Iran claimed Thursday that its forces struck seven oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and near the Strait of Hormuz, warning that continued American military operations could trigger a wider Iranian assault on U.S. bases throughout the Middle East.
According to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, four vessels caught fire after being hit simultaneously in the northern Persian Gulf on Wednesday, while three more ships struck naval mines west of the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported. The claims have not been confirmed outside of Tehran.
The IRGC said its forces tracked the four vessels, which it accused of conducting illegal ship-to-ship oil transfers, before they were struck. Iranian state television reported the three other tankers were damaged and immobilized by mines, according to the Associated Press.
The Iranian military did not identify the vessels, their nationalities or whether there were casualties, AP reported. If independently confirmed, the incidents would mark the largest number of commercial vessels damaged in a single day near the waterway since the U.S. and Israel launched their military campaign against Iran on Feb. 28.
The IRGC also threatened to target American military bases in the region if Washington continued helping oil tankers move through passages Tehran considers unauthorized.
WHITE HOUSE RESPONDS
“As President Trump stated, Iran is in very bad condition, both economically and militarily, and the blockade will remain in full force and effect, with oil flowing in record numbers of barrels through the Hormuz Strait,” White House principal deputy press secretary Anna Kelly told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “The United States will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the midterm elections.”
The Pentagon declined to comment, citing operational security, and U.S. Central Command did not respond to a request for comment.
EXPERTS WEIGH IN
Some experts said the attacks reflect mounting pressure on Tehran.
“The U.S. is currently eroding Iran’s hold over the Strait of Hormuz,” said Jason M. Brodsky, policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran. He said this is prompting the regime to step up attacks on commercial ships, while the U.S. continues to enable safe passage, with some reports suggesting more crude oil is now leaving the Persian Gulf than before the war.
“Iran is in the death throes of its military capability,” said Steven Bucci, a Heritage Foundation visiting fellow and former Pentagon official, though he cautioned Iran could land a lucky strike that becomes significant from a public affairs standpoint.
Others sounded the alarm. Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, said the forces pushing toward another round of war are much stronger than those pushing back, warning that “the US should take this very seriously.”
Blaise Misztal, vice president for policy at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, said the current state of neither war nor peace will continue until one side moves to change it militarily, which he said could happen soon.
J.D. Foster, former chief economist at the White House Office of Management and Budget, argued the crux of the conflict now lies in the economic domain rather than on a stagnant military front.
MORE ATTACKS AT SEA
The United Kingdom’s Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that an unidentified projectile struck a tanker about 11 nautical miles west of Bukha, Oman, on Wednesday, sparking a fire that was later extinguished. All crew were reportedly safe, and no environmental damage was reported. UKMTO did not identify the attackers or say whether the incident was tied to Iran’s claims.
Another tanker reported being hit by an unidentified projectile about 30 nautical miles southeast of Al Faw, Iraq, on Oct. 20, with no injuries or damage.
The International Maritime Organization has documented 24 casualties and 120 confirmed maritime incidents across the Middle East since the conflict began, according to its Oct. 21 tally. Among the latest, the tanker AL DASMA was damaged in the Strait of Hormuz on Oct. 20, and the JIF BARRACUDA was damaged near the United Arab Emirates on Oct. 18.
