IRGC Navy says two supertankers struck mines in Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said early Friday that two supertankers struck naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz after attempting to transit through an unauthorized southern route, according to a statement issued by the force's public relations office.

The IRGC Navy said the explosions and resulting intense fires incapacitated the engine rooms of both vessels, bringing them to a complete halt. Together, the two tankers were carrying more than 4.5 million barrels of crude oil, the statement said.

According to the IRGC Navy, the mine strikes occurred off the southern coast of the Strait of Hormuz, and the vessels were left behind by their crews following the blasts. The statement described the tankers as "offending" and said they had been using a route it characterized as unauthorized.

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and is a key passage for global oil shipments. The IRGC Navy's account did not identify the tankers by name, flag or owner, and no independent confirmation of the incident was immediately available in the statement.

The report by Mehr News carried the IRGC Navy's account as issued, including its description of the route taken by the vessels and the amount of crude oil they were carrying. It did not provide further details on the condition of the crews, the extent of the fires, or any response from shipping authorities.