An Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps official reported that navigational aid systems in the southern portion of the Hormuz Strait have been destroyed, effectively blocking any unauthorized vessels from transiting the area overnight, according to a brief flash report released by Xinhua on 9 November 2026. The announcement cited the destruction of the aids as the reason for the absence of unauthorized shipping through the corridor. The statement, sourced directly from an IRGC spokesperson, was intended to convey Iran’s stance on maritime security in a critical chokepoint.
In the flash report entitled "IRGC official says navigational aid systems in southern Hormuz Strait destroyed, leaving no unauthorised vessels transiting overnight," Xinhua highlighted that the removal or damage to maritime navigation aids—such as buoys and beacons—has rendered the segment of the strait impassable for vessels not sanctioned by Iranian authorities. The report emphasizes that the directive came from the IRGC and asserts that the blockade is temporary, aimed at preventing unauthorized passage during nighttime hours. The notice was published in Xinhua’s online edition and was accompanied by an image of the southern Hormuz region.
Shortly after Xinhua’s release, Arab News reported that Iran has stated no unauthorized vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz overnight following the destruction of navigation aids. The Arab News piece, accessed a few hours after the flash, echoed the Iranian position that the removal of aids effectively halted all non‑authorized shipping, though the publication noted that the page was later marked as "Page not found." Nevertheless, the article reaffirmed the claim that Iranian forces have disrupted non‑permitted maritime traffic via damage to navigation equipment.
Both outlets—Xinhua and Arab News—present the IRGC’s claim that the destroyed navigation aids have stopped unauthorized vessels from transiting the southern Hormuz Strait overnight. Neither source has provided independent verification of the damage or its impact on maritime traffic. The statements thus reflect a single narrative: that Iran has acted to prevent non‑approved vessels from moving through a key segment of the world’s busiest maritime corridor, citing the physical destruction of navigational aids as the mechanism of restriction.
Neither article includes corroborating evidence from independent maritime observers, nor does it report on any assessment of the damage incurred to the aids by Iranian forces. As a result, the narrative remains based solely on the IRGC’s claims as relayed by Xinhua and echoed by Arab News.
