Gulf of Oman and Hormuz: crossed claims, figures that do not match

On September 9, 2026, the U.S. Central Command stated it had destroyed five Iranian oil tankers. In the same hours, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard claimed attacks against two U.S. destroyers, against the U.S. base of Al Azraq in Jordan and against about ten ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Central Command denied that U.S. warships had been hit. The Jordanian army, a third actor involved against its will, reported having shot down eighteen Iranian missiles out of twenty directed toward its territory. The two available journalistic accounts — El País and Cadena SER — rest on military statements and official declarations by the parties: no independent verification on the ground has been published so far, and this newspaper is unable to confirm either the sinkings or the damage claimed.

The same caution applies to the human tolls, which diverge depending on who reports them and the period they cover. Iranian Health Ministry spokesman Hossein Kermanpour indicated eighteen dead and one hundred forty-two wounded between 8:30 p.m. on August 30 and 8:30 p.m. on September 2, without distinguishing between civilians and military personnel. Health Minister Mohammad Reza Zafarghandi, quoted by Iranian state television, spoke of eighteen killed and one hundred eight wounded for the single night between September 1 and 2. The two figures cannot be added together and do not overlap: they cover different time windows and different categories. The Tasnim news agency, close to the Revolutionary Guard, put at at least thirteen the number of Iranian military personnel killed that week, including three pilots. On the opposite side, English-language coverage by Reuters and by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty cites the eighteen U.S. military deaths and the more than seven hundred fifty wounded declared by Washington.

The most discussed episode remains the attack on a wedding ceremony in Hormozgan province. The Iranian Red Crescent attributes to it at least four dead and about sixty-seven wounded; among the victims, according to the provincial governor’s office, are minors, whose details this newspaper does not report. Central Command spokesman Captain Tim Hawkins did not comment directly on that raid and stated in general that “the American military never targets civilians” (transl. from French). According to sources cited by Reuters and picked up by Brasil de Fato, the target was reportedly a telecommunications tower about one hundred thirty-five meters from the house that was hit: this too remains an attributed account, not an established fact.

On the political level, one statement should be noted, which this newspaper reports only as such. In its September 10 morning briefing, the Turkish state agency Anadolu attributes to U.S. President Donald Trump the prediction that the war with Iran “will end immediately” (transl. from English) after the November midterm elections. As it comes from a single source, and a state source at that, the statement is for us not a verified fact but a declaration attributed to Anadolu: no independent confirmation is available. In the same briefing, Anadolu also reports the favorable reception by eight foreign ministers, including Turkey’s, of the British ban on imports from illegal Israeli settlements; this passage too remains attributed solely to the agency.

The diplomatic calendar does not stop: the eighteenth BRICS leaders’ summit is being held in New Delhi, at the Bharat Mandapam venue in Pragati Maidan, on September 12 and 13, preceded on September 11 by the Indian presidency’s business forum. It marks the close of the presidency year that began on January 1, 2026, structured around more than three hundred fifty meetings in more than twenty-five cities. The participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin is considered confirmed, that of Chinese President Xi Jinping expected but not officially announced. For the high-security week, Delhi schools will remain closed on Friday, September 11, with more than thirty-five road stretches regulated and twenty-two diversion points.

Sources: El País; Cadena SER; U.S. News & World Report (Reuters); GlobalSecurity.org (RFE/RL); franceinfo (AFP); CNN Arabic; KCH FM; Anadolu (Turkish state agency); Business Standard; Foreign Policy; NewsX.