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UKMTO Reports Maritime Incident in Southern Red Sea
Tensions in the southern Red Sea have escalated after a tanker reported that an unidentified projectile landed close to the vessel, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). The maritime security agency said the tanker’s crew reported witnessing a splash caused by an unknown projectile in the immediate vicinity of the ship . The vessel and its crew were reported safe, with no casualties or damage, while the environmental impact remains unconfirmed .
UKMTO has advised vessels in the area to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity as investigations continue .
IRGC Warns of Mines in Strait of Hormuz
The incident follows heightened warnings from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The IRGC has established a designated route for maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and warned that vessels challenging the security corridor could face targeting. Iran has also claimed that naval mines have been placed in undisclosed locations within the strait to target ships that violate the designated passage, though these claims have not been independently verified .
Iranian media recently reported that an oil tanker exploded after striking a naval mine after deviating from the designated Iranian route, although the claims remain unconfirmed and the vessel was not identified .
Iran Claims Over 200 US Troops Killed
Separately, the IRGC has claimed that more than 200 US troops have been killed in retaliatory strikes launched following what it described as a breach of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding . IRGC spokesperson Gen Hossein Mohabi rejected Washington’s official casualty figures, alleging that the number of wounded US personnel also exceeds 200, and that Iranian forces targeted eight US military bases across the region, destroying 20 protective shelters at one site .
The IRGC further claimed to have destroyed 11 US military aircraft and helicopters over the past two weeks, including an F-15 fighter jet, a P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, a C-17 transport aircraft, and eight aerial refueling aircraft .
Iranian Officials Vow Continued Operations
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council chief Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr stated that military operations against the United States would continue until the “enemy fully surrenders” . However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi noted that Tehran would decide how and when to restore maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing that negotiations remain the only viable path toward resolving regional disputes, including conflicts in Yemen and the Bab al-Mandab Strait .
The reported Red Sea incident, Iranian claims regarding mines in the Strait of Hormuz, and casualty figures have not been independently verified.
