Iran said Thursday that seven oil tankers were damaged or set ablaze overnight in the Strait of Hormuz, marking a potentially significant escalation in maritime attacks as concerns grow over renewed U.S.-Israeli military action against Tehran.
The claims, reported by Iranian state television, could not be independently verified.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard navy said four tankers caught fire while transferring oil after being targeted, while three others struck naval mines and became immobilized.
Authorities provided no information about casualties or the vessels' nationalities.
If confirmed, the incidents would represent the largest single-day number of damaged vessels in the strait since the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28.
The Revolutionary Guard also renewed threats against U.S. military bases if Washington continued facilitating commercial shipping through the strategic waterway.
British maritime monitor UKMTO reported that October had recorded the highest number of commercial shipping attacks since March, although it had not confirmed Thursday's incidents.
The developments come ahead of Israel's October 27 election and next month's U.S. midterms, amid speculation about another round of military confrontation.
Elsewhere, Saudi authorities confirmed that a Houthi-claimed attack on King Fahd International Airport killed two people, including a Saudi citizen and an Indian national, and injured eight others.
The Houthis also claimed attacks against an Aramco facility in Yanbu and Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry in Riyadh, without providing evidence for the latter.
India condemned the strikes, which injured several Indian nationals.
In Yemen, the government warned that Houthi rallies and mobilization gatherings could become military targets, raising concerns about civilian safety.
Meanwhile, Syrian state media reported that an Israeli military raid in southern Syria killed a disabled civilian.
Israel said its troops fired at an approaching suspect and were reviewing the incident.
Separately, a U.N. rapporteur urged economic pressure on Israel during a conference in Indonesia, while Iran displayed upgraded military drones, including an Arash model reportedly carrying a 100-kilogram warhead.
Together, the developments underscore widening regional tensions as maritime security deteriorates.