Iranian Military Claims Seven Ships on Fire in Persian Gulf, Warns Against Oil Transshipment

The Navy of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed in a statement on the 22nd local time that seven ships had caught fire in the Persian Gulf.

In the statement released that day, the IRGC Navy public relations office announced, "After monitoring and tracking four vessels with a history of passing through illegal routes, we detected them illegally transshipping petroleum cargo in the northern waters of the Persian Gulf," adding, "All four of these vessels were simultaneously struck and are currently burning."

These cargo ships are presumed to be shuttle vessels transporting crude oil from Gulf nations while moving back and forth through the Strait of Hormuz under U.S. military escort.

This development comes amid a deadlock in peace negotiations, as the U.S. and Israel weigh the resumption of strikes against Iran following the U.S. midterm elections, while clashes continue in the Strait of Hormuz due to tit-for-tat blockades.

The IRGC Navy also stated that on the night of the 21st, three vessels navigating in violation of regulations west of the Strait of Hormuz collided with mines, caught fire, and stopped operating.

It further warned, "Maritime accidents are increasing day by day as the hegemonistic U.S. regime encourages ships to continue passing through illegal routes where mines are laid," adding, "The invading U.S. forces must realize that if this behavior continues, the scope of our response will expand to include the bases of aggressive forces in the region."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.