Iran says supertanker carrying oil sinks in Hormuz Strait
Iran's Revolutionary Guards have said that a supertanker carrying over two million barrels of oil had sunk after it struck a mine and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz.
A supertanker carrying over two million barrels of oil sank after colliding with a mine and igniting a fire in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran's Revolutionary Guards. The incident occurred while the vessel was among two that hit mines while navigating the crucial trade route. However, the claims have not been independently verified.
Since the start of the Middle East conflict in late February, Iran has imposed strict restrictions on traffic through the strategic waterway, compelling vessels to utilize routes approved by the Islamic republic. Tehran has frequently targeted ships that transit without authorization. In response, the United States has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports and assisted tankers in traveling through the strait, which typically accommodates about one-fifth of global oil.
The US military recently claimed to have cleared all mines from the primary routes within the waterway. Two oil tankers that were traversing an unauthorized route in the southern portion of the Strait of Hormuz struck naval mines, triggering significant explosions and fires, stated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in a report broadcasted by state television.
The statement did not provide the names or origins of the tankers. Tehran has recently issued multiple announcements claiming that ships had caught fire in the strait, often attributing the incidents to mines. The US Central Command, which manages US military operations in the region, has been aiding ships traversing the waterway and reported in the previous month that it had facilitated Gulf nations to export 1.5 billion barrels of oil via Hormuz since the summer.
A British maritime monitor acknowledged receiving a report from Indian shipping authorities regarding an attack on a tanker in the Gulf, but the authenticity of the incident remains unclear. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center reported that the extent of the damage and environmental impact is unknown, but the crew managed to remain safe.
Written by urgent.news from RTE News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
