Iran Claims Mine Attacks on Tankers and Threatens Retaliation Against US
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has announced that two oil tankers were set ablaze after striking mines placed by its navy in the Strait of Hormuz. The announcement comes alongside renewed threats from Iranian officials to target undersea internet cables and retaliate against potential military strikes by the United States.
In a formal statement, the IRGC claimed that the two vessels attempted to navigate through what Tehran unilaterally classifies as an unauthorized route in the southern portion of the strait, near the coast of Oman. The IRGC stated that the naval mines brought both offending vessels to a standstill. The statement did not provide the names of the affected tankers or reveal their exact locations. Under international maritime law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, Tehran lacks recognized authority to unilaterally authorize or restrict passage through the Strait of Hormuz, where ships hold the right of transit passage.
Reporting on related maritime activity, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) stated on Tuesday that it received information regarding an incident involving an oil tanker and military forces on Monday. The reported incident occurred approximately 121 nautical miles east of the Omani city of Duqm. The UKMTO stated that no damage or casualties were recorded and did not identify the vessel involved.
Threats to Maritime Infrastructure and Military Claims
Addressing ongoing regional tensions, IRGC spokesperson Hossein Mojabi warned on Monday that Iran could target undersea internet communication cables running through the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. Mojabi asserted that Iran plans to unveil new weaponry designed to eliminate the military presence of the United States in the region.
The IRGC also claimed its air defense forces brought down an American MQ-9 drone over the strait on Monday night. A US official speaking to American media outlets dismissed the claim as untrue. Meanwhile, Iranian domestic media, including the state-affiliated Fars news agency, reported that a US airstrike targeted an air defense installation at a naval base in Konarak, located in Sistan and Baluchistan province, on Monday. The report stated that two military personnel were wounded. Washington has not issued a statement regarding the reported strike.
Tehran Vows Response to Potential US Strikes
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated that Tehran will launch counterattacks in response to any American military action. Responding to reports that Washington had requested restraint if US forces strike Kuh Kalang, Baghaei described such expectations as unrealizable.
"In practice we have shown that we absolutely do not leave any blow unanswered," Baghaei said. "A US attack on Kuh Kalang and Iran not responding is fantasy and empty talk."
Addressing diplomatic efforts, the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency cited an unnamed Iranian security source who stated that confusion over decision-making authority in Washington was hindering negotiations. The source referenced Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, claiming Iranian officials remained uncertain about their respective roles.
Global Maritime and Regional Impact
The conflict has severely disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical transit point that previously carried roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies prior to the war that began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February. Both Washington and Tehran have imposed blockades in the strategic waterway, and Iranian forces have repeatedly targeted cargo ships operating in the southern section.
Arsenio Dominguez, secretary-general of the International Maritime Organisation, stated that approximately 6,000 seafarers remain stranded in the strait as a consequence of the ongoing conflict. Dominguez criticized commercial shipowners for continuing to direct vessels and crews into the dangerous corridor.
Unconfirmed US media reports indicate that the Pentagon is deploying the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit to the Middle East, a move that would add about 10,000 sailors and Marines to the region by late November. US officials have not formally confirmed the planned deployment.
