"Illegal and unsafe route": Iran's IRGC fires on four ships in Strait of Hormuz over past 24 hours
Tehran, July 25
Naval forces of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targeted four commercial ships in the southern Strait of Hormuz over 24 hours, aiming to force the vessels to halt and alter course.
Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported that the vessels were navigating an "illegal and unsafe route", though official channels did not disclose the names or nationalities of the intercepted ships.
No reports of casualties or structural damage have emerged following the intercepts in the crucial oil transit corridor.
The developments follow a separate attack on a commercial vessel within Iranian territorial waters on Friday, involving the Mozambique-flagged LPG tanker DISHA, which carried 28 Indian crew members.
Confirming the incident, the Indian Embassy in Tehran stated that it was actively monitoring the situation alongside local authorities.
"The Embassy of India in Tehran is aware that the Mozambique-flagged LPG tanker DISHA came under attack in Iranian territorial waters earlier today," the mission said in an official statement.
Reassuring that all personnel aboard remained unharmed, the embassy added, "The vessel has 28 Indian crew members on board. The Embassy has been in close contact with the relevant authorities and has confirmed that all Indian crew members are safe."
Details regarding the extent of damage to the LPG tanker remain undisclosed, and authorities have yet to attribute responsibility for the strike.
The back-to-back incidents underscore escalating risks across key Gulf shipping lanes as heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to impact commercial maritime transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
— ANI
Reader Comments
"Illegal and unsafe route" - that sounds like a convenient excuse. Iran's IRGC has been flexing muscles in the Gulf for years. For India, this is a wake-up call about our dependence on Gulf oil routes. Time to accelerate Chabahar port development and diversify energy imports.
Thank God our 28 crew are safe. But this is worrying - India has close ties with Iran historically, yet IRGC's actions put our sailors at risk. MEA should issue a strong protest. We can't let commercial shipping become a political football between US and Iran.
Strait of Hormuz carries about 20% of global oil supply, and now this. India imports most of our crude through here. Not just Iran - we should pressure all sides to de-escalate. This is one of those rare issues where Russia, China, and US might agree on safe passage. 🤨
No casualties reported, that's the silver lining. But let's not pretend this is about "illegal routes" - Iran is using its naval forces to signal power. For India, the priority is our 28 crew members. Evacuate them quickly and then deal with the diplomatic fallout.
Let's see this realistically: Iran is unhappy with US sanctions, and they're playing hardball. Targeting commercial ships in international waters is reckless, but typical IRGC behavior. India should coordinate with China and Russia to ensure safe navigation for all civilian vessels.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.