Iran says it has struck an oil tanker trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz. And South Korea says it is considering expanding the operations of a naval operation in the Gulf of Aden off the Arabian Peninsula to protect its ships and oil routes.
Here’s a look at the latest news in the Middle East on Friday. Full coverage can be found here.
Iran says it struck an oil tanker on the Strait of Hormuz
Iran said it struck a Togo-flagged oil tanker, the Trend, for what it called an “illegal attempt” to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the state broadcaster reported, citing the Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The Associated Press could not immediately confirm the report.
The Guard's navy warned that unauthorized passage through the strait would result in the “destruction” of offending vessels, the broadcaster said. Tehran has asserted control over the waterway since the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28.
Separately, a monitor overnight reported a ship “security incident” 16 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman, which lies on the other side of the strait. The crew was safe and no environmental impact had been confirmed, United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said.
The U.S. military has been guiding some commercial ships through the strait off Oman as the risk of Iranian attacks continues.
South Korea says it might expand naval unit in the region
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said his government is considering expanding the operations of a naval unit deployed in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen and Somalia to protect his country’s vessels and oil shipping routes.
But he stressed that South Korea would not take action drawing it into the U.S.-Iran conflict. South Korea has deployed the anti-piracy Cheonghae Unit for years.
The growing threat by Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen to shipping in the region has alarmed countries and markets, even though the rebels have said they are only targeting the assets of neighboring Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter.
Lee noted the threat to South Korea’s economy and the need to protect its ships but said “there will be no troop deployment that involves or intervenes in the war. I can state that clearly.”
___
This piece will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.
