On Monday, July 20th, 2026, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that two oil tankers exploded after passing through the Strait of Hormuz. According to the IRGC and the state-run Fars News Agency, the tankers detonated after attempting to enter and exit the strait via an "unsafe route." The IRGC further claimed that the tankers were "instigated and forced by the United States" to violate designated maritime routes through this critical waterway.

In a statement quoting the Quran, the IRGC said, “If they break their oaths after their covenant and attack your religion, then fight the leaders of disbelief; indeed, they have no oaths; perhaps they will cease.” The group also asserted, “this is our land” and condemned the “terrorist American army from thousands of kilometers away,” stating it has no legal legitimacy and will be confronted.

This announcement follows reports that Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen have imposed a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia. Reuters reported that the Houthis declared a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, citing an "eye for an eye" rationale, effective immediately. Iran had previously called on the Houthis to block the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects to the Red Sea, if the U.S. continued attacks on Iran’s electrical infrastructure.

Closing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait would reduce the global oil supply by approximately 7 percent and prevent most Saudi oil exports from leaving the Middle East. This development compounds existing disruptions in oil flow from the Persian Gulf, which has already experienced a 10 percent reduction since the onset of the ongoing conflict.

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