Iran says 6 ships attempted 'illegal, unsafe' passage through Strait of Hormuz

Iran said six vessels attempted to pass through an unauthorized route in the Strait of Hormuz early Monday after switching off their navigation and positioning systems, state broadcaster IRIB reported. The vessels tried to cross the southern route of the strategic waterway “illegally and unsafely,” a well-informed source told IRIB. The source claimed the ships were attempting to “provoke” US forces in the area. One of the vessels was involved in an unspecified incident, while the other five were redirected to the Persian Gulf under Iranian control, according to the report. No details were provided about the ships, their flags, crews or the nature of the incident. The source said the designated shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz had been clearly defined and warned that other routes were dangerous and impassable. The US military did not immediately comment on Iran’s account.