Iran expands Hormuz monitoring as attacks rise and oil shipments fall

Iran's navy said it has deployed new units east of the Strait of Hormuz and across the Sea of Oman and Arabian Sea to monitor enemy activity and maritime traffic. Tehran warned vessels not to switch off transponders and urged them to coordinate with Iranian forces for safe passage. The announcement came as attacks in the waterway surged and oil flows fell again after recovering to pre-war levels in September.

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Iran's navy described a new operational formation positioned east of Hormuz and in the Sea of Oman and Arabian Sea. It said the move followed detection of a tanker that had been damaged and set ablaze, and that the units would track military activity and shipping in real time. Tehran also told vessels to keep transponders on and to coordinate with its forces.

An Iranian official told Reuters that tactics against ships deemed