A fire has erupted on a Panama-flagged tanker carrying 40,000 tons of LPG off the southern coast of Assalouyeh, Iran.

Port authorities have successfully rescued 22 sailors, but the blaze has spread across multiple sections of the vessel, prompting immediate containment efforts.

In May, Iran seized two oil tankers – one Panama-flagged and one Marshal Islands-flagged within one week in Persian Gulf waters, marking an escalation in a series of attacks on commercial vessels since 2019.

The US Navy reported that the Panama-flagged oil tanker Niovi was seized by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) while navigating the narrow Strait of Hormuz.

These events underscore the persistent maritime security concerns in the region, where heightened military activity and geopolitical tensions have cast significant threats upon commercial vessels.

In response to these dynamics, over 3,000 US sailors and marines from the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) have been deployed to the Middle East. This robust deployment serves to address escalating tensions between the US and Iran and projects US maritime strength in the face of Iran's aggressive actions, including their recent unveiling of new maritime weaponry.

The ongoing deployment, encompassing vital waterways like the Strait of Hormuz, Red Sea, Suez Canal, and Strait of Bab el-Mandeb, highlights the US Navy's steadfast commitment to securing critical choke points and reinforcing alliances in a complex and challenging geopolitical environment.