Hormuz Tankers Hit by Naval Mines

Tehran declared four oil tankers destroyed in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday.

The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps stated that the vessels struck naval mines while attempting to pass through a prohibited zone south of the strait. The group said all four ships remained on fire at the time of the announcement. The statement appeared on state television one day after US President Donald Trump confirmed American strikes on Iran.

The Guards also reported that two additional non-compliant vessels were halted in the waterway. They claimed to have shot down a drone over the strait during the same period. Tehran asserts control over the passage and has targeted ships crossing without its authorization since the conflict began.

The current hostilities follow reports of a US raid on Qeshm, the largest island in the strait. The broader war was triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February and has remained in a stalemate for months. Trump said the United States launched strikes on the Islamic republic following the Qeshm incident.

Indirect diplomatic contact continues between Washington and Tehran through mediators, though no breakthrough has emerged. Iran has indicated it is prepared to reopen the strait only if the US accepts a list of long-standing demands. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the chief Iranian negotiator, described the nation as ready for battle with its finger on the trigger.

President Masoud Pezeshkian maintained that his government is working to resolve the crisis through dialogue. He stated on Tuesday that no party would benefit if fighting resumed. The conflicting signals from Tehran's leadership reflect the current diplomatic posture amid renewed military activity in the strait.