Two oil tankers exploded and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy announced the incident in a statement carried by the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
The vessels were halted in an unauthorized shipping corridor when the explosions and large fires occurred, according to the military statement. One of the vessels was a supertanker that struck a naval mine and exploded.
The second tanker encountered an unspecified incident while attempting to pass secretly through the restricted route. The Revolutionary Guard claimed this second vessel was receiving support from United States military fighter jets. That second vessel was left stranded and engulfed in flames.
Both tankers had switched off their navigation and identification systems before attempting the crossing, the Revolutionary Guard Navy said. The two burning vessels were left near the southern shores of the strait.
The Revolutionary Guard Navy warned that the unauthorized passage remained unsafe. It threatened similar consequences for any vessels cooperating with the US military that attempted to use the route.
The official statement did not identify the tankers, their flags, or their operators. It also provided no details on possible casualties or the condition of their crews. There was no immediate confirmation from the US military regarding the alleged involvement of American fighter jets.
The announcement followed repeated maritime incidents in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has imposed restrictions on commercial shipping amid its continuing confrontation with the US.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, serving as a key passage for global oil and gas shipments.
Maritime traffic through the waterway has faced severe disruption. The disruption began after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran in February, triggering a regional conflict and a prolonged dispute over navigation rights.
