Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Friday said its forces had struck two oil tankers attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, forcing several other ships to turn around in the process.
In a statement carried by state-affiliated media, the IRGC said the two oil tankers were struck in the early morning hours on Friday after attempting to pass through the strait through routes unauthorized by Iran. The two ships were “encouraged by U.S. Central Command” and under an air escort of the American military, according to the statement.
The incident has not been independently confirmed, and the Washington Times has reached out to CENTCOM, which coordinates U.S. military operations in the Middle East, for comment.
The IRGC statement added that four other tankers, which had also entered an “unauthorized route,” “quickly altered course” following the strikes on the two vessels.
Since fighting between the U.S. and Iran resumed earlier this month, Tehran has maintained that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, asserting that safe transit requires direct coordination with the IRGC Navy.
However, CENTCOM has insisted that Iran does not control the strait and that its forces remain in the region to ensure freedom of navigation. CENTCOM has also directed hundreds of attacks against Iran’s ability to project power in the strait over the last few weeks, striking key military targets in the country’s south.
SEE ALSO: Middle East war expands to Egypt as U.S. continues strikes against Iran
But the Pentagon has stopped short of launching full-scale naval escort operations for commercial ships, focusing instead on encouraging ships to take alternative routes in the strait near Oman.
