Tehran, Sept. 15: Iranian authorities have launched a search and rescue operation after two fishing boats were reportedly struck in a drone attack off the country’s southern coast, leaving several fishermen missing.

 Representational Image 

The incident occurred on Monday night near the southern port city of Kargan and close to Larak Island, according to Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency, which cited Ahmad Nafisi, Hormozgan province’s deputy governor for political and security affairs.

Nafisi said rescue teams have been deployed to locate the missing fishermen, adding that more information will be released once the investigation into the attack is completed.

Strait of Hormuz tensions deepen

The reported attack comes amid heightened tensions in and around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors.

Earlier, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy claimed that a supertanker identified as EL GAIA exploded and caught fire after striking naval mines while attempting to use what it described as a prohibited route south of the strait.

In a statement carried by the IRGC’s official outlet, Sepah News, the force said firefighting efforts failed to save the vessel and asserted that the strategic waterway remains closed and under Iranian naval control. Those claims have not been independently verified.

Warning to shipping and insurers

Separately, Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) issued a warning to insurance companies, protection and indemnity (P&I) clubs, and classification societies against providing services to vessels included on its updated list of alleged violators.

The authority said companies continuing to deal with those vessels could face consequences, underscoring Iran’s tightening stance on maritime traffic in the strategically important waterway.