US and Iran both claim control of Strait of Hormuz amid attacks on vessels
Two vessels have been struck with naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz this week.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy reported on Saturday that two oil tankers had caught fire following collisions with naval mines while navigating the Strait of Hormuz. According to state media, both vessels were reportedly carrying approximately 2 million barrels of crude oil. However, there has been no independent verification of these claims.
The vessels reportedly disabled their positioning and radar systems before attempting to utilize an unauthorized route through the strategically significant waterway. The second tanker was left immobile after striking a mine, the state media added. Earlier reports suggested that the first tanker had also struck a mine while attempting to transit the strait via an unauthorized route.
These incidents occur amid heightened tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil shipping route. The ongoing conflict between Iran, the US, and Israel has disrupted key shipping lanes, contributing to a surge in global energy prices and inflation. Maritime officials have confirmed that a container ship and a dry bulk carrier sank near the strait following separate attacks by projectiles in recent weeks.
The surge in attacks around the waterway has intensified over the past two weeks, with Iran attributing the escalation to the US blockade of its ports and the imposition of harsher sanctions last month.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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