Iran Stops Three Oil Tankers in Hormuz: Regional Tensions and Market Impact
TEHRAN — Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it struck and halted three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, according to Iranian media, despite a recent lull in fighting between Washington and Tehran.
The IRGC’s navy said the three “violating oil tankers” ignored warnings and continued sailing along what it described as an “unsafe and illegal route” before being struck and brought to a halt. The IRGC did not identify the vessels, disclose their ownership or nationalities, or specify their exact locations. It also did not provide details on whether the ships sustained any damage or whether there were injuries among their crews.
The action follows Tehran’s rejection of US President Donald Trump’s proposal to use frozen Iranian assets to compensate ships allegedly damaged in the Gulf. The IRGC warned that vessels complying with US directives could face further action and be barred from transiting the strategic waterway.
The incident comes after a period of relative calm in the Middle East and has heightened concerns about the security of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for a significant share of global oil trade. Hours earlier, the US military said it had intercepted ballistic missiles launched from Iran against American bases in the Middle East, marking the first direct escalation between the two countries following several days of relative de-escalation.
In response to the continuing tensions, the United States and Saudi Arabia carried out joint air strikes overnight in eastern Iraq, targeting supply facilities and weapons depots belonging to armed groups considered aligned with Iran. The latest escalation had an immediate impact on international energy markets. At the opening of trading in Asia, oil prices rose by more than 3 percent, with Brent crude gaining 3.39 percent to reach $86.94 per barrel.
There was no immediate response from the United States or the operators of the reported tankers, and the claims could not be independently verified.
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