Iran says seven tankers are hit in Strait of Hormuz; claims unverified

Iran said seven oil tankers caught fire or sustained damage in the Strait of Hormuz overnight before Thursday, according to The Korea Times. The Associated Press could not independently verify the reported attacks.

The claims come amid concerns that full-scale U.S.-Israeli fighting with Iran could resume, with commercial shipping facing threats and Washington sending additional forces to the region. Indirect talks have continued despite disagreement over terms for ending the war and reopening the strait.

According to The Korea Times, Iranian state television cited the Revolutionary Guard Corps navy as saying the tankers were struck by Iran or encountered naval mines. The account did not mention casualties. United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations had not reported the latest alleged attacks.

The Guard’s navy also threatened to attack U.S. bases in the region if Washington continued helping commercial vessels navigate the strait, the newspaper reported. The article said the United States was sending a third aircraft carrier and thousands of additional troops to the region.

United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said October had recorded more reported attacks on commercial shipping than any month since March, according to the newspaper. The monitor also noted that some shipping operators were increasingly reluctant to report incidents.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday that Iran remained willing to pursue diplomacy while preparing to defend itself. The Korea Times reported that Iran’s proposal called for ending the war and fully reopening the strait within seven days if conditions including an end to the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports were met.

President Donald Trump rejected the proposal in late September, but both sides acknowledged that indirect discussions were continuing, according to the newspaper. The article traced the war’s start to U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.

The shipping threats extend beyond Hormuz. The Korea Times also reported that increased fighting between Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi Arabia was threatening vessel traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb.