Two oil tankers struck sea mines in the southern Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, sending one vessel carrying over two million barrels of crude to the bottom of the sea, according to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
The Revolutionary Guards asserted that the Strait of Hormuz is closed, claiming the maritime explosions stem from vessels ignoring navigation rules imposed by Tehran. The IRGC Navy stated that two violating oil tankers attempting to cross through unauthorized routes exploded and caught fire after hitting naval mines while operating with their navigation systems turned off.
Two other tankers that attempted to cross surreptitiously changed course and returned to Persian Gulf waters after receiving warnings from the maritime traffic control operated by the IRGC Navy.
The IRGC added that the United States has faced complete failure in its plan to smuggle oil in the Strait of Hormuz under the guise of escorting ships, and is now attempting to divert global public attention through small and misguided actions from the reality that the strait is closed.
Earlier in the week, the U.S. military reported shooting down two Iranian attack drones heading toward Bahrain and denied an earlier Iranian claim regarding a radar strike. On Sunday, however, the Revolutionary Guards announced that their aerospace force launched six drones at an American air defense radar station at the Al-Riffa helicopter base in Bahrain.
The IRGC described the drone operation as the second phase of its retaliation for a U.S. strike on a telecommunications tower in Sirik, southern Iran. Bahrain’s air defenses intercepted the incoming drones, according to regional reports, while U.S. Central Command stated there were no injuries or damage from the intercepted drones heading toward the kingdom.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that Tehran would not remain in a state of “neither war nor peace” and threatened to widen the geographic scope of the conflict if the United States makes another mistake.
In response to the escalating maritime and regional tensions, U.S. President Donald Trump stated in interviews that he would attack Iran only if necessary and said that he had asked Vice President JD Vance to end his interest in negotiating a new deal.
Regional diplomacy continued as IRNA reported that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi would attend a meeting in Islamabad on Monday and meet with Oman’s foreign minister, Badr Albusaidi, on Tuesday.
Earlier coverage: Three Oil Tankers Caught Fire in Strait of Hormuz, IRGC Says
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