The Naval Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed that it carried out strikes against three oil tankers travelling through what it described as an unauthorised route in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, as well as three vessels allegedly affiliated with the United States. The development came after the United States reportedly struck three Iranian oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman.

 

The IRGC Navy said the US strikes caused damage to the vessels and described the action as an attempt to close the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC subsequently warned vessels operating in and around the Strait to avoid what it termed unauthorised waterways.

 

Meanwhile, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said a US aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer successfully evaded multiple unprovoked Iranian attacks. It added that no American personnel were injured. CENTCOM also said the Iranian crude oil tankers were part of a multibillion-dollar shadow network allegedly funding the IRGC and its regional proxies. The US military said one of the tankers, Kylo, was struck at multiple critical locations to render it inoperable.

 

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the US strikes on Iranian commercial vessels, calling them illegal and irresponsible. The ministry said Iran remains determined to defend its sovereignty and national interests. It warned that the consequences of continued US attacks and interference in the region would be borne by Washington and its allies.