Iran’s new Persian Gulf Strait Authority says Hormuz transit halted

US Central Command said on Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz remained open to vessels seeking lawful transit, adding that Iran did not control the international waterway.

“US forces are positioned and prepared to ensure that freedom of navigation remains available despite unwarranted Iranian aggression, harassment, threats, and arbitrary declarations,” CENTCOM said.

It said US forces had facilitated the transit of more than 800 ships and over 400 million barrels of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz over the past two months.

CENTCOM said more than 140 ships had transited the strait in the past seven days, adding: “Traffic is flowing.”

Kuwait’s army said on Sunday that its explosives inspection and disposal team was handling shrapnel and explosive remnants in the Subhan area.

The General Staff said the operation would take place from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. local time.

It said any explosion sounds heard during that period would be caused by the disposal of the remnants and explosives.

Power restrictions on Iranian industrial units have increased to two days a week, the secretary-general of Iran’s House of Industry, Mine and Trade said on Sunday, warning the curbs may expand further.

Arman Khaleghi told ISNA that the limits on electricity supply could, as in previous years, extend from the evening to midnight.

He said a proposal had been made to count the blackout days as official holidays for production units to offset part of the losses caused by the power restrictions.

Khaleghi said the proposal had not yet been implemented.

Oman summoned Iran’s ambassador on Sunday to protest drone attacks targeting sites in the governorates of Musandam and Al Wusta, Oman’s foreign ministry said.

Khalid bin Hashel Al Muslahi, the ministry’s undersecretary for administrative and financial affairs, handed a protest note to Iranian ambassador Musa Farhang, the ministry said.

Oman expressed its dissatisfaction with what it called irresponsible acts and called for respect for state sovereignty, good neighborly relations and non-interference in internal affairs.

Oman’s Maritime Security Center said on Sunday that rescue teams had saved 23 crew members from the commercial vessel GFS Galaxy off the coast of Musandam.

The center said the Cyprus-flagged vessel issued a distress call 4.4 nautical miles from the coast of Musandam.

It said the rescued crew members were receiving medical care, while teams continued searching for one crew member who remained missing.