC's control by using an alternative route through the Strait of Hormuz without coordination. The official said that in response, Iran launched a drone at a vessel in the strait, effectively halting all maritime traffic.
Oman is caught between U.S. demands for free passage and Iran's insistence on controlling the waterway. Tehran made clear that Oman cannot offer any security guarantees to vessels without Iranian approval, and will not allow any external actor to interfere with its control of the strait.
As The Zioneer reported earlier this morning, an Iranian official had already stated that Tehran was angry at the Omani facilitation and that the drone launch was intended to disrupt the alternative route and stop shipping entirely. The current report adds the detail that the launch was in direct response to Oman's action, and that the strait is now effectively closed to traffic following the strike. The incident follows weeks of heightened friction in the strait, including IRGC declarations of a blockade on Israel-linked vessels and repeated drone and missile attacks on merchant ships.
4 developments
- DevelopingCargo ship reportedly struck by Iranian drone in Strait of Hormuz, official tells CNN
- ConfirmedCENTCOM intercepts Iranian suicide drones targeting commercial ships in Strait of Hormuz
- DevelopingUS shot down two Iranian drones after attempted strike on ships in Hormuz, Fox News reports
- StrongIranian source threatens to attack any vessel crossing the Strait of Hormuz
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
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