ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Thursday that it had intercepted two US drones overnight, while two vessels and a tugboat were also struck, stressing that Washington releasing Tehran’s frozen assets would have been more financially viable.

“Last night, in two separate incidents, a large oil tanker attempting to transit via an unauthorized route south of the strait struck a mine, caught fire, and was brought to a halt,” the IRGC said in a statement on Thursday, adding that “another supertanker, while exiting the area east of the Strait of Hormuz, was halted by a massive fire.”

A tugboat also caught fire following an attempt to extinguish the supertanker's blaze, it said.

In the statement, the IRGC said it intercepted two US intruding “LUCAS” drones, and “secured them as captured assets.”

The IRGC added that Washington releasing Tehran’s frozen assets would have been a more financially sound decision, saying that that decision would have had financial benefits “totaling less than half of the costs already incurred.” 

Iran has frequently attacked ships in the Strait of Hormuz, while also claiming other tankers have struck sea mines laid after failing to heed Iranian-approved navigation routes.

However, the veracity of Tehran's claims to have riddled the Strait with mines is unknown, with US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Brad Cooper on Friday reiterating a long-standing claim that all underwater explosives have been removed by the US military.

The latest episode comes as Tehran and Washington continue to trade draft peace proposals with one another, with both sides revising potential frameworks for an agreement that are then passed on via mediators.

On Wednesday, the IRGC said that six vessels had been struck in the Strait of Hormuz, describing the incidents as “heavy blows to the enemy,” while also claiming to have intercepted an MQ-9 drone over the waterway.

It also claimed that the IRGC forces intercepted an MQ-9 drone around 4:30 am in the Strait of Hormuz, marking the 56th attack of this kind. 

Tehran claims that the Strait of Hormuz could reopen within days if the US meets Iran’s conditions, warning that the situation would otherwise persist.

IRGC also claimed Tuesday that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei directed the armed forces in the latest meeting to bring “maximum deterrence,” a priority on their agenda, noting the forces' commitment to implement the mandates. 

Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday that Khamenei has granted the government “certain powers” in the negotiations with the US, adding that Tehran is trying to resolve the challenges “through dialogue.”