IRGC says two tankers caught fire in ‘accident’ in Strait of Hormuz
IRGC says two tankers caught fire in ‘accident’ in Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says that two tankers carrying over four million barrels of oil caught fire after an “accident” on an unauthorized route in the Strait of Hormuz.
“Last night, two tankers — acting in violation of regulations and despite repeated warnings from the Revolutionary Guards Navy regarding the unauthorized and dangerous nature of the southern maritime route — were involved in an accident while traversing this prohibited path in the strait,” the IRGC says in a statement.
It does not specify the nature of the “accident” but says it left the two tankers immobilised after they were hit with a “violent explosion.”
Left out here: Leaves out what changes the picture
The article says the IRGC does not specify the nature of the 'accident'. Iranian outlets reported the IRGC Navy statement issued the same day as saying the tankers struck naval mines, which it said had thwarted a smuggling attempt. Without this, a reader takes the IRGC account to be vague about the cause, when Iranian outlets report it naming mines and presenting them as stopping the passage.
How we know
- Tehran Times reported“struck naval mines, triggering massive explosions that set both vessels ablaze”Mines strike two tankers in Strait of Hormuz: IRGC Navy (opens in a new tab)
- Tehran Times reported“the naval mines had thwarted an 'attempt to smuggle the vessels through the unauthorized route,'”Mines strike two tankers in Strait of Hormuz: IRGC Navy (opens in a new tab)
- Press TV reported“two additional oil tankers have caught fire and been abandoned after striking naval mines”IRGC Navy says two more oil tankers ablaze in Strait of Hormuz after hitting mines (opens in a new tab)
“These two supertankers were carrying a combined total of over four million barrels of oil, which are now ablaze — a consequence of the blind trust placed in the aggressive American military,” the statement says.
Iranian forces have made multiple announcements in recent weeks of ships catching fire attempting to use routes that Tehran considers off-limits.
Tehran has often said they struck mines, but the US military recently claimed all mines had been cleared from the strait.
The Times of Israel Community.
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