London, May 5 The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has said that vessels operating near the Strait of Hormuz should continue to exercise "maximum caution", following reports of a US operation to "guide" stranded ships out of the area.
In a written response to Xinhua news agency, an IMO spokesperson on Monday said: "We are aware of the reports but do not have further details. We continue to urge ships to practice maximum caution in the area."
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the United States would begin a transit facilitation operation on Monday to "guide" stranded ships through the Strait of Hormuz, Xinhua news agency reported.
In response, the Iranian military command warned on Monday that any foreign armed forces, particularly the US, would be attacked if they attempted to approach or enter the strait.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed on Monday that the US has established an enhanced security area south of the Traffic Separation Scheme in the Strait of Hormuz to support vessel transits.
However, it warned that the maritime security threat level in the area remains "critical" due to ongoing regional military activity.
Meanwhile, a fire broke out following an explosion on a Panama-flagged vessel operated by a major South Korean shipping company and stranded in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, with authorities now working to verify whether an external attack caused the incident, South Korean Foreign Ministry officials said.
An explosion followed by a fire occurred on the vessel operated by HMM Company Limited at around 8:40 p.m. while it was anchored in waters near the United Arab Emirates (UAE) within the strait, according to the Ministry as quoted by Yonhap news agency.
The vessel had 24 crew members on board -- six South Korean and 18 foreign nationals.
No casualties have been reported so far, it added.
The cause of the explosion and fire, as well as the extent of the damage, is currently under investigation.
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