TEHRAN: Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday that two oil tankers struck naval mines and caught fire while attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement carried by Iranian state television early that morning, the Guards’ navy accused the vessels of using an unauthorised route. It claimed both had switched off their radar and positioning systems to attempt the passage secretly.
Neither tanker was identified. The navy described one as a supertanker but gave no vessel names or countries of origin.
Iran has required ships to obtain its permission before crossing the strait since war with the United States began in February. Tehran has attacked vessels that do not comply with that requirement.
Washington has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports in response to Iran’s restrictions on the trade route. US forces provide military support to tankers passing through the waterway.
Separately, the US military says it has cleared the main shipping routes through the strait of mines. That statement concerns the main routes; Iran’s account placed the tankers on an unauthorised passage.
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Iranian armed forces have described several shipboard fires or explosions in recent weeks, often attributing them to mine strikes.
On Friday, the Guards released footage showing a large plume of smoke rising from a vessel. They said the ship was carrying liquefied gas and had struck a mine in the southern part of the strait.
