US warns ships to avoid Iranian waters
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
The US Maritime Administration has issued an urgent warning to vessels flying the American flag, advising them to stay clear of Iranian territorial waters to avoid what it described as “unnecessary risks” to the safety of ships and their crews.
The advisory, included in the latest guidance for maritime activity in the Arabian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, comes amid rising tensions in and around Iranian waters.
Armed encounter in the Strait of Hormuz
The warning follows reports of a serious incident in recent days involving two armed speedboats affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The vessels attempted to intercept a US-flagged oil tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Read more: Iran says unexploded bombs remain at nuclear sites hit by US since June 2025
According to reports, the Iranian boats ordered the tanker to stop in preparation for boarding. A US Navy warship intervened, escorting the tanker and forcing the Iranian vessels to withdraw.
Iranian drone downed in the Arabian Sea
In a separate escalation, US forces shot down an Iranian drone in the Arabian Sea after it approached a US aircraft carrier in what was described as a “hostile” manner.
The incident underscores heightened military alertness between Washington and Tehran in regional waters.
Longstanding threats to navigation
These developments form part of a broader pattern of maritime incidents in recent years, including the detention of commercial vessels and repeated threats to freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most critical oil shipping corridors.
The latest US warning reflects continued concern over the risk of miscalculation in the Strait of Hormuz, as political tensions between Washington and Tehran show no signs of easing.
