Iran announced on Monday that it targeted an unmanned American maritime vessel attempting to enter the Strait of Hormuz, marking a new escalation in the ongoing conflict between the two nations. The United States has not immediately confirmed the alleged attack. The Iranian claim follows a statement issued a day prior by the US military, which reported targeting three Iranian oil tankers in retaliation for missile attacks launched against American naval warships. The wider conflict began on February 28 following strikes conducted by the United States and Israel against Iran. Although a ceasefire agreement was announced in June, formal negotiations subsequently broke down, leading both sides to resume military exchanges aimed at inflicting strategic and financial damage. Following a month-long lull, active hostilities resumed last week, focusing heavily on the Strait of Hormuz and adjacent Iranian territories. Earlier in the week, US bombardment in southern Iran resulted in at least five fatalities. Despite military actions targeting maritime corridors and international sanctions aimed at foreign institutions managing Iranian finances, Tehran's hardline senior leadership has signaled a refusal to back down. Fatal Oil Tanker Explosion Kills 11 in Western Iran In a separate development in western Iran, an oil tanker explosion left 11 people dead and seven others injured. According to the official IRNA news agency, the incident occurred late Sunday night near the Kurdish city of Sanandaj, located approximately 400 kilometers from Tehran. The explosion occurred after the oil truck suffered a brake failure near a traffic police station, crashing into multiple passenger vehicles before catching fire. The injured were transported to nearby medical facilities for treatment. A similar tragedy occurred near Sanandaj in 2018, when a collision between an oil tanker and a bus resulted in 15 deaths and four injuries.