Iran says 7 ships hit in the Gulf and warns of a 'new operational plan' if the US attacks again
The IRGC Navy claims it struck four tankers and three ships hit mines, while Iran's security chief warns its next response will break the old rules.
Iran has sent two loud warnings in four days. First its top security official said Tehran has a “new operational plan” if the US and Israel strike again. Then the Revolutionary Guards’ navy said seven ships had been hit in and around the Gulf.
The ‘new operational plan’
On Sunday, October 18, Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Iran had prepared a fresh counter-strike plan for any renewed attack. As reported by CNBC and FXStreet, he said Iran’s “new operational plan will not follow the rules with which they are familiar.” Another senior official said any new round would be “far more devastating” than the earlier 12-day and 40-day wars.
Rezaei has also warned that undersea internet cables, data centres and AI sites could become targets if fighting restarts.
Seven vessels hit
On Wednesday, October 21, the IRGC Navy said, according to Reuters as carried by The Express Tribune:
- Four ships in the northern Gulf, which it accused of illegal ship-to-ship oil transfers on “unauthorised routes”, were struck and caught fire.
- Three more ships hit mines west of the Strait of Hormuz.
The IRGC blamed the US for “encouraging ships to cross a maritime passage planted with mines” and warned its response could extend to American bases in the region.
These are Iran’s claims. They have not been independently verified, and Iranian state TV did not give casualty figures or the ships’ flags.
Other attacks at sea
Shipping authorities have reported a string of separate incidents. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said a tug north-east of the UAE was hit by two unknown projectiles on Sunday, and a gas tanker off Yemen was approached by a small boat carrying seven people. Saudi Arabia said a tanker was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade fired from a small boat.
What Trump said
At a rally in South Carolina, President Trump said the US is “not negotiating” with Iran and that “something” would happen “fairly soon” one way or the other. He has also said the US will not attack Iran before the November 3 midterm elections.
Why Pakistanis should care
A large share of the world’s oil passes through Hormuz, and Pakistan imports most of its fuel. Every new ship attack pushes up oil prices, which shows up in our petrol prices and electricity bills. Iran’s threat to undersea cables also matters: as we reported earlier, internet cables that serve Pakistan run through these waters.
The diplomatic channel is still open, with Pakistan and Qatar passing messages between Tehran and Washington. But the language from both sides is getting sharper.
Sources
This story was researched and drafted with AI assistance, then checked and edited by our editor before publishing.
