Tehran : Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for the cruise missile strike on two Emirati oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, alleging the vessels ignored repeated warnings, switched off their navigation systems and attempted to sail through what it described as a “mined route”. The response came after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) confirmed that the tankers, Mombasa and Al Bahiyah, were hit while sailing in Omani territorial waters.
Without identifying the ships by name, the IRGC said two “offending” supertankers had been “successfully struck and disabled” after allegedly refusing to comply with maritime warnings. It accused the vessels of deliberately disabling their navigation systems and disregarding repeated instructions while attempting to pass through a hazardous route. The IRGC also blamed the United States for encouraging commercial shipping to use what it termed an “illegal route” through the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest attack marks a significant escalation in tensions across the Gulf, where the conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States has intensified since February. The strike came hours after US President Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a blockade on Iranian shipping, declaring that Washington would take responsibility for securing the Strait of Hormuz while seeking a 20 per cent reimbursement on cargo transiting the vital maritime corridor.
Trump also declared that the United States would serve as the “Guardian of the Hormuz Strait”, arguing that countries benefiting from the waterway should contribute to the cost of its protection. Shortly afterwards, US forces launched a third straight night of strikes against Iran, targeting coastal surveillance systems, drone infrastructure and missile capabilities along the country’s southern coastline.
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