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Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has released rare video footage of attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz for the first time, sending a warning to the United States over its claims that it can keep the strategic waterway open and safely escort vessels it considers authorised to pass.
According to Press TV, the footage released on Saturday shows Iranian naval forces monitoring vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and attacking several ships that allegedly failed to comply with Iranian instructions.
The IRGC said the footage demonstrates Iran’s effective control over the waterway and its ability to take action against vessels operating without permission.
The video begins with brief clips of statements by US President Donald Trump, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper. They claim the Strait of Hormuz remains open and under US control, and that American forces have cleared mines and secured shipping routes to prevent unauthorised vessels from passing.
The footage then shows Iranian naval forces closely monitoring several vessels and carrying out targeted attacks on ships that allegedly ignored their instructions.
Alongside the video, the IRGC warned against relying on US claims that the Strait of Hormuz is open and that Washington can safely escort unauthorised vessels through the waterway.
“The United States is the greatest threat to the security of regional countries and maritime trade,” the IRGC said, describing US support and escort operations as “nothing more than a big lie.”
First Footage of Iranian Attacks Released
The release is significant because, since the start of the conflict, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) has regularly released footage of attacks on vessels. This is the first time the IRGC has publicly released similar footage of Iranian attacks through Iranian media.
Russian and Middle Eastern affairs researcher and BBC guest commentator Arman Mahmoudian said on X that Iranian media had, for the first time, released video of Iran’s attacks on oil tankers.
He said the attacks were presented as operations to “punish the aggressor.”
According to Mahmoudian, the footage appears to show attacks on at least two vessels. One of them could be identified as a CMA CGM vessel, with the company’s name clearly visible before the attack. He said the vessel was apparently struck by a projectile on May 5, 2026.
The second vessel could not be conclusively identified from the footage, he said.
Mahmoudian said the video is significant not only because it captures rare footage of the attacks, but also because Iranian media openly portrayed the strikes as retaliatory operations rather than denying or obscuring them.
Earlier, the IRGC Navy claimed to have attacked three vessels linked to the United States and three oil tankers that were allegedly operating without permission. Iran said the operations were carried out in retaliation for US attacks on Iranian oil tankers.
Strait Remains Closed
The development comes amid continuing tensions over the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran closed the waterway after the United States and Israel launched renewed attacks on Iran on February 28.
In June, Iran and the United States agreed to reopen the strait for 60 days under a deal mediated by Pakistan.
As part of efforts to implement the agreement and ensure safe and lawful navigation, Iran initiated the formation of the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA). However, Tehran later closed the waterway again, citing alleged US violations of the agreement.
Iran has said it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the US naval and economic blockade is fully lifted, attacks on all fronts—including Lebanon—are permanently halted, and the situation surrounding the blockade of Yemen is clarified.
