TEHRAN, July 29: Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said it struck and stopped three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz after the vessels allegedly ignored warnings issued by Iranian forces, according to IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News.
In a statement reported by Tasnim, the IRGC Navy said the tankers continued sailing along what it described as an "unsafe and illegal route" despite repeated warnings from Iranian naval forces.
The IRGC did not identify the vessels, disclose their ownership or nationalities, or specify their exact locations within the strategic waterway. It also did not provide details on whether the ships sustained any damage or whether there were injuries among their crews.
The naval force said it would continue enforcing its control over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important maritime oil transit routes.
"The IRGC Navy would continue enforcing control over the Strait of Hormuz," the statement said, adding that "US military instructions to vessels in the region would not go unanswered."
There was no immediate response from the United States or the operators of the reported tankers, and the claims could not be independently verified.
