Traffic by seven vessels that the Iranian side says violated established rules has come to a halt in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), naval forces spotted four tankers that entered the Persian Gulf via routes Tehran considers illegal while they were transferring an oil cargo from one vessel to another.
"Four tankers that entered the Persian Gulf via illegal routes with the support of the US army were tracked by IRGC personnel. These four tankers were detected in the northern waters of the Persian Gulf transferring an oil cargo from tanker to tanker. All four tankers were struck, and fires broke out on the vessels," the statement said.
In addition, the IRGC reports that last night in the western part of the Strait of Hormuz three vessels that violated established rules struck a sea mine. As a result, a fire broke out and vessel traffic came to a halt.
"US support for vessels passing along a mined illegal route has led to maritime incidents becoming more frequent by the day. The American side should be aware that if this process continues, the confrontation will expand to include military bases in the region. This is a serious warning," the IRGC statement said.