Iran Says Two Ships Involved in Incident in Strait of Hormuz After Using US Route

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran stated on Sunday that two vessels were involved in an incident after attempting to traverse the Strait of Hormuz through an unsafe route. In a statement cited by the semi-official Fars news agency, the IRGC Navy claimed the ships were trying to disrupt regional stability and exit the strait with American support. The statement did not specify the nature of the incident experienced by the two ships. The IRGC further asserted that the Strait of Hormuz is under its full control and that the only safe shipping lanes are those designated and announced by Iranian authorities. This development comes amid escalating regional tensions following US strikes against Iran, which were met with retaliatory attacks by Tehran on facilities and bases allegedly used by the US military in several regional countries. The exchange of fire occurred despite both parties having signed a Pakistan-mediated memorandum of understanding in June aimed at ending hostilities and reaching a long-term peace agreement.