IRGC rejects US claims, debate continues over control of the Strait
Tehran: A heated debate has erupted over control of the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most vital oil shipping chokepoint. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have claimed “complete control” of the waterway and rejected US claims that the Iranian Navy’s strength has been weakened.
In a statement to Fars News Agency on Wednesday, Mohammad Akbarzadeh, a Guards Navy officer, said: “Right now, the Strait of Hormuz is under the complete control of the Islamic Republic’s Navy.” He warned that amid the ongoing conflict, ships attempting to transit the strategic route could face missile fire or drone attacks.
The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Gulf to the Arabian Sea, handles nearly a fifth of the world’s oil shipments, making any threat to navigation a matter of international concern.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most strategically important waterways as it is the only sea route connecting the Persian Gulf to the open sea. Major energy producers such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, and Iran rely on this narrow corridor to export oil and liquefied natural gas. Nearly a quarter of global seaborne oil trade and nearly a fifth of LNG supplies pass through the strait each year, making it a vital route for the global economy. Any disruption, even a threat, can increase fluctuations in oil prices, fuel costs, and financial markets worldwide.
Its importance is further compounded by geography and geopolitics. At its narrowest point, the strait is only about 39 km wide, with tightly packed shipping lanes vulnerable to mines, missiles, or naval blockades. Iran controls the northern coastline, giving it a strategic advantage during regional conflicts, while the United States and its allies prioritize keeping the passage open to ensure freedom of navigation.
Iran’s claim comes just a day after US President Donald Trump said the US Navy is prepared to escort oil tankers through the Gulf to ensure safe passage.
Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of the United States Central Command, went further, completely dismissing the Iranian Navy’s capabilities.
He said, “We are also sinking the Iranian Navy—the entire Navy. So far, we have destroyed 17 Iranian ships, including the most operational Iranian submarine, which now has a hole in its side. For decades, the Iranian regime has harassed international shipping. Today, not a single Iranian ship is operating in the Arabian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, or the Gulf of Oman. And we will not stop. We will continue conducting dynamic targeting operations. We are hunting down Iran’s last remaining mobile ballistic missile launchers to eliminate their remaining launch capability.”
These starkly contrasting statements reflect a growing confrontation between Washington and Tehran as military exchanges intensify across the region.
IRGC Claims Increased Attacks
Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) announced the 16th wave of Operation True Promise 4, targeting US and Israeli assets following earlier attacks on Iran.
In a statement, the IRGC claimed to have carried out missile and drone operations led by its Aerospace Division, targeting “the heart and northern parts of the occupied territories.” Targets included the Israeli army and its War Ministry General Staff in HaKirya, strategic infrastructure in Bnei Brak, military positions in Beit HaKafa, northeast of Tel Aviv, and a military center in the Western Galilee.
The Guards further claimed that intelligence reports indicated that more than 680 “enemy” were killed by the fourth day of its counter-attack. It attributed the successful breach of Israeli defenses to “operational weaknesses, technical gaps, and low computational capabilities in the occupied territories’ multi-layer defense systems,” which “opened air corridors for Iranian projectiles to penetrate, pass, and impact.”
The statement said, “The will of the Islamic Republic’s armed forces rests squarely on the managed continuation of their operations and the destruction and dismantling of the Zionist regime’s military infrastructure. We will remain committed to our loyalty until the last moment until the Zionist regime’s growing and usurping growth in this region is completely eliminated.”
The IRGC also announced that its ground forces had entered the battlefield, launching three simultaneous operations and deploying 230 attack drones.
