Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Wednesday its naval forces targeted two US vessels and eight oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, claiming the attacks inflicted heavy damage on the vessels.
In a statement, the IRGC said the strikes were "carried out in response to US aggression, including an attack on five Iranian oil tankers in the Persian Gulf."
The IRGC did not identify the US vessels or oil tankers it said were targeted, nor did it provide details on when the attacks took place.
The statement also said Iranian naval forces had targeted 10 other vessels that "attempted to enter a restricted and unsafe area of the Strait of Hormuz," claiming they were acting with the "encouragement and support of the US military."
The IRGC said its naval forces continued to exercise "full control" over the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically vital waterway through which a significant share of global seaborne oil supplies passes.
The IRGC reaffirmed that the Strait of Hormuz remained under the surveillance and management of its naval forces.
Earlier, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported that a tanker was struck near the anchorage area of Iran's Kharg Island, with no casualties reported and the crew evacuated.
The state broadcaster IRIB separately reported that two oil tankers were attacked near the port of Jask, with their crews evacuated to shore by lifeboat.
Separately, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers after the IRGC targeted a US Navy warship with ballistic missiles twice over the past two days.
The developments came amid heightened tensions between Iran and the US over the Strait of Hormuz, despite the signing of a memorandum to reopen the strategic waterway as a prelude to a wider peace deal.
