Iran Strikes Oil Tanker in Strait of Hormuz; South Korea Weighs Naval Expansion

Iran said it struck a Togo-flagged oil tanker, the Trend, for what it described as an "illegal attempt" to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, state broadcaster reported, citing the Revolutionary Guard Corps. The report could not be independently confirmed.

The Guard's navy warned that unauthorized passage through the strait would result in the "destruction" of offending vessels, the broadcaster said. Tehran has asserted control over the waterway since the United States and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28.

Separately, a monitor overnight reported a ship "security incident" 16 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman, which lies on the other side of the strait. The crew was safe and no environmental impact had been confirmed, United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said.

The U.S. military has been guiding some commercial ships through the strait off Oman as the risk of Iranian attacks continues.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said his government is considering expanding the operations of a naval unit deployed in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen and Somalia to protect his country's vessels and oil shipping routes. But he stressed that South Korea would not take action drawing it into the U.S.-Iran conflict. South Korea has deployed the anti-piracy Cheonghae Unit for years.

The growing threat by Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen to shipping in the region has alarmed countries and markets, even though the rebels have said they are only targeting the assets of neighboring Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter.

Lee noted the threat to South Korea's economy and the need to protect its ships but said "there will be no troop deployment that involves or intervenes in the war. I can state that clearly."

This piece will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.