Iran Attacks Two Tankers Passing Through Strait of Hormuz Under US Escort
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has announced that it has attacked two tankers sailing through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway for global oil and gas supplies. The IRGC claimed that both tankers were attempting to traverse the Strait under ‘air escort’ from the United States military.
No further details were provided regarding the identity or the country of origin of the two tankers attacked by the IRGC on Friday (31/07). “Oil tankers that did not comply with the rules… were attacked and forced to stop, while four other oil tankers quickly changed direction and returned to their previous positions,” the IRGC stated, as reported by AFP.
The IRGC asserted that the tankers were attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz via “undeclared routes”—referring to US-supported alternative paths that differ from the shipping lanes established by Tehran, which run closer to the Iranian coastline.
The Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global energy supplies, has been impacted by the ongoing conflict between Iran and the US in recent months. Both nations are competing for control over the waterway; the US demands unimpeded freedom of navigation, while Iran insists that vessels traverse lanes near its coastline under a navigation mechanism managed by Tehran. Tehran even requires ships to obtain permits and pay transit fees before using these waters.
Previously, on Thursday (30/07), the IRGC launched another attack in the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in two tankers turning back after one of them caught fire. Meanwhile, on Friday (31/07), the Iranian military announced it had launched drone attacks targeting US military facilities in Kuwait. The Iranian military stated that its forces targeted “fighter aircraft shelters, satellite communication systems, and equipment storage facilities at Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base in Kuwait.” According to the Iranian military, the attack was carried out “in response to recent terrorist aggression by the US military against our country and its brutal attack on a residential house on Qeshm Island.”