Iran's Revolutionary Guard Claims Attack on Two Oil Tankers Crossing Strait of Hormuz Under U.S. Military Escort

"Ignored warnings and entered unregistered route"
Four other oil tankers changed course

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran claimed on July 31 (local time) that it attacked two oil tankers attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz under the aerial escort of U.S. forces.

According to reports from Iran's state-run IRNA news agency and others, the Revolutionary Guard issued a statement saying, "Two oil tankers, deceived by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM)'s tactics, ignored warnings and assumed they could cross via an unregistered route while receiving U.S. aerial escort."

Ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Photo by Yonhap News / Reuters

The statement continued, "The oil tankers attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz through dangerous and illegal routes, were struck, and came to a halt," adding, "Four other nearby tankers quickly changed course and returned to their original positions."

The Revolutionary Guard warned shipping companies and insurers not to trust statements issued by the U.S. Central Command, emphasizing, "The Revolutionary Guard Navy will not overlook any illegal interventions or orders from the U.S. military."

Iran, citing a ceasefire memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed last month, asserts that it holds control over the Strait of Hormuz and has designated its own transit routes. Since then, it has repeatedly attacked vessels navigating the strait outside of these established routes.

The United States responded with airstrikes against Iran, and Iran, in turn, targeted U.S. military bases and assets in the Middle East, leading to ongoing armed clashes between the two sides.

The Revolutionary Guard previously claimed that, the day before, one of two oil tankers attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz caught fire, causing both vessels to return to port.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.