Tanker 'in violation' set on fire near Hormuz Strait: Iranian navy

The Iranian navy said Friday that it had spotted a tanker on fire as it attempted to cross what it called a "forbidden zone" east of the Strait of Hormuz, in the Gulf of Oman, according to Iranian state media.

The navy described the tanker as a vessel "in violation" and said it had disabled its tracking systems. It did not explain what caused the fire. The navy also warned that uncoordinated movements through shipping lanes and forbidden zones "create a situation of insecurity and pose significant risks for other vessels."

Gunfire targeted four vessels, including container ships and tankers, earlier in the week, on Tuesday, according to data from the British maritime security agency UKMTO.

Before the war in the Middle East, the Strait of Hormuz carried about one-fifth of the world's oil. The waterway has since become a central theater of the war, which began Feb. 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. Tehran has since claimed control of the route and regularly targets ships that transit without its authorization.

Washington, meanwhile, has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports. The latest diplomatic talks between the two countries have failed to produce an agreement to reopen the strait.