Iran says seven tankers hit in Strait of Hormuz, warns US against escorts

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy said seven commercial oil tankers were damaged overnight in the Strait of Hormuz, marking what could be the sharpest single-day disruption to merchant shipping in the waterway since regional hostilities escalated on 28 February.

According to an official IRGC navy statement carried by Iranian state television on Thursday, four tankers caught fire after being targeted during oil transfer operations, while three additional vessels struck naval mines, sustaining damage that left them immobilised.

The military announcement did not disclose the names, flags, or ownership of the vessels involved, nor whether any crew members were injured or killed.

What happened in the strait

Iranian military authorities outlined two separate causes for the reported damage across the waterway overnight:

The IRGC accompanied the claim with a direct warning to Washington, stating that Iranian forces would target United States military bases across the Gulf if American forces attempt to escort or facilitate the transit of commercial tankers through alternate sections of the strait. Iranian forces have regularly launched strikes at US installations across neighbouring Gulf states during the ongoing conflict.

Tehran threatens wider economic targets

The maritime claims follow explicit warnings from Iran's top security leadership that retaliation could extend beyond immediate military targets. Major General Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, warned that the commercial assets of governments backing military action against Tehran could face retribution.

"One cannot consider Iran’s oil facilities, ports, and shipping as legitimate targets, but at the same time assume that the economic infrastructure of the other side that supports this war will remain immune forever," Rezaei told Drop Site.

Rezaei added that Tehran is no longer prepared to rely on agreements supported only by political goodwill, reiterating that unhindered passage through the Strait of Hormuz depends on Washington meeting specific demands communicated by Iran. He noted that Tehran has discussed an alternative regional framework with neighbouring capitals to mutually shield civilian infrastructure, ports, and energy lanes from military strikes.

Implications for global shipping and India

The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly a fifth of the world’s petroleum consumption, making safe passage through the corridor vital for global energy stability. Major import-dependent economies, particularly across Asia, rely heavily on shipments originating from Gulf terminals.

For India, which maintains close diplomatic channels across West Asia and sources a substantial share of its crude imports from the Gulf, any sustained interruption to tanker movement through Hormuz represents a direct challenge to maritime security. New Delhi has consistently advocated for unimpeded freedom of navigation, dialogue, and de-escalation in key international sea lanes, closely tracking shipping integrity to safeguard supply chains.