Iran reports ship fires, mine strikes, threatens wider response against US

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said on Thursday that four vessels involved in illegal oil transfers in the northern Persian Gulf were simultaneously hit and caught fire after being tracked by its forces on Wednesday.

The IRGC added that three more vessels collided with mines west of the Strait of Hormuz, and warned the US military that continued provocations could lead to a wider response against its regional bases.

The announcement comes amid mounting tensions over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has stepped up attacks on vessels and sought to exert greater control since the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28.

In an October 14 report, Reuters cited two senior Iranian officials as saying Tehran had adopted new tactics to target ships it considered to be violating its restrictions, in an effort to keep oil prices high and increase pressure on Washington ahead of the US midterm elections in November.

This story was originally published by Hellenic Shipping News. Read the full story at Hellenic Shipping News →