Iranian military says seven "violating" vessels caught fire in waters around Hormuz Strait

The navy of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Thursday that it had struck four "violating" ships in the Persian Gulf in recent hours, while three other "offending" vessels caught fire after hitting naval mines west of the Strait of Hormuz Wednesday night.

The four targeted ships, which had crossed an "illegal" route in the strait, were detected and hit in the northern central Gulf while engaged in a ship-to-ship transfer of oil cargoes, the navy said in a statement released by the IRGC's official news outlet Sepah News.

All four vessels were targeted simultaneously and set on fire, it said, adding that maritime companies had been warned against crossing "illegal" routes in the Strait of Hormuz.

The navy said the three vessels that struck naval mines the previous night caught fire and were forced to stop.

It added that the U.S. government's insistence on inciting ships to pass through the "illegal and mined" route had led to a daily increase in maritime incidents, warning that if the U.S. military continues to do this, the confrontation could extend to its bases in the region.

The navy said its forces still manage and control the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran tightened its grip on the strait on Feb 28, barring safe passage of vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States following their joint strikes on Iranian territory.

Iranian military says seven "violating" vessels caught fire in waters around Hormuz Strait

Shanghai Pudong International Airport recorded over 30 million border crossings this year as of midnight Tuesday, with inbound foreign nationals up 21 percent year on year, according to data from the Shanghai airport border inspection station.

Data shows that since Oct. 10, daily inbound foreign nationals have remained above 25,000 for 11 consecutive days.

Analysts said this surge reflects a dense schedule of international exhibitions and sporting events in Shanghai, along with multiple international events and expos held across the Yangtze River Delta region and south China's Guangdong Province.

With routes linking more than 50 countries and regions, Shanghai Pudong International Airport has become the top transit choice for many overseas businesspeople, spectators, and athletes arriving in China.

Cross-border trips at Shanghai Pudong Airport hit 30 mln