IRGC says it attacked six vessels near Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy has claimed it attacked six vessels near the Strait of Hormuz. According to the IRGC, three oil tankers were struck for travelling through "unauthorised" routes in the Strait of Hormuz, while three US-affiliated vessels were targeted in other areas. The IRGC warned vessels to avoid "suspicious movement" and "unauthorised waterways" or risk being targeted.

US Vice President JD Vance attributed rising fuel prices to Iranian attacks on commercial shipping, criticizing European countries for not doing enough to ensure the flow of global energy supplies. He noted that despite Iranian attacks, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has continued, with around 15 million barrels of oil passing through the strait recently.

The Wall Street Journal analysis, as reported by Ajel English, suggests that Iran's leverage over the Strait of Hormuz is waning. Despite initial hopes of disrupting global oil supplies, Iran's efforts have not led to an international economic crisis, and the US naval presence has helped Gulf Arab states continue shipping large volumes of oil through the strait. Around 5 million barrels of crude oil from countries other than Iran pass through the Strait of Hormuz daily, representing over 40% of oil flows.

Brief written by urgent.news from Middle East Eye, Jerusalem Post, Ajel English — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.