Iran claims it struck oil tanker in Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Revolutionary Guards have said they struck an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, according to state news agency IRNA, as a British maritime agency also reported an attack.

Iran has maintained its stranglehold on the strategic strait as Washington continues pressing its counter-blockade of Iranian ports during the Middle East war.

The Islamic republic wants to charge ships for passage, attacking vessels it accuses of attempting to circumvent its preferred route.

"The Togo-flagged oil tanker 'Trend' had been targeted and detained after a fire broke out on board" late yesterday, the statement said, calling it an attempted "illegal passage".

Early today, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said a ship was hit by an "unknown projectile", causing a fire that was extinguished.

The monitoring agency had also reported a "security incident" in Hormuz late last night, without giving details.

It was unclear if the IRGC and UKMTO reports referred to the same incident.

Pakistan vows to defend ally Saudi 'to any extent'

Meanwhile, Pakistan's military spokesman said his country will "go to any extent" to defend ally Saudi Arabia, as the kingdom comes under increased attack from Yemen's Houthi forces.

Houthi forces reported fresh Saudi airstrikes this week, as Riyadh accused the group of launching a "cowardly" attack targeting Islam's holy city of Mecca, prompting a wave of outrage from around the Muslim world.

In an interview yesterday with Arab News, Pakistan's military spokesman Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said his country would back Saudi Arabia "both diplomatically and physically".

"We will go to any extent for the security of (the two holy sanctuaries) and the kingdom of Saudi Arabia," he said.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey last month signed the so-called Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, committing the three countries to mutual defence in the event of any of them being attacked.

The pact came against a backdrop of war between the United States and Iran and attacks in the region from Tehran-backed Houthi rebels.

"Pakistan fully stands with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, both diplomatically and physically," Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry told Arab News in an interview yesterday.