Four oil tankers struck sea mines near the Strait of Hormuz and caught fire, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claims. The information was reported by Iran’s Mehr news agency, which cited the military formation.
According to the Iranian statement, the vessels attempted to pass through a restricted area south of the strait. “Four tankers that violated the ban and attempted to pass through the restricted area south of the Strait of Hormuz struck sea mines and were destroyed. They are currently engulfed in flames,” the statement said.
The Guards Corps also claims that two other vessels were stopped and detained. The names, flags or international identification numbers of the tankers were not disclosed. There is also no information about the number or condition of the crews.
On 30 October, Reuters reported a similar statement by the Guards Corps’ naval forces, according to which four tankers exploded and caught fire while attempting to use routes designated by Iran as unauthorized.
On the same day, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations service reported that a tanker had been struck by an unknown projectile while leaving the strait. The crew was safe, and there were no reports of pollution.
On 3 November, the Guards Corps also reported that three other tankers had, according to its account, struck mines on an unauthorized route. The maritime publication “Seatrade Maritime” noted that none of these claims had been independently confirmed and that Iran had not identified the specific vessels.
Tensions around the strait continue
The Strait of Hormuz is a key route for transporting oil from the Persian Gulf. In recent months, Iran has imposed restrictions on shipping and warned that vessels using unauthorized routes could be stopped or attacked.
Sources: apnews.com, al-monitor.com, seatrade-maritime.com