Tanker Struck Off Oman as Iran Holds Khamenei Funeral.

The attack came as Iranian state television aired live images of tens of thousands of people walking toward Jamkaran Mosque for a funeral service for late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His coffin was carried through crowds of mourners in Tehran on Monday.

The attack was the latest to target a vessel moving through the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas passed before the U.S. -Israel war with Iran began in late February.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations centre said the tanker was hit near Limah, Oman. Iranian state television said the liquefied natural gas tanker had ignored warnings, but did not directly claim responsibility for the assault.

Tehran has repeatedly declared that only its approved route through the strait is safe. Iran is also suspected of attacking other ships using a route close to the Omani shore.

Previous attacks in the strait have prompted retaliatory strikes by the United States, after which Iran attacked Gulf Arab states, raising the risk of escalation.

There have been increasing signs that mourners at Khamenei’s funeral were calling for the death of the United States.

Talks between Iran and the United States appear to be on hold until after the burial of the late Supreme Leader, who was killed at the beginning of the war.