Seven Oil Tankers Damaged in Strait of Hormuz as Mideast Tensions Surge
Iran reports seven oil tankers damaged in the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating regional conflict. Get the latest updates on Middle East developments.
POLICY WIRE — Washington, D.C. — Iranian state television reported that seven oil tankers suffered severe damage or caught fire overnight Thursday after being struck by direct attacks or hitting naval mines within the crucial Strait of Hormuz.
If verified by international monitors, this incident would represent the largest single-day tally of commercial vessels crippled in the vital waterway since the outbreak of the Iran war on Feb. 28, when the United States and Israel initiated joint strikes against Iran.
Citing an official statement issued by the Revolutionary Guard’s navy, the network indicated that four of the targeted vessels were actively engaged in transferring oil when they came under fire and ignited. An additional three ships were immobilized and heavily damaged after detonating naval mines.
State media coverage omitted specific details regarding the national flags of the affected tankers or whether any crew members suffered casualties during the maritime explosions. Officials from the Revolutionary Guard also issued a stern caution, warning that regional U.S. bases could become targets if Washington attempts to facilitate oil tanker transit through alternative lanes of the strait.
Throughout the ongoing conflict, the Revolutionary Guard has frequently focused its operations on American military installations located across neighboring Gulf nations. Meanwhile, further south in Yemen, the Ministry of Defense issued a severe warning Thursday declaring that Houthi rallies and mobilization programs will be treated as legitimate military targets.
The ministry cautioned local residents living in territories controlled by the Houthi movement to avoid participating in these events, marking a sharp escalation against both the Iran-backed rebel faction and civilians in the area. Authorities noted that these cultural assemblies and gatherings are routinely utilized by the faction to recruit and mobilize children for combat operations.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
