“Iran is actively and openly targeting commercial vessels for attack as a tool of state policy.” — Marco Rubio. Our verdict: Partly True.
Marco Rubio made the claim in a statement reported by the Daily Excelsior on 31 October 2026, accusing Iran of openly targeting commercial ships and threatening global energy security.
Our verdict
Partly True
Iran has repeatedly attacked commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz and appears to use these attacks to gain leverage in negotiations, so the core of Marco Rubio's claim holds up. But we found no public statement from Iran's government or its Revolutionary Guard declaring an intent to sink commercial vessels, so the word 'openly' is not supported.
What we found
We rated this claim partly true. US Central Command reported that Iran attacked more than 30 commercial vessels over three months, and that Iranian forces struck three specific ships in the Strait of Hormuz. The Institute for the Study of War reported that Iran's Revolutionary Guard Navy attacked commercial vessels and enforced a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz on 18 April 2026 as a way to influence negotiations. A report from United Against Nuclear Iran describes a long pattern of Iran using maritime attacks and the seizure of ships to extract concessions, which supports the idea that these attacks serve state policy. However, we could not find any primary Iranian government or Revolutionary Guard statement that publicly declared an intent to target or sink commercial vessels. The only source that uses the word 'openly' is Marco Rubio's own accusation, as reported by the Daily Excelsior.
The evidence
4 of 6 sources support the claim; none contradict it.
- Supports the claim
US Central Command reported that Iran carried out a sustained campaign of attacks on more than 30 commercial vessels over a three-month period. [1]
- Supports the claim
US Central Command reported that Iranian forces attacked three specific commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. [2]
- Supports the claim
The Institute for the Study of War reported that Iran's Revolutionary Guard Navy attacked commercial vessels and enforced a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz on 18 April 2026 as a maneuver to influence negotiations. [3]
- Supports the claim
A report from United Against Nuclear Iran describes a documented history of Iran using maritime attacks and the taking of vessels as a strategic tool to extract concessions. [4]
- Background
The United States government officially stated at a UN Security Council meeting that Iran is conducting attacks on commercial vessels. [5]
- Background
The Daily Excelsior reported Marco Rubio's accusation that Iran openly targets commercial ships as a tool of state policy. [6]
What we could not confirm
- We could not find any public statement from Iran's government or the Revolutionary Guard declaring an intent to target or sink commercial vessels, so the 'openly' part of the claim is unconfirmed.
- Attack attribution rests mainly on US military sources, with no independent third-party verification.
- The historical pattern of Iran using maritime attacks comes from an advocacy group's report, not a primary government document.
- Our review covers 2026 reporting only and does not assess earlier or later periods.
How we checked
We looked at US Central Command press releases, a UN Security Council transcript, a report from the Institute for the Study of War, a maritime security report from United Against Nuclear Iran, and news coverage of Marco Rubio's statement. We searched for any primary Iranian government or Revolutionary Guard statement declaring an intent to attack commercial vessels but found none. We reviewed 8 relevant sources.
Sources
- [1]centcom.mil · U.S. Forces Complete 11th Night of Strikes Against Iran
- [2]centcom.mil · U.S. Forces Complete New Round of Retaliatory Strikes Against Iran
- [3]understandingwar.org · Iran Update Special Report, April 18, 2026 · April 18, 2026
- [4]unitedagainstnucleariran.com · Iran's Threat to Maritime Security · February 26, 2024
- [5]transcripts.un.org · Maintenance of international peace and security - Security Council, 10194th meeting · July 14, 2026
- [6]www.dailyexcelsior.com · Iran openly targeting commercial ships, threatening global energy security: Rubio - Daily Excelsior · October 31, 2026
- [7]Photo: U.S. Department of State / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
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