Iran’s state television reported that seven oil tankers have caught fire and were damaged overnight Thursday after being targeted or striking naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
If verified, it would be the largest single-day number of vessels damaged in the waterway since the start of the Iran war on Feb. 28 when the United States launched joint strikes against Iran.
Quoting a statement by the Revolutionary Guard's navy, the Iranian report said that four of the tankers were transferring oil when they were targeted and caught fire. Another three were damaged and immobilized when they hit naval mines.
The report didn't provide details about possible casualties or the flags of the tankers.
The statement also warned that any U.S. attempts to allow the transit of oil tankers through “illegal passages” in the strait may expand the Revolutionary Guard’s reaction to include U.S. bases in the region.
The Revolutionary Guard had routinely targeted U.S. bases in Gulf countries after the war began.