Tehran, Oct. 29 -- Iranian military forces have asserted full control over the Strait of Hormuz, declaring the vital maritime corridor closed to non-compliant commercial traffic after a tanker was damaged and set ablaze by a naval mine.

Reporting on statements issued by the Iranian Army Navy Public Relations and senior commanders from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), state broadcaster IRIB confirmed that an unauthorised vessel suffered severe damage in the area.

"This morning, a tanker travelling in a restricted and unsafe area east of the Strait of Hormuz was damaged and caught fire after hitting a naval mine, preventing it from moving," the Army Navy Public Relations statement said.

Iranian naval authorities explicitly l...