Iran says it halted four tankers and targeted 11 others in Strait of Hormuz over 10 days

Four oil tankers have been prevented from continuing their passage through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran's armed forces disabled their navigation systems, according to local Iranian media reporting from the strategic waterway.

The report said the vessels were attempting to use a route outside the designated Iranian passage and relied on navigation systems operated by the U.S. military. It added that 11 non-compliant oil tankers had been targeted over the past 10 days.

According to the report, the IRGC Navy disabled the navigation systems used by the vessels, leaving the tankers stranded and burning in the Persian Gulf. The report did not provide further details on the condition of the vessels or their crews, and the claims could not be independently verified.

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway through which a significant share of global seaborne oil passes, and it has repeatedly been a flashpoint in regional tensions. Iran has previously stated that vessels transiting the strait must follow designated routes and coordinate with Iranian authorities.

The Mehr News Agency (MNA) carried the report, which cited local Iranian media coverage from the waterway. No immediate comment was available from U.S. officials or from the operators of the vessels named in the account.