Iran reports three incidents of oil tankers hit by mines in Hormuz

Iran’s military has reported three incidents involving oil tankers struck by mines in the Strait of Hormuz, according to statements released on Saturday. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards claimed that two tankers in the southern portion of the waterway, along with a third in the eastern region, experienced fires following mine strikes.

The Guards emphasized that vessels must first obtain permission to traverse the strait, which Tehran has restricted since the escalation of tensions with the United States in February. In one incident, an unnamed supertanker, navigating in an unauthorized zone without its radar and positioning systems activated, caught fire after hitting a naval mine.

Another tanker, navigating through a hazardous zone east of Hormuz without its tracking and identification systems engaged, also suffered from a fire following a mine strike. While the statements did not disclose the identities or origins of the vessels involved, the Guards indicated that one of the tankers affected in the southern strait was a supertanker.

The United States has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports in response to Tehran’s blockade of the strategic trade route and provides military support to tankers attempting to use the waterway. The Iranian military has reported several fires or explosions on ships in the strait in recent weeks, often attributing the incidents to mine strikes.

Additionally, the Guards released footage on Friday showing a significant plume of smoke rising from a vessel they claimed was transporting liquefied gas and had struck a mine in the southern portion of the strait. However, the US military claims it has cleared the primary routes through the waterway of mines.