Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran
Tehran, Oct 22: Seven oil tankers caught fire or were damaged in the Strait of Hormuz overnight after being hit by Iran or striking naval mines, Iranian state media reported on Thursday, amid escalating tensions and growing fears of a return to full-scale war.
The reported incidents come as concerns mount that US-Israeli attacks on Iran could resume, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facing a crucial election and the United States approaching its midterm elections next month. Rising prices linked to the conflict have also fuelled public anger in the US.
Iranian state television reported the latest attacks, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy. The force again threatened to target US military bases in the region if Washington continued assisting commercial vessels navigating the strategically important waterway.
The report did not mention any casualties. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, a British maritime security monitoring agency, had not reported the latest incidents. However, maritime monitors have noted in recent days that some shipping operators have been reluctant to report attacks.
Iran continues to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route and a key source of leverage in negotiations with Washington over the conflict.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday that Tehran remained open to diplomacy but was prepared to defend itself. His remarks came as mediators continued efforts to bring the United States and Iran back to formal negotiations.
Iran has maintained that it has drawn important military lessons from the conflict, which began with US and Israeli attacks on February 28. Tehran has also indicated that it could expand its targets to include critical infrastructure such as undersea cables and data centres.
Meanwhile, the United States is deploying additional military assets to the region, including a third aircraft carrier and thousands of troops. The reinforcements are joining what has been described as the largest concentration of American warships and aircraft in the Middle East in decades.
Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict are continuing despite the escalation. Iran is promoting a proposal under which the war would end and the Strait of Hormuz would be fully reopened within seven days if Washington agreed to several conditions, including lifting its blockade of Iranian ports.
The conditions reportedly resemble provisions in an earlier agreement signed by Washington and Tehran in June, which collapsed within days.
US President Donald Trump rejected Iran's latest seven-day proposal, although both sides have acknowledged that indirect discussions have continued.
Attacks on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz have increased since the rejection, further raising concerns over maritime security and the prospects for a diplomatic settlement.
A return to full-scale hostilities could endanger civilians across the Middle East and disrupt global supplies of crude oil, natural gas and related products, including fertilisers. Any prolonged disruption to shipping through the strait could also trigger another surge in global energy and commodity prices.