Iranupdated 49m ago2 min read
MapIRGC Navy Says Two Oil Tankers Exploded After Striking Naval Mines in Strait of Hormuz
“It is unclear whether the UKMTO alert and the incidents reported by the IRGC involved the same vessels.”
“The master of a nearby tanker reported that the other vessel had been struck, UKMTO explained.”
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Two tankers exploded after striking mines in the Strait of Hormuz. They were traveling via an unauthorized route.
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Mines in Hormuz
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy announced Sunday night that two oil tankers exploded after striking naval mines while attempting to transit an unauthorized route through the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC Navy said one vessel was a supertanker that caught fire following a powerful explosion and remained ablaze at the time of the announcement. The IRGC Navy stated that both tankers had switched off their navigation and identification systems and were attempting to secretly transit the unauthorized route with the support of the “US terrorist military.”
The IRGC Navy said the vessels were brought to a halt at their locations following the incident, and it stressed that the tankers had ignored repeated warnings and entered dangerous waters in clear violation of the regulations governing the strategic waterway. The IRGC Navy did not identify the tankers or provide information about their crews or possible casualties, according to Muslim Network TV.
US, UKMTO, and warnings
The IRGC Navy spokesperson told state media channel Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting that the tankers “were in violation of regulations,” explaining that they were traveling on “an unauthorized route in the Strait.” The spokesperson added that the tankers switched off their navigation and identification systems as they wanted "to pass covertly through an unauthorized route in the Strait of Hormuz with the support of the terrorist US military." The UKMTO announced that a separate tanker was hit by an unknown projectile earlier on Sunday, and the master of a nearby tanker reported that the other vessel had been struck, UKMTO explained.
Shafaq News said it was unclear whether the UKMTO alert and the incidents reported by the IRGC involved the same vessels. The IRGC Navy also described a prior incident on Saturday, saying a supertanker had struck a mine east of the Strait of Hormuz, triggering an explosion and a fire.
Navigation deal and escalation
The IRGC Navy framed the Sunday night explosions as part of ongoing maritime tensions, with Muslim Network TV linking the incidents to attacks against Iran after the US and Israel launched attacks against Iran on Feb. 28.
Muslim Network TV said Tehran retaliated against Israel and US targets in the region before a ceasefire was reached in April.
The US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding on freedom of navigation in the strait on June 18, but Muslim Network TV said implementation stalled over disagreements concerning security arrangements.
The Jerusalem Post said the incidents came amid repeated attacks on commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of the conflict between the US and Iran in February.
The Jerusalem Post also reported that Iran said on Friday it destroyed a US unmanned vessel in the eastern Strait of Hormuz, while it said there was no immediate confirmation from the US military.