Tehran, Oct. 22 -- Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has claimed that it struck and set fire to four ships carrying oil cargoes in the northern Persian Gulf, while three other vessels collided with mines in the western Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian state media, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).

In a statement issued on Thursday, the IRGC Navy said the four ships had previously crossed an "illegal route" despite warnings to the maritime companies operating them.

"Following previous warnings to the offending maritime companies, who had been deceived by the invading US military and had crossed illegal routes, Navy fighters, by observing and pursuing four offending ships, which had previously crossed ...