IRGC Navy Forces US Tanker to Turn Back Near Strait of Hormuz

Istanbul (ANTARA) - Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy forced a US tanker to turn back near the Strait of Hormuz after the vessel attempted to pass with its radar switched off, according to semi-official Tasnim news agency on Thursday morning. Citing military sources, Tasnim reported that IRGC naval forces quickly responded to the vessel, firing warning shots to force it to retreat. Tasnim linked the incident to earlier explosions near the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, where Iranian media reported air defences were activated. The news agency stated there were no casualties or material damage from the incident. The report came as a US official confirmed to Anadolu that the US carried out another round of airstrikes in southern Iran, shooting down four Iranian one-way attack drones posing a threat near the Strait of Hormuz. “US forces also targeted an Iranian ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was preparing to launch a fifth drone,” the official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Wednesday (27 May). “These actions were measured, purely defensive, and intended to uphold the ceasefire,” the official added. Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran in February. Tehran retaliated with strikes targeting Israel and US allies in the Gulf, alongside closing the Strait of Hormuz. A ceasefire began on 8 April through Pakistani mediation and was later extended indefinitely by US President Donald Trump.