Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claims that seven vessels had been attacked or struck mines across the Persian Gulf over the past 24 hours, including four conducting ship-to-ship oil transfers.
The IRGC Navy said it had tracked four vessels that previously used a route Tehran considers unauthorised, before striking them simultaneously as they transferred oil in the north-central Gulf. It claimed all four were burning. Three more vessels reportedly struck naval mines west of the Strait of Hormuz overnight, catching fire and becoming immobilised. Iran has supplied no vessel names, flag details, casualty figures or independently verifiable evidence supporting the seven claims.
The US military has previously disputed Iran’s repeated assertions that ships are striking mines, maintaining that international shipping lanes have been cleared and that missiles and drones are responsible for attacks on commercial vessels.
The latest UK Maritime Trade Operations warning concerns an incident early yesterday, when an unidentified tanker was struck by a projectile 11 nautical miles west of Bukha, Oman. The resulting fire was extinguished, with the vessel subsequently anchoring. All crew were reported safe.
Another tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile 30 nautical miles southeast of Iraq’s Al Faw on Tuesday evening. Its master reported no injuries or damage.
The International Maritime Organization’s latest tally records 119 confirmed maritime security incidents across the Middle East since hostilities began, with 24 seafarer fatalities. The organisation identified the tanker Al Dasma as having suffered a second attack on October 20.
Iran has further warned the US that continued attempts to move vessels through routes it considers prohibited could provoke attacks against American military bases across the region.
