The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy says it has intercepted and transferred to Iranian territorial waters two vessels for having committed violations in the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the IRGC identified the vessels as the MSC-Francesca, which it said belongs to the Israeli regime, and the Epaminodes.

The vessels, it said, were operating without authorization, committing repeated violations, tampering with navigation aid systems, and endangering maritime security in an attempt to exit the strait covertly.

“With the intelligence dominance of the forces, these vessels were identified and stopped in order to uphold the rights of the noble Iranian nation in the Strait of Hormuz,” the IRGC Navy said.

It added that the vessels have now been transferred to Iranian territorial waters for inspection of their cargo and documents.

The IRGC Navy reiterated that any attempt to disrupt the implementation of laws announced by Iran for transit through the Strait of Hormuz, or any activity inconsistent with safe passage through this strategic waterway, will be continuously monitored and met with decisive and legal action against violators.

A South Korean fighter pilot has been ordered to pay 88 million won ($59,200) in damages over a 2021 mid-air collision he caused by trying to get photos and videos of himself flying, an official report said on Wednesday.

The pilot, whose identity was withheld, wanted to capture footage of his last sortie before reassignment, according to the report by the Board of Audit and Inspection.

While travelling at 578 kilometres per hour (359 mph), he had the pilot of a second plane and another colleague take snaps of him on their phones.

In search of the perfect shot, he flipped his jet and flew close to the other aircraft, resulting in a misjudgement that caused his left stabilator — a horizontal stabiliser on a plane’s tail — to collide with its wing.

There were no casualties, but the unsanctioned move caused 878 million won in damages.

The pilot’s manoeuvre, which had not been coordinated with others in his formation, caused the aircraft to “invert up to 137 degrees so that its upper side could be captured on video”, the report published on Wednesday said.

The defence ministry initially ordered him to pay the full amount but he appealed to the board, which reduced his liability to 10% of the total repair costs.

The board took into account that other pilots had previously conducted in-flight filming, and that he had still safely commanded the flight and returned to base without causing further damage.

“Since commissioning in 2010, the individual has served for an extended period as a fighter pilot, managing aircraft safely,” the report said.

While the report did not specify what type of aircraft was involved, the Yonhap news agency said it was an F-15K.

Children in Britain who are 17 or younger, and anyone born in the future, will never be able to legally buy cigarettes after lawmakers approved new stricter restrictions on smoking.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill raises the legal age for buying tobacco by one year, every year, starting with people born on or after January 1, 2009, meaning affected age groups face a lifetime ban.

The law, which is due to receive royal assent next week, also tightens controls on vaping, including banning sales of vaping and nicotine products to under‑18s and restricting advertising, displays, free distribution and discounting.

The government says the measures will help reduce smoking and prevent young people from becoming addicted to nicotine, easing long-term pressure on the National Health Service.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the approval of the bill was a historic moment for the nation’s health.

“Children in the UK will be part of the first smoke-free generation, protected from a lifetime of addiction and harm,” he said.

“Prevention is better than cure — this reform will save lives, ease pressure on the NHS, and build a healthier Britain.”

Smoking causes about 64,000 deaths and 400,000 hospital admissions a year in England, according to official estimates, and costs the NHS around 3 billion pounds ($4 billion) annually, with wider economic costs exceeding 20 billion pounds.

Tighter rules on vaping

Vaping has also become a focus for policymakers, especially over concerns about youth uptake and nicotine addiction.

The government banned the sale of single-use or disposable vapes last year over concerns about youth use and environmental damage.

The new legislation will tighten those rules, with ministers gaining powers to regulate the flavours and packaging of tobacco, vaping and nicotine products through secondary legislation.

Around 10% of adults in Great Britain — an estimated 5.5 million people — use vapes, according to health charity Action on Smoking and Health, with levels broadly unchanged since 2024, suggesting growth has begun to plateau.

About half of people who vape are former smokers, while around 40% continue to smoke alongside vaping, the charity said.