Iran: 7 ships hit in the Strait of Hormuz

Iran said Thursday its navy hit seven oil tankers traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to exacerbate regional tensions and the global energy crisis that is driving inflation.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’s (IRGC) navy claimed in a statement to have hit four tankers that were transferring oil. The other three ships hit naval mines and were immobilized as a result, according to The Associated Press . The IRGC added in its statement that some of the vessels remained ablaze as of Thursday morning.

Iranian state TV also reported that seven ships were hit while traversing the strait. If confirmed, it would mark the largest single-day incident involving vessels in the waterway since the start of the war in February.

The IRGC also issued a warning to the U.S. military against continued efforts to traffic oil tankers through the strait, saying it could cause a response at American bases in the region, per the AP.

The attacks come as the United States and Israel are reportedly drawing up plans for a potential resumption of strikes on Iran after the midterms.

The U.S. also withdrew staff from its embassy in Saudi Arabia this week, as Houthi rebels in Yemen have opened a major new front in the regional conflict.

Iran’s escalation in the Strait of Hormuz highlights that the war is far from over almost eight months after it started, with Tehran flexing its leverage over the crucial shipping corridor.

The attacks come as the international Brent crude oil benchmark was at more than $111 a barrel as of Thursday morning . The national average price for a gallon of gas was $4.27.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said earlier this week that lower oil prices were dependent “on what happens with the Iran conflict,” and he said the U.S. is being hit with an “energy shock” but argued “core inflation is down.”

While the U.S.-Iran war has cooled down since intense fighting in the spring, tit-for-tat attacks have intermittently flared.

The IRGC launched ballistic missiles toward a U.S. base in Jordan and hit U.S. oil tankers in September, after the U.S. military destroyed five Iranian oil tankers.

At the time, U.S. Central Command (Centcom) disputed Iran’s claim that it successfully struck the two American warships.

“No U.S. Navy warship has been struck; all IRGC attempted attacks failed,” Centcom wrote.