Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said it halted four unidentified ships attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz with US military support, according to Sepah News.
The statement was published at 02:12 local time on July 18 and said the vessels were stopped “in place” during a combined missile and drone operation.
The IRGC Navy urged shipowners to comply with its warnings and navigation notices rather than rely on US military support.
The claim followed the resumption of a US naval blockade covering vessels sailing to or from Iranian ports and coastal areas at 16:00 Eastern Time on July 14. US forces maintained that regional traffic not breaching the blockade would continue to receive support.
On July 15, a US aircraft disabled the Curacao-flagged, unladen oil tanker M/T Belma after the vessel ignored warnings while sailing through international waters towards Iran’s Kharg Island. Hellfire missiles struck the tanker’s smokestack. Two other commercial vessels complied with instructions and were redirected during the first 24 hours of the renewed blockade.
Commercial navigation through the Strait of Hormuz was already subject to exceptional restrictions. Oman had introduced controlled and phased vessel movements through temporary corridors because the normal traffic separation scheme was considered unsafe.
The Strait normally handles about one-fifth of global oil supply, leaving tanker operations, energy exports and marine insurance exposed to further restrictions or attacks.
The IRGC Navy is the maritime arm of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. It has instructed vessels to use routes designated by Iran and coordinate passage through the Strait of Hormuz on VHF channel 16.