TEHRAN, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said Thursday that a Marshall Islands-flagged vessel linked to the United States had been struck in the Gulf after ignoring warnings from Iranian naval forces.
In a statement carried by its official outlet Sepah News, the IRGC warned that oil tankers and other vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz must comply with Iran's passage regulations, saying U.S. "aggression" had created insecurity in the waterway. Ships that failed to comply risked being struck by "stray projectiles," it said.
The statement identified the vessel as "Safe Sia," but other media reports suggested it was likely referring to the "Safesea Vishnu," a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker owned by a U.S. company. The ship was hit by explosive-laden drone boats near the Khor al-Zubair port, close to Basra in southern Iraq, late Wednesday.
One Indian crew member was killed, according to Iraqi port officials. The tanker was believed to be carrying up to 400,000 barrels of Iraqi crude. The remaining 15 Indian crew members aboard the Safesea Vishnu were evacuated.
The incident came amid escalating regional tensions after the United States and Israel launched joint strikes on Feb. 28 on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei along with senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. bases across the Middle East.
The conflict has raised fears of disruptions to oil exports and global energy markets, particularly shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Separately, Iran's armed forces said they had carried out drone strikes on Israel's Palmachim and Ovda air bases, as well as the headquarters of the Shin Bet domestic security service. ■
