Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has issued what it described as a "serious warning" to the United States, accusing the US military of encouraging vessels to transit a mined route and escalating maritime incidents in the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement released on Thursday, the IRGC Navy said the US military's insistence on directing ships through what it described as an illegal mined passage had increased the number of maritime incidents in the strategic waterway.

The statement warned that if such actions continued, "the scope of confrontation will extend to the aggressor bases in the region."

"The aggressor US military must know that if this trend continues, the scope of confrontation will extend to the aggressor bases in the region. This is a serious warning," the statement said.

Tensions continue to rise

The warning came as tensions in and around the Strait of Hormuz continued to intensify following a series of maritime incidents involving commercial vessels.

Earlier on Thursday, the IRGC claimed that four vessels engaged in ship-to-ship oil transfers in the northern Persian Gulf were struck and caught fire, while three additional vessels reportedly hit naval mines west of the Strait of Hormuz. Those claims have not been independently verified.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world's most strategically important maritime chokepoints, handling a significant share of global oil exports. Recent attacks on commercial shipping have heightened concerns over regional security and the potential impact on international energy markets.(ILKHA)