WorldPosted at: Oct 22 2026 7:44PM


IRGC says it struck four vessels in Strait of Hormuz traversing ‘illegal route’, three other vessels hit mines in Strait

Tehran, Oct 22 (UNI) Iran’s theocratic paramilitary force, the IRGC, said on Thursday it had struck four vessels transferring oil between ships in the Persian Gulf after they used shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz that Tehran considers unauthorised. It also said that three other vessels had struck mines while traversing via the "unauthorised" route in the strait.
The IRGC Navy said it had tracked four vessels that had passed through what it called an “illegal route”, referring to southern shipping lanes near Oman that the US has encouraged commercial vessels to use to avoid Iranian fees and controls.
“They discovered the vessels transferring oil cargoes from ship to ship in the north-central part of the Persian Gulf,” the IRGC said in a statement. “All four ships were hit simultaneously and are burning.”
The force also claimed that three other vessels attempting to use routes not recognised by Iran had struck mines west of the Strait of Hormuz, caught fire and been forced to stop.
The IRGC blamed Washington for the incidents, accusing the US military of directing vessels through mined waters. It warned that continued American actions could lead to attacks on US military bases across the region.
Iran considers the southern maritime corridor near Oman, designated for commercial transit and secured by the US, to be illegal.
The claims came amid continuing reports of attacks on shipping around the Strait of Hormuz.
On Wednesday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency reported that an unidentified projectile had struck an oil tanker near Bakha, Oman.
If verified, the reported damage to seven vessels would mark the largest number of ships damaged in the Gulf in a single day since the Iran war began on 28 February. The claims have not been independently confirmed.
Oil prices rose sharply on Thursday following reports by Iranian state television that seven tankers had been hit by Iranian forces or sea mines. Brent crude, the international benchmark, climbed 3.2% to $112.27 a barrel, while US benchmark crude rose 2.8% to $99.80.
Prices have hovered around $110 for Brent in recent days amid uncertainty over when the conflict will ease and energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz can return to normal.
Global equities also retreated. In early European trading, Germany’s DAX fell 1.1% to 25,367.96, France’s CAC 40 dropped 1.3% to 7,816.67, and Britain’s FTSE 100 declined 0.7% to 10,678.67.
US stock futures weakened, with futures for the S&P 500 down 1% and those for the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 0.7%.
Despite the attacks, data from commercial intelligence firm Kpler indicated that crude exports from Persian Gulf countries, excluding Iran and including shipments through alternative pipelines, had exceeded pre-war levels.
UN ANV RN
Tags: #IRGC says it struck four vessels in Strait of Hormuz traversing ‘illegal route’# three other vessels hit mines in Strait
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