IRAN’S Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed that it blocked three oil tankers from transiting the Strait of Hormuz as Tehran and Washington continue to contest control over the strategic maritime passage.
According to a statement carried by Iranian state media, the three tankers attempted to use a southern route of the Strait of Hormuz that the IRGC claimed had been fitted with naval mines, before one vessel exploded and caught fire.
"Three oil tankers, influenced and provoked by the child-killing American military, attempted to pass through a route fitted with mines in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz. However, after one of them exploded and caught fire, the other two immediately turned back," the IRGC said in the statement.
The statement did not specify when the incident occurred or provide further details about the vessels involved.
In recent weeks, Iran has been accused of targeting tankers travelling near Oman's coastline as they attempted to cross the strait, allegedly seeking to pressure vessels into using Iranian-controlled waters and paying fees for safe passage.
"The powerful IRGC Navy emphasises that the Strait of Hormuz is under our control... and any vessel deceived by the United States that intends to pass through without coordination with the Islamic Republic of Iran will face the same fate," the IRGC added.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important shipping routes, linking the Persian Gulf with the Arabian Sea, with a significant portion of global oil supplies passing through the narrow waterway.
The latest claim adds to growing concerns over potential disruptions to international energy shipments amid heightened tensions between Iran and the United States. - July 23, 2026
