Strait Of Hormuz Dispute Intensifies As Iran Targets Ships Using Rejected Routes

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed Thursday that it had struck four vessels transferring oil between ships in the Persian Gulf after they used shipping routes Tehran considers unauthorised.

The IRGC Navy said it tracked the vessels after they travelled through disputed lanes in the Strait of Hormuz, which the Trump administration has encouraged commercial ships to use to avoid Iranian controls and fees. According to the statement, all four vessels were hit simultaneously and caught fire.

Ship-to-ship oil transfers have become more common as commercial operators seek to reduce exposure to Iranian surveillance and attacks. The IRGC warned that continued use of the disputed routes could lead to attacks on US bases in the region.

Related Tweet:

⚡The IRGC reported that four vessels were struck in the northern Persian Gulf while transferring oil. According to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, fires broke out on all four vessels. No information has been provided regarding the status of the crews. https://t.co/X6R4gFxDqO

— Global Brief (@globalbrief_now) October 22, 2026

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