Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Friday that it had struck two oil tankers attempting to pass through the strategic Strait of Hormuz under what it described as the “air escort” of the US military.

In a statement, the IRGC said the “non-compliant oil tankers” were targeted and brought to a halt, while four other tankers immediately altered their course and returned to their previous positions.

According to the Guards, the vessels attempted to transit the strait through an undeclared route, described by Tehran as a US-backed alternative to the officially designated shipping lane located closer to Iran’s coastline.

Iran has effectively exercised control over navigation through the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of the conflict on February 28, requiring commercial vessels to obtain authorization and pay transit fees before entering the strategic waterway.

On Thursday, the IRGC reported that two oil tankers attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz had turned back after one of the vessels caught fire.

The claims made by the IRGC could not be independently verified, and there has been no immediate response from the United States or other relevant authorities regarding the reported incident.