The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a statement Thursday morning asserting that the Strait of Hormuz is Iranian territory and will remain closed as long as it perceives 'excessive demands and threats' from American factors. The IRGC warned that countries involved in aiding the 'aggressor' will face a 'harsh response' if they do not change their behavior. The statement follows the IRGC's earlier claim today that it repelled two oil tankers attempting to transit the strait.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a statement at 10:37 Jerusalem on Thursday, July 30, reiterating its claim of sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and vowing to keep the strategic waterway closed. The IRGC warned that any country it considers to be aiding the 'aggressor' will face a 'harsh response.' The statement asserts that the strait will not reopen as long as 'excessive demands and threats' from American factors persist. This latest escalation follows an earlier IRGC claim, reported by The Zioneer at 10:19 Jerusalem, that its naval forces repelled two oil tankers attempting to transit the strait, allegedly causing a fire on one of them.
At 08:34 Jerusalem, The Zioneer published a series of IRGC reports on the incident — first claiming that two oil tankers aborted their transit after a fire, then threatening that 'the aggressor will be punished today,' and later confirming an attack on two vessels. The initial claims came from IRGC statements and were carried by Iranian outlets such as Saham News and N12. The IRGC's account has not been independently verified; the vessels' identities, nationalities, and any damage or casualties remain unconfirmed.
As The Zioneer has reported in recent weeks, the IRGC has been escalating its threats against commercial shipping and U.S. assets in the region. On July 29, The Zioneer reported that Iran reportedly struck three additional ships overnight. On July 21, the IRGC claimed strikes on U.S. military positions in Bahrain and Kuwait and the seizure of two oil tankers in the Strait. On June 10, Iranian-linked sources warned that U.S. assets were 'exposed' near the strait. The IRGC has been enforcing a total blockade of the Strait of Hormuz since June, as detailed in The Zioneer's topic dossier on the IRGC Navy.
The situation remains tense. The IRGC's claims of repelling the two tankers and the subsequent statement warning of a harsh response have not been independently corroborated. It remains unclear whether any country has altered its behavior in response to the threats, and the Strait's status as a contested waterway continues to pose risks to global shipping and energy markets.
7 developments
- ConfirmedIRGC threatens imminent retaliation after US strikes near Strait of Hormuz
- StrongIRGC claims fatal tanker attack, warns against US cooperation in Strait of Hormuz
- DevelopingIRGC Threatens to Halt Oil, Gas Exports Through Strait of Hormuz if US Strikes Continue
- DevelopingIRGC Navy commander threatens to attack hostile warships in Strait of Hormuz
Source and signal
- Open-source intake