Hormuz —Iran has reported that seven oil tankers were damaged in overnight incidents in the Strait of Hormuz, as tensions with the United States rise and concerns grow over global energy supplies.
Iranian state television, citing the navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said four tankers caught fire while transferring oil after being targeted, while three others were damaged and immobilised after hitting naval mines.
The claims have not been independently verified. The report did not identify the vessels’ flags or provide details of possible casualties. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, a maritime security monitoring body, had not reported the incidents.
The IRGC warned that US military bases across the region could become targets if Washington continued helping commercial vessels navigate the waterway. The United States dismissed Iran’s claims, with criticism that the statements were intended to push oil prices higher.
The reports came after US President Donald Trump rejected an Iranian proposal to end the conflict and fully reopen the strait within a week, subject to conditions including the lifting of the US blockade of Iranian ports.
Washington is also deploying additional troops and a third aircraft carrier to the region, according to reports, adding to concerns about a wider military confrontation.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical shipping route for oil and other energy supplies from the Gulf. Any prolonged disruption could increase shipping costs, put pressure on oil prices and affect countries that depend on imported energy, including India.
Some tanker operators are continuing to move oil through a US-protected shipping lane near Oman’s coast, using night-time passages and switching off location systems, according to shipping industry information. Saudi Aramco has also increased the capacity of its East-West pipeline, which bypasses the strait, to seven million barrels a day.
The situation remains uncertain, and the extent of the reported damage and its impact on shipping will depend on further independent confirmation and developments in the conflict.
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