Explosions and Tanker Fires Escalate Tensions in Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman

Two explosions were heard on Iran's Qeshm Island, and two oil tankers caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz, with conflicting accounts emerging over the cause of the incidents. Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed the tankers struck mines after attempting to cross an unauthorized route, while Iranian media reported the blasts were linked to ongoing operations in the strait. The UK's maritime trade agency received a report of an incident involving a vessel in the Gulf of Oman. The US Central Command said its forces disabled a commercial ship in the Gulf of Oman after its crew ignored repeated warnings, firing precision munitions on the vessel to break an alleged naval blockade on Iran.