On August 20, 2026, an unnamed Iranian military official warned that Iran is preparing to target the entire support network of the “shadow fleet” of tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. According to the warning, “ghost ships” that disable their AIS transponders to evade detection will not escape Tehran’s surveillance.
The official stated that Iranian countermeasures could strike cargo ships as well as the service and support centers that enable shadow fleet operations. Iran views attempts to bypass its designated shipping corridors as a serious security violation and now considers the infrastructure enabling sanctions-evading tanker traffic as a legitimate target.
The shadow fleet has been used to move oil and evade a partial U.S. naval blockade of the strait during the recent conflict. No specific targets or timeline were provided in the warning.