Iran Revolutionary Guard fires cruise missile at vessel: Report

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Navy fired a naval cruise missile at a commercial vessel early Sunday after the ship ignored repeated warnings near the Strait of Hormuz, the semi-official Fars News Agency reported. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) later said it received reports of an incident approximately nine nautical miles east of Oman.

Citing military authorities, Fars said the container ship sustained damage to its stern that sparked a fire on board, though no casualties were immediately reported and authorities continue to investigate the circumstances.

Strait closure and explosions

The Revolutionary Guard said earlier that it had closed the Strait of Hormuz until further notice and until what it called US interventions in the region end, barring all vessels from transiting the strategic waterway after several ships allegedly failed to follow approved routing orders. Iranian media reported explosions across several areas of southern Iran late Sunday, including Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Chabahar, Jask, Qeshm Island and parts of Bushehr province.

US military response

The US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) said it launched a third round of operations against Iran this week in response to what it described as an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attack on a Cyprus-flagged container ship in the strait. The operations aim to degrade Iran's ability to target commercial shipping, according to the command.