Iranian Revolutionary Guard Claims Targeting 20 Ships in Hormuz Strait

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced it targeted 20 vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, comprising two American ships, eight oil tankers, and ten other vessels. It accused them of attempting to cross a "prohibited and unsafe zone." This action, according to an IRGC statement, comes in response to what it termed "US Army aggression" that targeted five Iranian oil tankers in the Gulf. The IRGC affirmed its naval forces maintain full control over the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing the waterway's submission to "strong and firm monitoring and management." Significant damage was inflicted upon the two American vessels and the eight tankers. It further accused the US military of inciting and supporting the ten other ships' attempts to traverse the strait. In a related context, preliminary data from Kepler ship-tracking firm showed a decline in navigation traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Six cargo ships crossed on Tuesday, down from nine vessels the previous day, and below the daily average of about 12 ships over the past ten days. According to data at 02:00 GMT, five ships entered the strait while one departed, including a Panamax class and a medium-sized tanker. These figures may be subject to revision, as some ships might deactivate their transponders, limiting immediate tracking.