Iranian state-aligned media and the AFP wire service report that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intercepted multiple oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday. The reports vary in their descriptions: Iranian state media says two tankers were stopped and four others changed course, while AFP reports that Iran struck two tankers under US air escort. The accounts rely on Iranian sources and have not been independently verified.
Multiple reports emerged Friday at around 12:27 Jerusalem time, offering different accounts of the IRGC's actions in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media said the IRGC stopped two tankers and forced four others to change course. The IRGC itself claimed it attacked two tankers. A report from i24NEWS added that the tankers were under US naval escort. Now, the AFP wire service reports that the two tankers were struck while under US air escort — a new detail that, if confirmed, would indicate a direct confrontation between Iranian forces and US-protected vessels.
As The Zioneer reported at 12:32, Iranian state media earlier said the IRGC stopped two tankers en route to the strait and that four others altered course. The new AFP report introduces the claim of strikes and the presence of US air escort, escalating the reported scope of the incident.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint. The Zioneer reported on June 27 that the IRGC had lost effective control of the waterway as approximately 70% of maritime traffic shifted to Omani waters. Yet Iran continues to assert its ability to disrupt shipping, and Friday's reports suggest a new phase of confrontation.
All claims in Friday's reports rely on Iranian sources — state media, the IRGC, and the AFP wire service citing Iranian officials — and have not been independently verified. No details on damage, casualties, or the identities of the tankers involved have been reported.
5 developments
- DevelopingIRGC diverts six ships from Omani route in Strait of Hormuz, Pars agency reports
- DevelopingIRGC turns ships back in Strait of Hormuz, analyst suggests mine avoidance
- StrongIRGC Confirms Two Commercial Vessels Disabled in Strait of Hormuz, Warns of Further Action
- StrongIran's IRGC asserts full control of Strait of Hormuz, threatens force on unauthorized vessels
Source and signal
- Open-source intake