Two oil tankers catch fire after explosions in Strait of Hormuz

TEHRAN – Two oil tankers attempting to navigate the Strait of Hormuz in violation of designated maritime rules were hit by powerful explosions and caught fire after being intercepted, the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy announced on Tuesday. In a statement, the IRGC Navy said one of the vessels, identified as a supertanker, struck a naval mine, triggering a powerful explosion. The second tanker, which was operating under the protection of US military aircraft and attempting to make an unauthorized covert passage through the strategic waterway, was also caught in a major fire and forced to halt, the statement added.

According to the IRGC Navy, both vessels had switched off their navigation and identification systems before approaching the Strait of Hormuz's "wall of fire." The two tankers were left burning off the southern coast of the strait, it said. The IRGC Navy reiterated its previous warnings that the unauthorized passage was unsafe, cautioning that any vessels cooperating with the "terrorist and aggressor US military" and attempting to use the route would face similar consequences.

The statement did not identify the vessels or provide further details about their ownership, flags, cargoes, or the extent of the damage.