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Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said on Thursday that four vessels had come under heavy attack in the northern Persian Gulf, while three others were hit by mine explosions west of the Strait of Hormuz, setting the ships on fire.
In a statement issued on October 22, the IRGC Navy said it continued to maintain control and surveillance over the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian state broadcaster Press TV.
The force said it had previously warned several maritime companies against violating navigation rules, alleging that they had been encouraged by the US military to do so.
According to the statement, the IRGC identified and pursued four vessels that were transferring oil from one ship to another in the north-central Persian Gulf. The vessels were subsequently attacked, and fires broke out on board, it said.
The IRGC Navy also claimed that three other vessels had struck mines west of the Strait of Hormuz overnight. The explosions reportedly caused fires and brought the ships to a halt.
The force accused the United States of encouraging ships to use an unauthorised maritime route where mines had been laid, alleging that continued violations were increasing the risk of maritime accidents.
It issued a stern warning to Washington, saying that if such activities continued, the conflict could expand to include US military bases in the region.
On October 9, the IRGC Navy had warned that its measures against vessels using unauthorised routes in the Strait of Hormuz would not be confined to the waterway. It said ships violating navigation rules could be pursued across the wider region and face action.
The claims could not be independently verified.
