Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Wednesday announced that its naval forces intercepted two vessels attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz and redirected them to Iranian territorial waters, heightening tensions around one of the world’s most critical maritime routes.

In a statement, AFP reported that the Guards disclosed that the operation took place earlier in the day, noting, “The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval force this morning identified and stopped in the Strait of Hormuz two violating ships.”

The statement further confirmed that both vessels were taken under control by Iranian forces and escorted towards the country’s coastline. “The two offending ships… were seized by the IRGC’s naval forces and directed to the Iranian coast.”

According to the Guards, one of the ships, identified as “MSC-FRANCESCA”, was linked to Israel, which Iran referred to as “the Zionist regime”. The second vessel, named “EPAMINONDAS”, was accused of interfering with navigation systems and posing a risk to maritime safety in the region.

Iran’s elite military force also issued a warning to vessels operating in the strategic waterway, cautioning against any actions that violate its maritime regulations or threaten safe passage. The Guards warned against any action against the regulations imposed by the Islamic republic in the strait “as well as activities contrary to the safe passage” through the waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a crucial global shipping corridor, accounting in peacetime for roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas exports, alongside other essential commodities. Iranian authorities have maintained that all vessels transiting the route must obtain permission before entering or leaving the Gulf, reinforcing their control over the strategically significant passage.