The US accuses Iran of attempted detention of two oil tankers Water is becoming scarce on Thailand’s dream island

The US has accused the Iranian navy of attempting to seize two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. Shots were fired at one of the ships, the US Navy reported on Wednesday. US forces have stopped the Iranian navy from hijacking the tankers.

Iran denied the incident, state radio reported, citing security circles.

According to US sources, an Iranian naval vessel first approached an oil tanker on Wednesday evening and did not depart until a US naval vessel arrived. About three hours later, another oil tanker alerted the US Navy: an Iranian naval vessel had approached the tanker and asked it to stop. The Iranians fired shots before the US destroyer arrived, and several rounds hit the ship’s hull. Both incidents took place in international waters.

In the past, there have been repeated incidents involving tankers in the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf. In particular, the Strait of Hormuz, an approximately 55 kilometer wide strait between Iran and Oman, is one of the most important shipping routes for global oil exports. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards arrested an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz in early May. Iran has harassed nearly 20 international-flagged merchant ships since 2021, the US Navy said on Wednesday. (sda/dpa)