IRGC says two oil tankers exploded after hitting mines in southern Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said on Sunday that two oil tankers attempting to pass covertly through the Strait of Hormuz struck naval mines, causing explosions and intense fires, according to a statement carried by Mehr News.

The IRGC Navy said the two tankers were transiting an unauthorized route in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz with their navigation and automatic identification systems switched off. The statement said the vessels struck mines, resulting in explosions and fires aboard both ships.

Following the incidents, two other tankers that had intended to pass through the same area surreptitiously heeded warnings issued by the IRGC Navy's traffic control center in the Strait of Hormuz and turned back toward the waters of the Persian Gulf, the statement said.

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a large share of global seaborne oil trade passes. The IRGC Navy maintains a traffic control presence in the strait and has previously warned vessels against using unauthorized routes or transiting with tracking systems disabled.

The statement did not provide details on the national flags or ownership of the tankers involved, the size of the fires, casualties, or the extent of any oil spill. It also did not specify the exact location within the southern strait where the explosions occurred.

According to Mehr News, the IRGC Navy's account was released in a statement on Sunday and described the two tankers as "violating" vessels that had switched off their navigation and automatic identification systems while attempting to transit covertly.