Live Updates: Iran says Strait of Hormuz will reopen if U.S. leaves the region

October 16, 2026 / 8:20 AM EDT / CBS News

The Iranian navy said Friday that it had identified a tanker on fire in what it called a prohibited area in the Gulf of Oman, east of the Strait of Hormuz.

The navy's public relations office said in a statement that military surveillance teams "discovered and identified a violating oil tanker that had caught fire in a prohibited area."

The vessel had "switched off its tracking systems and was attempting to pass through a prohibited area in the Gulf of Oman."

The navy did not say how the tanker "caught fire" but added that "the consequences of uncoordinated movements along routes and in prohibited areas are the creation of insecurity and serious hazards for other vessels."

At least three commercial vessels have been struck in the region in suspected Iranian attacks this week.

The Strait of Hormuz will reopen if the U.S. "leaves" the Middle East, an Iranian army official said Friday.

"If the United States leaves the region, the Strait of Hormuz will reopen and collective security will be established with the participation of the countries of the region, and the global economy will improve," army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/