Two supertankers carrying millions of barrels of crude oil catch fire, Iran says
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say two oil tankers caught fire after hitting mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil route.
Two supertankers, each carrying over two million barrels of crude oil, caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after colliding with naval mines, according to Iran's Revolutionary Guards. The incident occurred as Iran asserted control over the strategic waterway, which is a key conduit for approximately one-fifth of global oil shipments.
The Guards claimed the ships were breaking regulations by attempting to navigate the strait illegally. The origins of the crude oil and the ships' flags remained undisclosed by the Guards. The Strait of Hormuz, situated between Iran to the north and Oman to the south, is approximately 30 kilometers wide at its narrowest point. Iran has insisted that all vessels seek its permission prior to transiting the strait.
On Thursday and Friday, Iran's forces reported two additional tankers had caught fire in what Tehran designated as its "prohibited zone" in the Gulf of Oman, extending into the Arabian Sea. On Friday, maritime monitoring agencies reported two further tankers struck in the Gulf waters off Saudi Arabia's coast. On Sunday, six vessels were targeted in or near the Strait of Hormuz, marking the highest daily count since the onset of the conflict, as per data from security firm Vanguard, the International Maritime Organization, and the British maritime agency UKMTO.
In response to Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the United States has established its own naval counter-blockade on Iranian oil exports. Iranian naval commander Admiral Ali Ozmaei cautioned that any vessel disabling its navigation systems would be deemed hostile.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
