IRGC says two tankers turned back from the southern Hormuz route overnight after a fire on one of them

The public relations office of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a statement on Thursday, 30 July 2026, referring to a fresh incident in the Strait of Hormuz. According to the statement, two oil tankers attempted overnight to exit via the southern route of the strait and, after a fire broke out on one of them, both vessels turned back. Sahmino does not independently confirm this account and reports it as attributed to the IRGC statement; the names, flags and ownership of the vessels are not given in the statement.

The same statement says the Strait of Hormuz is controlled by the IRGC navy, and that countries taking part in assisting the opposing side will face a hard response if they do not change their conduct.

The statement was issued a day after US Central Command said the IRGC has no authority to designate shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz. Traffic conditions in Hormuz are the single most important variable bearing on world oil prices and on Iran's currency market; Brent crude traded above 91 dollars a barrel on Thursday, 30 July 2026.