Iranian Navy says it destroyed "enemy submarine" and damaged two oil tankers near Strait of Hormuz

"This morning, an enemy submarine that was operating in the operational area east of the Strait of Hormuz was hit and destroyed by Iranian Navy sailors," the Navy statement said.

Iranian naval forces destroyed an "enemy submarine" and damaged two commercial oil tankers in the operational zone east of the strategic Strait of Hormuz on Friday morning. State media Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) reported, citing the Iranian Navy's Public Relations department, that Iranian forces targeted and destroyed an adversary submarine navigating the operational sector near the vital maritime choke point.

"This morning, an enemy submarine that was operating in the operational area east of the Strait of Hormuz was hit and destroyed by Iranian Navy sailors," the Navy statement said. In a separate development, state broadcasters reported that two oil tankers caught fire in the same maritime zone after striking sea mines. Iranian officials attributed the incident to the vessels ignoring official maritime safety warnings and operating covertly.

"Two enemy tankers, which, regardless of the warnings and regulations announced, were travelling in prohibited and unsafe areas east of the Strait of Hormuz with their tracking systems turned off, were damaged and caught fire after hitting naval mines," the statement added. Iranian naval authorities explicitly placed the blame for the incident on the commercial operators, asserting through IRIB that vessel owners would be held accountable for navigating unauthorised routes.

"The tanker owners will bear full responsibility for the consequences of unauthorised traffic and disregard for safety and maritime warnings," the statement warned. Reiterating a strict security posture over the regional waterways, the Iranian Armed Forces issued a direct warning against any unauthorised presence or military probing near Iranian territorial interests.

"We warn the enemy that any movement, infiltration, or provocative action in areas under the supervision of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be met with a strong and proportionate response," the statement concluded. The incident comes amid heightened tensions over maritime traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, with Iranian military authorities asserting control over the waterway and warning commercial vessels against transiting through areas they consider restricted and unsafe.

Iran's Army Navy Public Relations, in a statement reported by state broadcaster IRIB, claimed that a tanker travelling in a restricted area east of the Strait of Hormuz had caught fire after striking a naval mine."This morning, a tanker travelling in a restricted and unsafe area east of the Strait of Hormuz was damaged and caught fire after hitting a naval mine, preventing it from moving," the statement said. Iranian naval authorities also warned vessels against attempting uncoordinated passage through the waterway, stating, "The Strait of Hormuz is closed to violating ships that intend to pass through prohibited and unsafe areas without coordination and relying on the lies of the US President."Senior Iranian military officials have also reiterated that the waterway would remain closed until Tehran's conditions were met.

"The Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until Iran's conditions are met, under the control of the warriors of Islam," Major General Yazidi said, according to IRIB. The developments come as Washington weighs its military and diplomatic options regarding Iran. The Wall Street Journal reported that the head of the US military's Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, briefed US President Donald Trump on military options for Iran during a White House meeting on Thursday.

The meeting was also attended by US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Dan Caine and other Cabinet members, the newspaper reported, citing US officials and people familiar with the discussions. The deliberations come amid reports of a possible resumption of major US combat operations against Iran, following the US-Israeli bombing campaign earlier this year on February 28. Washington has also increased air defences, munitions and other supplies across the Middle East in recent weeks, according to the report. (ANI)