AI Generated Image
Tanker ablaze after being struck by projectile in the Strait of Hormuz
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- A tanker off the coast of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz caught fire after being struck by a projectile, according to the British military, marking the latest attack in this strategically vital waterway.
- Iranian state television suggested the tanker, carrying liquefied natural gas from Qatar, was attacked for ignoring warnings, though Iran has not officially claimed responsibility.
- Tehran insists all vessels use its approved routes through the strait and has threatened force against deviations, while the U.S. and Gulf states reject Iran's demands to control and charge fees for passage.
- Negotiations between the U.S. and Iran to reopen the strait and address nuclear issues are paused amid tensions following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose funeral is drawing large crowds in Qom.
- Khamenei's funeral ceremonies are ongoing, with his son and new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei reportedly in hiding after being wounded, amid heightened regional security concerns.
