Iran reports 5 oil tankers, 1 tugboat hit by mines, catch fire in Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Army Navy reported Thursday that five oil tankers and a tugboat caught fire in separate incidents in the Strait of Hormuz after vessels attempted to navigate routes Tehran described as “unauthorized” or “unsafe.” In the latest incidents, two more oil tankers struck naval mines and caught fire around midday Thursday in an unsafe area east of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported, citing the Army Navy.

The Navy said the tankers ignored maritime warnings and entered prohibited areas without prior coordination, according to the report. The report did not disclose the vessels’ identities, nationalities or the extent of the damage. Earlier Thursday, an oil tanker struck a naval mine while traveling through an “unsafe zone east of the Strait of Hormuz,” Iran’s Army Navy said, according to the official IRNA news agency. “The tanker, which was operating in violation of restrictions, caught fire and was forced to stop,” the Army Navy said.

It added that “the vessel, like other tankers that had struck naval mines and caught fire in recent days, had switched off its identification and navigation systems.” Earlier Thursday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said a large oil tanker struck a mine Wednesday night while attempting to use an “unauthorized route” south of the strait. The tanker caught fire and came to a halt, the statement said. In a separate incident, another supertanker caught fire while leaving the route in the eastern part of the strait, it said.

A tugboat approaching to help extinguish the blaze also caught fire, the statement added. The Revolutionary Guard also said its navy’s electronic warfare unit had “taken control of two Lucas-type aircraft” that it described as “intruding.” It claimed that its navy continued to maintain control over the Strait of Hormuz. It also accused the US of “encouraging vessels to violate restrictions and pass through a mined route,” saying the resulting damage would “impose heavy insurance costs on US taxpayers and regional allies.”

The Revolutionary Guard warned that attempts to violate the rules governing passage through the strait would “lead to further financial losses and political setbacks for Washington.” The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, is one of the world’s most strategically important maritime routes, carrying significant volumes of oil and gas exports from Gulf countries to international markets. The US and Israel launched a war against Iran on Feb. 28, before a ceasefire was reached in April.

Fighting between Washington and Tehran resumed in July amid stalled diplomatic efforts to end the war.​​​​​​​