Iran’s Revolutionary Guard navy said its forces hit four vessels overnight Thursday as they transferred oil in the northern Persian Gulf, and that three other vessels struck naval mines west of the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state television reported all seven oil tankers caught fire or were damaged.
If verified, it would be the largest number of vessels damaged in the waterway in a single day since the Iran war began on Feb. 28, when the United States and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran, the Associated Press said.
The reports did not give details on possible casualties or the flags of the vessels.
What We Know So Far
According to the statement, as carried by Mehr News Agency, the Guard’s navy tracked and pursued four vessels that it said had crossed an illegal route after earlier warnings to shipping companies. It said it found them moving oil cargo from ship to ship in the northern Persian Gulf and hit all four at the same time. They are burning, the statement said.
The other three vessels hit mines west of the Strait of Hormuz overnight, were damaged, caught fire and were stopped, it said.
The statement said the United States’ insistence on pushing vessels onto what the navy calls a mined, illegal route has caused more maritime incidents each day. It praised the Iranian people’s steadfastness and said its forces continue to manage and control the strait with broad national backing.
What Authorities Are Saying
The Guard’s navy warned that it may target U.S. bases in the region if the United States tries to let oil tankers pass through other parts of the strait. It called this a serious warning. The Guard routinely targeted U.S. bases in Gulf countries during the war.
Differing Accounts
The AP’s account places all seven tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and says they were “targeted” or hit mines, without naming an attacker. The Guard’s statement, as relayed by Mehr, puts the four it hit in the northern Persian Gulf and the three mine strikes west of the strait. None of the claims has been independently verified.
Why This Matters
If the count is verified, it would be the highest one day total of damaged vessels in the waterway since the war began. The Guard also tied its warning about U.S. bases to any U.S. effort to move tankers through other parts of the strait.
What Happens Next
No casualty figures or vessel flags have been released, and the reports did not include a U.S. response to the Guard’s warning.
Also in the Region
Yemen’s Defense Ministry said Thursday that Houthi rallies and mobilization programs will be treated as legitimate military targets, and warned residents of Houthi held areas not to take part. The ministry said the Houthis use such gatherings to mobilize children for combat. The AP described the announcement as a major escalation against the Iranian backed rebels and against civilians in areas they control. Deliberate attacks on civilians could amount to a war crime, the AP noted.
Sources: the Associated Press and Mehr News Agency, citing Iranian state television
