Iran says plans to announce new 'exclusion zone' near Strait of Hormuz

The useful part

The new head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council on Sunday said Tehran plans to announce an "exclusion zone" outside the Strait of Hormuz aimed at vessels it believes are attempting to transit the waterway. Mohsen Rezaei's comments to Iran's state broadcaster came with few details, a day after the US struck three Iranian oil tankers in response to Tehran launching ballistic missiles at US warships. Experts called the launches a dangerous escalation after Iran's previous attacks at sea targeted commercial shipping.

How it works

• The US military has said over 20 warships are supporting the blockade, which as of Sunday had redirected 92 commercial ships and disabled three.
• Iran after negotiations collapsed and no end to the intermittent fighting appears in sight.
• Meanwhile, Iran continues to attack some ships trying to transit the strait, which has become an important source of leverage for Tehran in the war that began February 28 with US and Israeli strikes.
• Iran earlier Sunday said it struck an unmanned US vessel trying to enter the Strait of Hormuz, a claim that the US military dismi...