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Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has reported that two oil tankers caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after striking naval mines while attempting to use unauthorised shipping routes.
The Guards announced the incident on Sunday, according to Iran’s state news agency, IRNA, but did not disclose the vessels’ names or nationalities.
In a statement, the IRGC said one tanker was travelling through the eastern section of the strait while the other was inside the waterway when the explosions occurred. Both vessels were reportedly in flames.
The Iranian military also accused the tankers of violating navigation rules, claiming they had switched off their positioning systems while attempting to pass through routes not approved by Tehran.
“Two oil tankers violating regulations — one in the eastern part of the Strait of Hormuz and the other within the strait — caught fire and are currently engulfed in intense flames after striking naval mines while attempting to cross through unauthorised routes,” the IRGC said.
“The two tankers had reportedly committed multiple violations, including switching off their navigation and positioning systems, as they attempted to transit through an unauthorised route,” the statement added.
Iran has significantly restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz since the war broke out in late February, requiring vessels to use routes authorised by the Islamic Republic.
In response, the United States has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports and assisted tankers navigating the strategic waterway, which normally carries about one-fifth of global oil consumption.
The latest announcement follows several reports by Tehran in recent weeks of ships catching fire in the strait.
Meanwhile, US Central Command said last month that it had helped Gulf countries export 1.5 billion barrels of oil through the waterway since the summer. It has also recently stated that all naval mines in the strait had been cleared.
Separately, IRNA reported late on Saturday that explosions or similar sounds were heard in several parts of Iran, including Qeshm, Sirik, Jask and Bandar Abbas.
The agency said the cause had not been established.
However, officials confirmed that an impact had occurred in the port city of Jask, according to the report.
US President Donald Trump had earlier raised the possibility of renewing large-scale military strikes against Iran but subsequently stepped back from the proposal.
The US military has nevertheless continued to carry out occasional limited strikes.
