IRGC warns ships linked to US, Israel may be targeted in Strait of Hormuz
March 5, 2026: Tensions in the ongoing conflict involving Iran, United States and Israel escalated at sea after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it struck a US oil tanker with a missile in the northern Persian Gulf on Thursday. Iranian state media reported that the vessel caught fire following the attack. If confirmed, the incident could significantly heighten risks to global shipping and energy supplies moving through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
According to Iran’s state-run Mehr News Agency, the IRGC said the strike was carried out in retaliation for what it described as American “aggression.” The group warned that military or commercial vessels belonging to the United States, Israel or European nations supporting them would not be allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz during the conflict. It added that any such ships entering the region could become potential targets as Iran asserted its control over the critical maritime chokepoint.
The claim came shortly after reports that a US submarine had torpedoed the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean while it was returning from the MILAN 2026 naval exercise. While Washington has not confirmed the alleged missile strike on the tanker, analysts warn that any verified attack could sharply increase threats to commercial shipping in the Gulf, where nearly 20 percent of the world’s oil supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz.