Iranupdated 14m ago2 min read
MapIRGC Says Explosions Disabled Two Oil Tankers in Strait of Hormuz
“The two tankers ‘exploded after hitting naval mines’”
“They did not specify the nature of the ‘accident’”
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL · Cropped for layout
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IRGC Navy says two oil tankers were disabled by explosions in the Strait of Hormuz. Tankers were reportedly violating an unauthorized route and ignoring warnings from IRGC.
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Tankers Disabled in Hormuz
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy said two “violating” oil tankers were disabled by explosions while crossing the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday night, and it said the tankers transited despite frequent warnings from its traffic-control center about an “unauthorized and unsafe” southern route. The IRGC said the two supertankers were carrying more than 4 million barrels of oil in total, and it warned that “the same fate will await any vessel” that turns off its navigation systems and cooperates with the U.S. military on that route.
MarineLink reported that Iranian state media said the tankers “exploded after hitting naval mines,” and it added that UKMTO has said tankers in the strait have been struck by unknown projectiles. The Hindu reported the IRGC said the tankers caught fire after an “accident” on an unauthorised route, and it quoted the Guards saying the tankers were hit with a “violent explosion” that left them immobilised.
Competing Explanations
The IRGC’s statement, as carried by The Times of Israel, said “Last night, two tankers — acting in violation of regulations” were involved in an accident while traversing the prohibited southern maritime route. The Hindu described the same incident as an “accident” on an unauthorised route, while it also said the Guards did not specify the nature of the “accident” but said it left the two tankers immobilised after a “violent explosion.”
The Jerusalem Post said Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported that three tankers were hit on Sunday for using “unauthorised routes” through the strait, and it said Reuters verified a Navig8 tanker on fire near the coast of Oman. Ynetnews said Iranian forces reported two oil tankers struck mines, and it added that Iranian authorities released footage showing a tanker apparently damaged at sea with flames and thick smoke rising from the water.
Wider Stakes for Shipping
Iran’s IRGC said it would bar safe passage for vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States after joint strikes on Iranian territory, and it tied that tightening to its warnings about the “unauthorized and unsafe” southern route. The Jerusalem Post said the International Maritime Organization has confirmed 130 incidents, most of them attacks, in the region since the conflict began in late February, and it said at least 25 seafarers were killed.
The Jerusalem Post reported that oil leaking from damaged tankers caused environmental damage, and it said Reuters verified oil reaching the shores of Oman while satellite imagery showed oil spills off the coast of Oman and the UAE. Ynetnews said Iran’s Supreme National Security Council secretary Mohsen Rezaei ruled out transferring Iran’s enriched nuclear material abroad, saying “Not a single particle of enriched nuclear material will leave Iran,” as Tehran warned Washington against renewed military action.