Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy says it struck an oil tanker sailing under the flag of Togo in the Strait of Hormuz, adding another dangerous incident to one of the world’s most important energy routes.
Iranian state media reported that the tanker was targeted while attempting what the IRGC described as an “illegal passage” through the strait.
Independent details surrounding the incident remain limited, and the Iranian account of the strike has not been fully independently verified.
The incident comes as commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely disrupted by the wider Middle East conflict.
Preliminary shipping data reported by Reuters shows that only four commodity vessels transited the strait on Thursday, compared with a recent 10-day average of around 16.
The Strait of Hormuz is particularly important to global energy markets. Before the current conflict, roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies passed through the waterway.
Oil markets remain under pressure as traders monitor both the Strait of Hormuz and the expanding conflict involving Saudi Arabia and Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen.
Brent crude was trading around $104 per barrel early Friday, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude remained above $101.
The latest incident underscores the continuing risks facing commercial vessels as tensions remain high across the Gulf.
Any further disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz could have consequences far beyond the Middle East, potentially affecting global energy supplies, transportation costs and fuel prices.