The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) stated on Friday that the threat level to maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz remains serious following recent attacks on merchant vessels.
According to sea-news.az that in a notification issued by the Combined Maritime Information Center, the UKMTO stated that the southern route passing through the strategic waterway has been expanded and is accessible to all maritime traffic.
“Despite recent attacks on merchant vessels, mariners are reminded that the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz has been expanded and is available for transit to all vessels,” the statement noted.
The center has warned vessels passing through the area to coordinate radio communications with naval forces via very high-frequency (VHF) channels and to remain vigilant against designated mine threat areas.
This warning comes after a series of attacks on commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which have triggered a new military confrontation between the United States and Iran.
Washington has repeatedly struck Iranian military and infrastructure targets, stating that the operations were in response to attacks on commercial vessels.
Tehran, which demands that vessels coordinate with Iranian authorities before transiting the strategic waterway and refuses passage through routes other than those it designates, has also responded with drone attacks on U.S. military facilities in the Gulf and Jordan.
Last month, with Pakistan’s mediation, Iran and the U.S. signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the military conflict and reaching a sustainable peace agreement. However, against the backdrop of ongoing military operations, the future of the negotiations remains uncertain.
