Iranian forces halted two tankers on Friday for attempting to pass through an unauthorized route across the southern waters of the Strait of Hormuz. Authorities claimed the vessels turned off their positioning systems and ignored repeated radio warnings before fires erupted aboard. The military blamed hostile United States actions for supporting the transit, while also revealing that a separate ship that caught fire Thursday night had sunk.
Key points
Iranian naval authorities directly accused the United States military of supporting the u…: Iranian naval authorities directly accused the United States military of supporting the unauthorized transit of the tankers.
Onboard fires were officially attributed to regulatory violations alongside hostile actio…: Onboard fires were officially attributed to regulatory violations alongside hostile actions by the American military.
The incidents underscore heightened operational hazards for commercial vessels navigating…: The incidents underscore heightened operational hazards for commercial vessels navigating routes through the Strait of Hormuz.
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IRGC Navy intercepts two vessels in southern waters of Hormuz
30 October 2026 11:49 GMT
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said on Friday that it halted two tankers in the southern waters of the Strait of Hormuz after they attempted to pass through an unauthorised route.
In a statement, the IRGC Navy said the vessels, one in the eastern and the other in the western part of the strait, had switched off their navigation and positioning systems and ignored several radio warnings.
It accused the US military of supporting the attempted passage and blamed what it called hostile US actions, along with the vessels’ disregard for Iranian regulations, for the incidents and fires aboard the ships.
The IRGC Navy also said another vessel that caught fire in the southern waters of the strait on Thursday night had sunk.
Commercial vessels continue to navigate the Strait of Hormuz without encountering Iranian sea mines, according to American military leadership following an aerial survey of the strategic waterway. This assessment directly challenges Tehran's narrative regarding its maritime control over the transit corridor. The conflicting statements highlight ongoing disputes over critical maritime shipping security in the region.
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