Iran accuses US of luring tankers into mined Hormuz route

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy stated Tuesday that US military forces encouraged two supertankers to attempt passage through a mined and unauthorized route in the Strait of Hormuz shortly before the vessels were hit and put out of service. The IRGC accused Washington of directing maritime traffic into danger while ignoring warnings from Iranian authorities. According to the statement, the tankers deactivated their navigation systems and disregarded repeated alerts issued by the Strait of Hormuz Maritime Security Control Center, creating significant hazards for other ships in the channel.

The naval force did not specify what weapon struck the tankers or explicitly claim responsibility for the attack. It warned that further cooperation with the United States and attempts to traverse the mined sector would result in additional damage to maritime infrastructure, prolong the closure of the vital energy chokepoint, and exacerbate the ongoing global energy crisis.

UAE reports missile strikes on Emirati vessels

The United Arab Emirates Defense Ministry reported earlier Tuesday that two Emirati-flagged tankers, the Mombasa and the Al Bahiyah, were struck by Iranian cruise missiles while sailing through the southern shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz in Omani territorial waters. One Indian crew member aboard the Mombasa was killed in the attack, while eight others sustained injuries — four of them seriously — the ministry stated. Fires broke out on both vessels following the strikes but were subsequently brought under control by emergency response teams.

Bahrain base targeted in Operation Nasr-2

Several ammunition depots, a satellite communication center, and a building housing American forces at the Juffair base in Bahrain were targeted in the second wave of Operation Nasr-2, according to the Iranian statement. The strikes represent an escalation in regional hostilities targeting US military installations in the Gulf kingdom. Bahrain's Interior Ministry urged citizens and residents to remain calm and proceed immediately to the nearest safe location following the attacks.