In a post on its X account on Monday, the IRGC Navy said, “In just 9 days, from October 25 (the date of CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper's demonstrative visit to the Strait of Hormuz) until today, 11 different oil tankers have caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz, with some sinking to the depths of the sea.”
The post came amid heightened tensions over the status of the Strait of Hormuz and Washington’s claims that the vital maritime passage remains open.
Earlier, IRGC Spokesperson Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi had mocked Cooper’s visit, sharing an image of the US commander flying over the strait alongside a burning oil tanker and a Brent crude price of $117 per barrel.
The IRGC Navy has asserted control over the waterway and warned vessels against using unauthorized routes.