Iran IRGC Claims Attacks on US Ships and Tankers in Strait of Hormuz
- Iranian forces launched strikes targeting two commercial vessels and eight oil tankers on March 11, 2026, inflicting considerable damage across the Strait of Hormuz, according to a statement...
- The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for striking two American vessels alongside eight oil tankers in the zone, while asserting that ten additional ships were targeted.
- Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, stated on March 6, 2026, that approximately 20,000 sailors remain trapped in the Persian Gulf aboard vessels facing heightened risks...
Iranian forces launched strikes targeting two commercial vessels and eight oil tankers on March 11, 2026, inflicting considerable damage across the Strait of Hormuz, according to a statement released by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Attacks on Commercial Shipping in the Strait of Hormuz
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for striking two American vessels alongside eight oil tankers in the zone, while asserting that ten additional ships were targeted. Human Rights Watch corroborated that Iranian forces deliberately targeted at least two commercial civil vessels, specifically the Safesea Vishnu and the Mayuree Naree, on March 11, 2026. According to Human Rights Watch, such deliberate attacks on civilian ships and their crews constitute war crimes. Data from the International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency, shows that 17 incidents damaged commercial vessels in the region between March 1 and March 18, 2026. These maritime casualties resulted from 16 distinct attacks across the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf, and the Gulf of Oman. The IMO confirmed that these strikes claimed the lives of seven seafarers and one shipyard worker, left four seafarers missing, and injured 10 people, including five who suffered serious injuries.
Global Energy and Maritime Safety Impacts
Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, stated on March 6, 2026, that approximately 20,000 sailors remain trapped in the Persian Gulf aboard vessels facing heightened risks and severe psychological stress. Human Rights Watch reported that the campaign against commercial shipping stems from actions by the United Nations agency noting Iranian military responses to United States and Israeli strikes against Iran. Adding to the tension, Ebrahim Zofaghari, spokesperson for the Iranian armed forces, warned on March 11, 2026, that if the United States and Israel continued attacks on Iran, the Iranian forces would not let “a liter of oil” pass through the strait. The deliberate targeting of maritime transport and the ongoing threat of further strikes have significantly increased global energy costs. According to findings from Human Rights Watch, these disruptions threaten to provoke a surge in prices for food and other vital sectors, directly harming populations worldwide. International bodies continue to monitor the crisis as shipping operators weigh the mounting dangers of navigating the strategic corridor.
