Reference News Network, November 15 - According to the Associated Press, November 14, a U.S. official said on the 14th that Iran detained the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker "Tara" as it passed through the Strait of Hormuz, forcing the ship to turn toward Iranian territorial waters. This is the first such interception incident in this strategic waterway for months.

According to reports, Iran has not yet acknowledged the detention, but Tehran has recently increasingly warned that it may retaliate for the 12-day war that broke out in June with Israel - at that time, the United States also bombed Iranian nuclear facilities.

A U.S. defense official, who requested anonymity, revealed that the "Tara" was intercepted by Iranian forces while en route from the UAE to Singapore. On the same day, an MQ-4C "Triton" drone of the U.S. Navy had been hovering over the area for several hours to monitor the situation.

Private security company Ambry reported that three speedboats approached the "Tara".

The UK's Maritime Trade Operations Office, under the military, also confirmed the incident and said it might be a "state action" that forced the ship into Iranian territorial waters.

Columbia Ship Management Company, based in Cyprus, later issued a statement saying that it had lost contact with the oil tanker, which was carrying high-sulfur diesel.

According to AFP, November 14, the United States said on the 14th that it was closely monitoring the "incident" involving an oil tanker near Iran. There are signs that the vessel may have been seized by the Iranian military.

According to reports, the U.S. Fifth Fleet, responsible for the region, stated: "We have noted the incident involving the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker 'Tara' and are actively monitoring the developments. Commercial vessels have the basic right to navigate and trade freely on the high seas."

Two maritime security companies told AFP that the ship suddenly changed its course on the 14th, indicating that it was likely controlled by the Iranian military. (Translated by Zhu Li)

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