Iran Says Violating Oil Tanker Hit Mines in Hormuz Strait

Iran says 'violating' oil tanker caught fire after hitting mines in Hormuz Strait

Tehran, Nov 7

In a statement on the army's website, the navy said the oil tanker had turned off its navigation systems and was transiting the "forbidden and unsafe" region east of the strait, ignoring warnings, when it hit the mines and caught fire.

It warned that the same fate awaits any "violating" vessels that ignore warnings and enter the "forbidden" areas of the waterway, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Saturday that its aerospace division has established underground missile and drone production facilities and is continuously increasing the range of its missiles.

"We managed to rapidly relocate the production of missiles and drones from the surface to underground (facilities)," IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebbi said at a press conference in Tehran.

"We are constantly enhancing the range of our missiles, and we will not stop in this regard," Mohebbi said, adding all tangible and intangible assets of a "hostile country" are within Iran's reach, Xinhua News Agency reported.

He warned that if the enemy renews strikes, Iran will unveil its military surprises, saying, "We are prepared without any geographical limitation to defend the country's existence, identity, and territorial integrity."

His remarks come amid heightened US threats of military action against Iran, and as the US Army reportedly carried out "minor" attacks targeting Iran's southern Qeshm Island early Saturday.

Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported earlier in the day that two missiles hit Qeshm Island, without providing details of the damage.

US President Donald Trump said Friday that US forces launched new strikes targeting Iran's air defence systems, describing the military action as "minor."

This was the second strike reportedly carried out by the United States against the Iranian island this week. The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, reported Tuesday that the United States attacked the island on Monday.

— IANS