Tehran [Iran], November 8 (ANI): The sounds of multiple explosions were heard across strategic coastal locations in southern Iran, including Qeshm Island and the port of Jask, with local media attributing the noise to ongoing activities in the Strait of Hormuz, Al Jazeera reported early on Sunday.
According to Iran’s semi-official news agency Tasnim and Iranian state television, at least two distinct blasts were heard on Qeshm Island, which sits directly inside the narrow Strait of Hormuz chokepoint.
The incident on Qeshm Island follows reports by official state news agency IRNA that “several explosions” were earlier heard echoing across the port of Jask, located further east along the Gulf of Oman in Hormozgan province.
Official government authorities have yet to issue a formal clarification regarding the exact origin or cause of the detonations, according to Al Jazeera.
Iran’s IRCG (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) Navy reported that two oil tankers struck mines near the Strait of Hormuz, according to Al Jazeera. Iranian state television, citing the navy, says the two tankers passed through an “unsafe” part of the Strait of Hormuz with their navigation systems off and “suffered severe damage and stopped after hitting sea mines.”
Meanwhile, United States Central Command (CENTCOM) forces have disabled a commercial cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman using precision airstrikes after the ship’s crew repeatedly ignored warnings and attempted to breach an active naval blockade against Iran, the US military confirmed in an official statement.
According to a press release issued by CENTCOM on Saturday, a US military aircraft deployed precision-guided munitions targeting the stern of the St. Kitts-flagged vessel M/V Huda to render it immobile.
The strike was carried out after CENTCOM personnel issued direct instructions to the civilian crew to evacuate the targeted sections of the ship to avert loss of life.
“U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces disabled a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Oman, Nov. 7, after the ship’s civilian crew ignored repeated warnings and attempted to violate the naval blockade against Iran multiple times,” the military command stated. (ANI)