Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy says it turned back six vessels attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz after they allegedly tried to use routes not approved by Iranian authorities.
Gatekeepers News reports that according to Iranian state television on Monday, the vessels were intercepted overnight and ordered to reverse course after warning shots were fired by the IRGC Navy.
“Last night, six vessels that attempted to transit through a route other than the designated one were stopped by the IRGC Navy with warning shots and turned back,” a state television correspondent reported from the Gulf.
State television had earlier reported that one vessel was involved in an “incident” but did not provide further details.
The latest development comes just days after the Revolutionary Guards announced that they had intercepted four vessels attempting to transit through the southern section of the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the IRGC, warning shots were fired before those vessels were also forced to turn back.
Iran has effectively maintained a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of the Middle East conflict in late February, heightening tensions along one of the world’s busiest and most strategically important maritime routes.
