IRGC Reports Tanker Explosions and U.S. Drone Seizures

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced Thursday that three oil tankers exploded and caught fire after striking naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC stated the vessels had disabled their radar and navigation systems, ignored warnings from the IRGC Navy, and were attempting unauthorized passage south of the waterway over the previous 24 hours. The British maritime agency UKMTO confirmed at least one ship was on fire near Khasab, Oman.

In addition to the maritime incidents, the IRGC reported hijacking a U.S. Army MQM-170 Outlaw drone and shooting down an MQ-1 Predator drone. These actions follow a broader conflict in which Iran has restricted transit through the strait since February 28. While the United States Central Command claims to have demined the area, IRGC spokesperson Brigadier-General Hossein Mohebi challenged the U.S. to provide independent evidence for those claims.

Diplomatic efforts to resolve the blockade continue. These include a draft deal proposed by Qatar and a letter from U.S. Vice President JD Vance to Mohsen Rezaei. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Iran continues to give diplomacy a chance to succeed, though other Iranian military officials maintain the strait will remain closed until specific conditions are met.