Shafaq News- Doha

A Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday for the first time in three weeks, according to Reuters, marking the first reported transit by a Qatari LNG vessel since shipping through the strategic waterway was disrupted.

Iran's state broadcaster IRIB reported that the vessel crossed the strait after complying with "Iranian rules and conditions" for passage.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated that the vital waterway will remain closed as long as US "threats" and "interference" in regional shipping continue, hours after the US military announced strikes on dozens of IRGC-linked sites in Iran.

Earlier this month, several LNG carriers operated by QatarEnergy were forced to turn back after attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

Qatar is one of the world's largest exporters of liquefied natural gas, accounting for about 20% of global LNG exports, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).