Iran's IRGC Claims Seven Ships Hit in Persian Gulf as Brent Crude Tops $111

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy claimed on Thursday that seven vessels in the Persian Gulf were hit by Iranian forces or struck mines over the past day amid escalating regional tensions and an ongoing US naval blockade. According to the IRGC Navy, Iranian forces tracked and hit four oil tankers carrying out oil transfers in the northern Persian Gulf, while three other vessels struck mines west of the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC also warned the United States that continued provocations could trigger a wider response against regional US bases. Oil prices rose by over 2% in Asian trading on Thursday, pushing Brent Crude futures above $111 per barrel following the regional maritime claims and expanding Houthi strikes on infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. On Wednesday, debris from intercepted drones killed two people and injured two others near a processing plant at Saudi Arabia's Shaybah oilfield. While operations at the Shaybah field and its processing facilities remain unaffected, the escalating attacks prompted the United States to order non-essential government personnel, diplomats, and their families to depart Saudi Arabia.