IRGC says two oil tankers abandoned a Strait of Hormuz transit after a fire broke out on one of them

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement carried by Agence France-Presse on Thursday, 30 July 2026, that two oil tankers which had tried the previous night to exit through the southern lane of the Strait of Hormuz near Oman's coast both turned back quickly after a major fire broke out on one of them. The statement said the two vessels had been "encouraged by American aircraft" in attempting to leave through what it called the "unsafe southern route" of the strait.

The southern lane, which hugs Oman's coast, is believed to be protected by the United States and has been declared unsafe by Iran. According to Oilprice, since the collapse of the ceasefire most ships, including tankers attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz, have done so in so-called dark mode with transponders switched off to avoid detection, and tanker operators have all but stopped attempting transits.

The IRGC said the same day that the Strait of Hormuz would not reopen as long as "the bluster and threats of US officials and their interference in maritime movements in the region" continue, adding: "The Strait of Hormuz is our territory, and the IRGC Navy firmly controls it." US Central Command had said it completed a heavy wave of strikes against IRGC targets late on Wednesday. Brent crude rose above $90 a barrel on Thursday morning and was up 1.5 percent at above $92 in early European trading.