IRGC says 11 oil tankers caught fire in Strait of Hormuz over nine days

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Monday that 11 oil tankers caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz over a nine-day period, with some of the vessels sinking. In a post on X, the IRGC stated that the incidents occurred from October 25, the date of a visit by CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper to the Strait of Hormuz, until Monday.

The IRGC described Cooper's visit as "demonstrative" and linked the timing of the tanker fires to it. The statement did not provide further details on the causes of the fires, the nationalities of the vessels, or the extent of any damage or casualties. It also did not specify the exact locations of the incidents within the strait.

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic waterway through which a significant portion of global oil shipments passes. Tensions in the region have previously affected shipping and raised concerns about the security of maritime traffic. The IRGC's announcement comes amid ongoing international attention to developments in the Persian Gulf and surrounding waters.

No independent confirmation of the IRGC's account was immediately available. The report by Mehr News added that the IRGC's post on X did not elaborate on the circumstances of the fires or identify the tankers involved.