Middle East
Revolutionary Guard says it struck four oil ships in the Gulf, three more hit mines near Hormuz; threat to U.S. bases
The IRGC navy warns the confrontation will extend to U.S. bases in the region if Washington keeps encouraging ships to pass through “unauthorized” routes.
By ANN Newsroom · Newsroom
October 22, 2026, 06:45 · Updated 12:23 · 2 min read
In brief
- The Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s navy claims it simultaneously struck four ships transferring oil in the northern Persian Gulf.
- According to the IRGC, three other ships hit mines west of the Strait of Hormuz and caught fire.
- Tehran is threatening U.S. bases in the region; the claims have not been independently verified.
The navy of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Thursday morning that its forces struck four ships carrying out ship-to-ship oil transfers in the northern part of the Persian Gulf. According to the statement, the ships were pursued and struck simultaneously, and all four were on fire. The IRGC calls these transfers illegal.
In the same announcement, the Revolutionary Guard claimed that three other ships, which were trying to use sea routes not recognized by Iran, hit mines west of the Strait of Hormuz, caught fire and came to a halt. Iranian state television spoke of seven tankers hit. None of these claims has been independently confirmed, and there is no information on casualties or on the names of the ships.
A warning to Washington
The IRGC accused the U.S. military of encouraging ships to pass through mined areas, via southern routes near the coast of Oman that Tehran considers unauthorized. “If this continues, the field of confrontation will extend to the aggressor’s bases in the region,” the statement said. Analysts see this as an escalation in rhetoric beyond the usual attacks on tankers.
Iran has controlled the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the U.S.–Israeli war against it on Feb. 28 and says it will not reopen the waterway until Washington meets its demands. According to CBS News, Brent crude rose 3.2 percent to $112.27 a barrel after the news.
Diplomacy on hold
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday that indirect talks through mediators, including Pakistan and Qatar, are continuing and that “the negotiating table remains.” President Trump, for his part, denied that Iran is negotiating and said the situation will be resolved “pretty quickly.”
