[68489] Tension in the Gulf: Revolutionary Guards tighten control over shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz

Security tension in the Strait of Hormuz

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Navy announced today, May 20, 2026, that over the past 24 hours, 26 commercial vessels, including oil tankers and container ships, passed through the Strait of Hormuz under the "coordination and security" of their force. According to reports in channels affiliated with the regime, such as اخبارفوری خبرفوری جنگ امریکا فوری and خبر فوری جنگ ایران, every movement in the strait now requires "receiving approval and coordination" from the Revolutionary Guard Navy.

Conversely, reports in international media and Western sources paint a more complex and dangerous picture. According to DW Persian, which relies on American intelligence assessments, at least 10 Iranian-made "Maham 3" and "Maham 7" naval mines have been identified in the strait. The U.S. has warned that passage through the regular shipping lanes has become "very dangerous" due to the planting of mines by the Islamic Republic.

Simultaneously, a special report by Reuters as published on RFI notes that Iran has established a "multi-layered mechanism" for operational control in the strait, which includes security inspections and even a demand for payment for "safe passage."

In the meantime, it was reported that a South Korean tanker made its way through the strait, in what is considered an unusual event since the outbreak of fighting in the region. The incident comes after a Korean-managed ship was struck several weeks ago by an unidentified object, which increased concern in Seoul regarding the shipping security of national vessels in the Gulf area.