TEHRAN: Iran says it will hold a "massive" naval drill near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the first such exercise since the incident involving 10 US sailors who were briefly captured by Iran when they drifted into Iranian territorial waters earlier this month.

The official IRNA news agency says the drill will start on Wednesday an encompass an area from the eastern part of the Strait of Hormuz, through which one fifth of the world oil supply passes, to the Sea of Oman and also stretch into the Indian Ocean.

The agency is quoting Iranian navy chief, Adm. Habibollah Sayyari, as saying that "many types of missiles and torpedoes will be launched during the maneuver."

Sayyari did not elaborate on the length of the drill.