Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said on Thursday that its forces struck four oil tankers that were transferring oil in the Strait of Hormuz and that another three ships struck mines as oil prices reached an 11-month high.
The IRGC Navy warned that US bases would be targeted in the region if the US continues to encourage vessels to go through the strait. “The aggressor US military must know that, if this trend continues, the scope of confrontation will extend to the aggressor bases in the region. This is a serious warning,” the statement said.
So far, the attacks haven’t been confirmed by other sources, but the UK Maritime Trade Operations recently said that it’s struggling to report on all the incidents in or near the Strait of Hormuz because the “majority” of attacked vessels are refusing to report to the organization.
For his part, President Trump is accusing Iran of making up attacks on ships. “Iran is doing everything they can to drive up the price of Oil prior to the U.S. Midterm Election. They are even making up fake hits, mines, and everything else, because more Oil is coming through the Hormuz Strait now than it did even prior to the beginning of the Conflict,” he wrote on Truth Social.
Oil has continued to flow through the strait despite Iran dramatically increasing its attacks in recent weeks, since captains are reportedly being offered $100,000 a month to operate through the strait, but the shipments haven’t brought down the price of oil. Brent crude hit $112 per barrel on Thursday for the first time since May 18.
The IRGC statement came as the US and Israel appear poised to launch another major attack on Iran either before the upcoming US and Israeli elections or after.
