Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy

Force in Play

Lost 16 mine-laying vessels to US strikes; continues drone/missile attacks on shipping

Two weeks into the US-Iran war, the Strait of Hormuz remains a combat zone with near-zero commercial transits despite a successful US Navy escort of an oil tanker on March 10. The US destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels that day to prevent strait blockages, but Iranian forces struck three more cargo ships in and near the strait, bringing UKMTO-reported incidents to 17 since February 28.

Updated 6 days ago

Force in Play

Enforcing claimed closure of Strait of Hormuz

For decades, the Strait of Hormuz has carried roughly 20 million barrels of oil per day — about one-fifth of global supply — through a channel barely 21 miles wide at its narrowest point. That flow effectively stopped after the United States and Israel launched a massive joint military operation against Iran on February 28, 2026. Oil tankers began piling up on both sides of the strait, and by March 3, tanker traffic had dropped to near zero as Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warnings took full effect, with over 150 ships anchored outside to avoid risks.

Updated Mar 2

Force in Play

Key actor in interdictions and escalatory maritime signaling

Iranian authorities boarded a foreign-flag tanker near Jask in the Gulf of Oman and detained 18 crew members, including the captain. Iran says the ship carried roughly 6 million litres of “smuggled” diesel and tried to flee after ignoring stop orders.

Updated Dec 13, 2025