Wait for Tehran's response.  Unknown Bombing on a Tanker Near Qatar

Iran said on Sunday (May 10th) that ships of countries that comply with the US sanctions imposed on the country will face difficulties in crossing the Strait of Hormuz as of now.

Iranian lawmakers said they are working on drafting a bill to formalize Iran's administration of the Strait of Hormuz, which includes provisions prohibiting the passage of ships from "hostile countries," according to  the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

The IRGC Naval Forces Command said that any attack on oil tankers and commercial ships belonging to the Islamic Republic of Iran would be met with a large-scale attack on a US base in the region and on enemy ships.

Unknown Bombing on a Tanker Near Qatar

Britain's Maritime Trade Operations Authority (MATA) said on Sunday that a bulk cargo tanker reported being targeted by an unidentified projectile while sailing 23 nautical miles northeast of the Qatari capital Doha.

The agency added that the projectile caused a small fire and was extinguished, and that the ship's captain did not report any injuries or environmental impact due to the incident.

Authorities are investigating the source of the projectile. Ships in the area have been instructed to exercise caution and report any suspicious activities to the Authority.

Iran threatens to respond to any targeting of its oil and commercial vessels

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy announced on Saturday (May 9th) that it will respond to any interference targeting Iranian oil tankers or commercial vessels with violent attacks targeting US bases and warships in the region.

The IRGC Navy issued a statement titled "Warning" about what it described as US interventions and attacks against Iranian oil tankers and commercial vessels.

"Any intervention against Iranian oil tankers and commercial vessels will be met with violent attacks targeting one of the US centers in the region and enemy vessels," the statement said.

The IRGC's Aerospace Forces Command announced that its missiles and drones have fixed their targets on US sites and "hostile" ships in the area, and are awaiting launch orders.

This came according to a statement by the Aerospace Forces Command following the warning issued by the IRGC Navy.

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump announced a temporary suspension of the "Freedom Project", which he launched on Monday with the aim of removing the ships of "neutral" countries stuck in the Strait of Hormuz, justifying this as "significant progress" towards reaching a comprehensive agreement with Iran.

In early March, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz against the backdrop of the war waged by the United States and Israel against it, in a move that observers saw as an attempt to raise the cost of the confrontation regionally and internationally, causing disruptions in food supplies and rising energy costs globally.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most vital energy corridors in the world, with about 20 million barrels of oil passing through it daily, in addition to nearly 20 percent of the world's liquefied natural gas trade.