Four oil tankers have caught fire after striking sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, according to statements issued by the Iranian military and reported by dnes.dir.bg, contradicting Washington’s assertions that the crucial maritime corridor has been cleared for commercial transit.
Explosions and fires strike vessels in the Strait of Hormuz
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported that three violating vessels exploded and caught fire after hitting mines while attempting to use an unauthorized southern route through the strait. The Corps stated that the ships had turned off their radar and steering systems and ignored warnings before the blasts occurred. A separate statement from the Iranian army confirmed that a fourth tanker was struck and damaged under similar circumstances in a restricted zone. The origins of the cargoes and the flags flown by the vessels were not specified in the military announcements.
British maritime authorities also recorded incidents in the area. The UK Maritime Trade Operations reported a burning ship off the coast of Oman, located about 17 kilometers north of the city of Khasab, as noted by Novinata.bg. While authorities have not yet confirmed whether this vessel is one of the three cited by the Revolutionary Guard, the UK agency stated that the crew’s fate remains unknown and no immediate environmental impact assessment is available.
Over the past 24 hours, 3 violating tankers passing through the unauthorized southern route of the Strait of Hormuz suffered explosions and fires after hitting mines and were abandoned on the southern shores of the Strait. pic.twitter.com/tOhU3xG30d
Contradictory claims over mine clearance and shipping routes
The latest incidents highlight a stark operational dispute between Tehran and Washington regarding the safety of the 30-kilometer-wide passage. U.S. Central Command maintained that all primary internationally recognized transit routes through the strait have been cleared of sea mines by U.S. forces, allowing thousands of commercial vessels to pass safely. CENTCOM recently stated that it has helped Gulf nations export 1.5 billion barrels of oil through the corridor since the summer, successfully bypassing the naval blockade that Iran imposed following U.S.-Israeli strikes in late February.
Iranian military explains tanker fire causes
What caused the tankers to catch fire in the Strait of Hormuz?
According to the Iranian military and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the tankers struck sea mines after utilizing unauthorized southern routes through the strait with their steering systems turned off.
Have international shipping lanes been cleared of mines?
U.S. Central Command asserts that all primary transit routes have been cleared and thousands of commercial vessels have used them safely. However, Iranian officials dispute this claim, stating that the southern corridors remain dangerous and heavily mined.
Did authorities identify the nationalities of the affected ships?
No. Initial military statements and maritime monitoring reports from organizations such as the UKMTO did not specify the flags under which the damaged tankers were sailing or the ownership of their cargoes.
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