Strait of Hormuz: Tanker passage causes oil spill

Iran’s military says a tanker struck naval mines and caught fire after attempting to cross a prohibited area east of the Strait of Hormuz without authorization and with its tracking systems switched off. Authorities in the United Arab Emirates reported an oil spill that reached the beaches of Umm Al Quwain. Satellite images analyzed by AFP showed the slick covering about 180 square kilometers on October 21, expanding to nearly 750 square kilometers three days later. Tehran claims control of the strait and has targeted ships crossing without its authorization since the Middle East war began on February 28.