00:00Iran's Revolutionary Guard claims it struck or disabled seven vessels in a single night,
00:06setting off fires across the Persian Gulf and raising the threat of fresh attacks on
00:11American bases across the region.
00:14The IRGC Navy says four vessels were struck simultaneously while transferring oil between
00:20ships in the northern Persian Gulf.
00:23According to Iranian state media, the vessels caught fire after allegedly using unauthorized
00:29maritime routes, despite previous warnings.
00:32Iran claims the ships were involved in what it described as illegal oil transfers.
00:38The IRGC also accused the United States of misleading the companies operating the vessels
00:45and encouraging them to continue sailing through restricted waters.
00:50But that is not all.
00:52The Iranian military says three additional vessels struck mines west of the Strait of Hormuz
00:58on Wednesday night.
00:59Those vessels reportedly caught fire or were brought to a halt.
01:04If confirmed, the incidents would mark a significant escalation in an already tense maritime confrontation.
01:11However, the claims remain unverified by independent sources, and the IRGC has not publicly identified
01:19the vessels, their flags, or their owners.
01:21Details about the extent of the damage, casualties, and the condition of the crews also remain unclear.
01:29The IRGC has directly blamed Washington for encouraging ships to cross waters it says are mined.
01:36It has now issued a warning that continued activity could provoke retaliation against American military bases across the region.
01:45That threat puts the focus firmly on the United States and its military presence in the Gulf.
01:51The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important energy choke points, carrying a substantial share of global
01:59oil shipments.
02:00Any sustained disruption to shipping through the strait could threaten energy supplies, drive up transportation costs,
02:07and increase pressure on global oil markets.
02:10Iran has repeatedly asserted control over maritime traffic in the area, while the United States has maintained that commercial shipping
02:19routes must remain open and safe.
02:22The central question is whether these latest claims will be independently confirmed, and whether Washington will respond to the reported
02:30incidents or the IRGC's warning.
02:33For now, there is no independent confirmation that all seven vessels were struck, as Iran claims.
02:40But with Tehran threatening action against U.S. bases, a maritime incident could quickly become a much wider military confrontation.
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