Iran reports seven tankers struck in Strait of Hormuz, threatens US bases
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed that seven oil tankers were hit or damaged by mines in the Strait of Hormuz overnight, describing it as the largest single-day toll since fighting began on 28 February. The United States rejected the claims as an attempt to raise oil prices before American elections, and Iran warned it could strike US military bases in the Middle East if Washington helps protect shipping. The incident highlights the escalating tensions in a conflict that has involved regional and international actors since February.
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Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced on Thursday that seven oil tankers had been struck and damaged in the Strait of Hormuz overnight, which it described as the largest single-day toll for the strategic waterway since the United States and Israel began their military operations against Iran on 28 February. According to the IRGC statement, four vessels were transferring oil when they were targeted and caught fire, while three others were disabled after striking mines. No independent verification of these claims was possible, and details about casualties or the nationalities of the affected tankers were not provided.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global shipping corridor. Before the war disrupted traffic, roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supplies passed through it. The strategic importance of this waterway makes claims about attacks there particularly significant for international oil markets and global commerce.
The IRGC also issued a warning to the United States, stating it could strike American military bases across the Middle East if Washington intervened to help tankers navigate the strait. "The US military must know that if this trend continues, the conflict will extend to its bases in the region," the IRGC said in a statement. The United States dismissed Iran's claims as an attempt to drive up oil prices ahead of American elections. Iran asserts control over the Hormuz waterway, and these competing claims illustrate the volatility of a conflict that has already drawn in multiple regional and international actors.
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