Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has claimed that it struck and set fire to four vessels carrying oil cargoes in the northern Persian Gulf, while three other ships struck naval mines in the western Strait of Hormuz. The claims, reported by Iranian state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), come amid escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington over maritime traffic and the possibility of renewed military strikes against Iran.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the IRGC Navy said the four vessels had previously crossed what it described as an “illegal route” despite warnings issued to the maritime companies operating them.
“Following previous warnings to the offending maritime companies, who had been deceived by the invading US military and had crossed illegal routes, Navy fighters, by observing and pursuing four offending ships, which had previously crossed the illegal route, discovered them transferring oil cargoes in the middle of the northern Persian Gulf, where all four ships were hit simultaneously and caught fire,” the statement said, according to IRIB.
The Iranian force separately claimed that three other vessels struck mines in the western Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday night and were stopped.
The IRGC did not identify any of the seven vessels or disclose their ownership, nationalities, the extent of the reported damage or whether there were casualties. The claims have not been independently verified.
IRGC warns US against further escalation
The Iranian naval force accused Washington of encouraging commercial vessels to navigate through what it described as an illegally mined passage, blaming the United States for the growing number of maritime incidents.
“The insistence of the arrogant US regime on inciting ships to pass through the illegally mined passage has increased maritime incidents day by day,” the statement said.
Reiterating its control over the Strait of Hormuz, the IRGC Navy said its personnel continued to manage maritime movement with the support of the Iranian public.
“With this enormous national support, the IRGC Navy sailors continue to manage and control the Strait of Hormuz,” it added.
The force also issued a warning that the confrontation could extend beyond the waterway if the situation continued to escalate.
“The aggressive US army should know that if this trend continues, the scope of the confrontation will be extended to the aggressive bases in the region. This is a serious warning,” the statement said.
The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically important shipping corridor connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. A significant share of global oil shipments passes through the waterway, making any disruption to maritime traffic a concern for energy markets and international shipping.
The latest claims follow a series of Iranian announcements about vessels allegedly using routes that Tehran considers unauthorised. Previous reports have also described tankers catching fire after purportedly striking naval mines in the region, although details about the vessels and the circumstances of the incidents have remained limited.
Trump says US is not negotiating with Tehran
The reported maritime incidents came as US President Donald Trump said Washington was not negotiating with Iran and that developments in the confrontation would occur “fairly soon”.
In an interview with NewsNation White House correspondent Libbey Dean on Wednesday, Trump was asked whether negotiations with Tehran were continuing. He initially acknowledged some activity but indicated that the outcome remained uncertain.
“A little bit, but we'll see what happens,” Trump said when asked whether negotiations were ongoing.
When asked whether he had finished negotiating with the Iranian government, he replied: “No, I think we're not negotiating...we are going to have something, one way or the other. It'll happen fairly soon.”
Trump did not clarify what action or development he expected, nor did he provide a definitive timeline for the next steps in Washington's approach towards Tehran.
He described the situation as “a little conflict against Iran” and said the United States was performing well on both military and economic fronts.
“I think our sanctions ended the real deal over there. But we're doing very well militarily and financially against Iran,” he said.
His remarks have added to uncertainty over whether Washington will pursue further military action or seek to revive diplomatic efforts. The comments also come amid reports that the United States and Iran have been unable to resolve disagreements over Tehran's nuclear programme and control of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
US and Israel reportedly prepare plans for renewed strikes
The tensions have intensified following a report by The New York Times that the United States and Israel have drawn up plans for renewed strikes against Iran after the American midterm elections on November 3.
Citing US officials and others briefed on the deliberations, the newspaper reported that the two militaries had developed plans for a short but intensive operation targeting Iranian energy infrastructure, nuclear facilities, and missile and drone arsenals.
The report said the US and Israeli forces had stepped up military exercises, including flights over Iraq to practise strike manoeuvres.
The potential targets include infrastructure that could place further pressure on Iran's economy and military capabilities. However, it remains uncertain whether Trump will approve the proposed operation.
According to The New York Times, the United States is assembling a substantial military force expected to be fully in place by early November. The reported deployment includes three aircraft carriers, thousands of Marines, fighter jets and Special Operations forces.
Political considerations have also featured in discussions over the timing of any possible operation. Trump had previously pledged not to strike Iran before the US midterm elections, raising the possibility that any renewed campaign could be delayed until after November 3.
The reports have emerged alongside heightened military activity across West Asia and growing concerns that another round of strikes could trigger retaliation against US interests and allies in the region.
Iran threatens to unveil ‘Father of All Bombs’
Amid the reported preparations for renewed strikes, Tehran has warned that it would respond to any fresh military action and has hinted at the possible use of a weapon it calls the “Father of All Bombs”.
According to Iranian state-affiliated outlet Student News Network (SNN), IRGC spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi said: “The United States has the ‘Mother of All Bombs.’ We will show them the ‘Father of All Bombs,’ and it will definitely be something new for them.”
Iran has not provided technical details about the weapon or clarified whether the description refers to an existing capability, a new weapon or a rhetorical warning.
The statement follows reports that Trump has considered using the 22,000-pound GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), commonly known as the “Mother of All Bombs”, against Iran's deeply buried Pickaxe Mountain nuclear facility.
The possibility of targeting heavily fortified nuclear installations has added another dimension to the confrontation, with Tehran warning of retaliation if the United States or Israel launches another offensive.
Pezeshkian says Iran faces a ‘super-challenge’
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has described the current situation as an exceptionally difficult test for the country, while insisting that Tehran would continue to resist external pressure.
Addressing the Iranian Parliament, Pezeshkian referred to a memorandum of understanding previously signed between Iran and the United States.
“The memorandum of understanding we signed was very good; we hadn't given anything. The current situation is neither good for us, nor for the region, nor for the world,” he said.
He added: “We are in a super-challenge, not a challenge. America didn't think we would stand firm despite the pressure and war, but we stood firm, and we will continue to stand firm.”
The New York Times report said Washington was seeking to use the prospect of renewed military action as leverage in negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme and control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian negotiators, however, have resisted making concessions on the nuclear issue and have insisted that the matter be deferred until later in the talks.
The combination of reported attacks on commercial shipping, threats against US military bases, preparations for possible renewed strikes and stalled diplomatic efforts has heightened fears of a wider regional conflict.
With the identities and condition of the vessels cited in the IRGC's latest claims still unclear, and no definitive decision announced by Trump on further military action, uncertainty continues to surround the next phase of the confrontation.