An oil tanker was struck by a drone in the strategic Strait of Hormuz on Saturday morning after reportedly ignoring repeated warnings from Iran’s naval forces, according to a statement issued by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the vessel, identified as the tanker “Prima,” was targeted by a suicide drone after it failed to comply with navigation warnings issued by the IRGC Navy in the sensitive waterway.

According to the statement released on March 7 by the IRGC’s Public Relations Office, the vessel was struck because it ignored repeated orders regarding the “prohibition of passage and unsafe conditions” in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian officials said the strait has been under heightened control for the past eight days amid escalating regional tensions.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints, with a significant share of global oil shipments passing through the narrow waterway each day.

Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the open ocean and serves as a crucial route for oil exports from the Middle East.

The IRGC linked the tightened maritime restrictions to recent geopolitical developments, accusing the United States of launching military aggression against Iran.

The statement also made the dramatic claim that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed in what it described as a joint US-Israeli attack on Tehran on February 28.

If confirmed, such an event would represent a major turning point in regional politics and security. However, the claim could not be independently verified, and there has been no official response from Washington or Tel Aviv regarding the allegation.

The IRGC statement further warned that oil tankers and commercial vessels affiliated with what it described as hostile countries would not be allowed to transit the Strait of Hormuz during the current period of heightened security.

Iranian authorities said the restrictions were necessary due to the presence of US military forces in the Persian Gulf and what Tehran described as “unprovoked attacks” against the country.

International maritime organizations and the US naval forces operating in the region have not yet issued official statements about the reported incident.

The US Navy’s regional command, United States Fifth Fleet, which oversees naval operations in the Persian Gulf and surrounding waters, had not commented on the alleged drone strike on the tanker Prima at the time of reporting.

The situation in the Strait of Hormuz continues to draw global attention due to its critical importance to international energy supplies and the potential for escalation in an already tense region. (ILKHA)