Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said two oil tankers attempting to use a disputed southern route through the Strait of Hormuz turned back after one of them caught fire, adding a fresh shipping flashpoint to the expanding U.S.-Iran crisis.
The claim, reported by CBS News citing AFP, came Thursday as U.S. Central Command said it had rejected several Iranian claims about recent attacks and had redirected more than 20 ships under its reinstated blockade on commercial vessels entering or exiting Iranian ports.
Iran’s Guards said the two tankers were being guided or encouraged by U.S. aircraft when they attempted the crossing. The force did not identify the vessels, give their flags, or provide independent evidence of the fire. Malay Mail, also carrying AFP reporting, quoted the Guards as saying the ships tried to leave through what Iran called the strait’s “unsafe southern route” before both vessels quickly reversed course.
Why The Claim Matters
The Strait of Hormuz is the key export channel for Gulf oil and liquefied natural gas. Even unverified claims about tanker fires or forced turnarounds can raise shipping risk, insurance costs, and energy-market anxiety because the waterway has already been operating under severe disruption during the war.
The new report is separate from List25’s earlier coverage of a QatarEnergy-controlled LNG tanker exiting Hormuz for the first time in weeks. That movement suggested some traffic was still getting through. Thursday’s tanker-fire claim points in the opposite direction: Iran is still trying to define which routes are acceptable, while the U.S. says it is protecting freedom of navigation and enforcing restrictions on traffic tied to Iranian ports.
NPR reported that Iran also said it allowed a Qatari tanker to pass after coordination with Tehran, though NPR noted there was no confirmation from Qatar. That contrast is central to the current Hormuz fight: Tehran is presenting itself as the gatekeeper for safe passage, while Washington argues Iran is the source of the danger.
U.S. Denies Iranian Claims
CBS reported that CENTCOM denied an Iranian claim that three U.S. F-35 stealth fighters and other aircraft had been destroyed in recent attacks. CENTCOM said no U.S. aircraft were destroyed or damaged and that missiles and drones were intercepted or failed to reach their targets.
The U.S. military also denied an Iranian claim involving the tanker M/T Nora, saying the vessel had not broken through America’s blockade of Iranian ports. CENTCOM said the immediate danger to commercial vessels came from IRGC threats and attempted attacks, while Iran continues to argue that U.S. military involvement is making the strait unsafe.
The Associated Press has reported that the latest round of maritime incidents followed the collapse of a preliminary U.S.-Iran arrangement meant to reopen the strait and reduce the risk of a broader war. AP said Iran has treated control of Hormuz as a pressure point in its confrontation with Washington, while the U.S. and others insist the route should remain open and toll-free.
The Bigger Picture
The tanker claim landed during another day of military escalation. The Guardian reported that U.S. forces carried out a heavy wave of strikes on Iranian targets after attempted attacks on American forces, while Jordan said it intercepted five Iranian missiles. Gulf News, citing CENTCOM, reported that the U.S. blockade has redirected 20 commercial vessels, boarded two, and disabled two as of July 29.
For now, the tanker-fire report should be treated as an Iranian claim rather than a confirmed maritime casualty. But it is still newsworthy because it shows the Hormuz dispute is not only about formal diplomacy or military strikes. It is playing out ship by ship, route by route, in the world’s most sensitive energy chokepoint.
Sources: CBS News/AFP; Malay Mail/AFP; NPR; Associated Press; The Guardian; Gulf News/CENTCOM.