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Iran said on October 22 that seven oil tankers were damaged in and around the Strait of Hormuz, with four vessels catching fire after being struck and three others disabled after hitting naval mines.
Iranian state television, citing a statement by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, said four vessels were struck simultaneously a day earlier while transferring oil between ships in the northern Persian Gulf. The Corps accused the vessels of following an unauthorized route.
Three other vessels were damaged and immobilized after striking naval mines west of the Strait of Hormuz, according to a separate statement by the Corps.
The IRGC warned that continued United States efforts to facilitate commercial shipping through routes Tehran considers illegal could prompt a wider response targeting American military bases in the region.
The reports come as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains under severe pressure from attacks and heightened security risks, although oil exports through the waterway have partially recovered.
Preliminary data published by MarineTraffic on October 19 showed that 120 vessels crossed the strait during the week of October 12-18, a 40.9% decline from 203 crossings the previous week. The figures could be revised as additional vessel movements are identified.
At the same time, Kpler data cited by Reuters on October 22 showed that oil flows through the strait averaged 11.7 million barrels per day in October, up from 9.75 million barrels per day in September. The October figure was still about 82% of the average recorded before U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28.
The recovery in oil shipments has been supported partly by convoys traveling close to Oman’s coastline under U.S. naval protection, according to the news agency. Around one-third of crossings have continued to use a northern route controlled by Iran, although those movements remain difficult to track.
The increased oil flows have not restored normal operating conditions. Reuters reported that the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations recorded 12 attacks in or around the strait during the previous week, adding that the actual number was likely higher because some shipowners avoid reporting incidents for commercial or security reasons.
The latest attacks were likely a warning by Iran to both the U.S. and Israel, who are reported to be planning another large-scale attack on the Islamic Republic.
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