OMM Newsroom
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said Friday that an oil supertanker struck a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz, triggering a large explosion and fire, according to Anadolu Agency.
The tanker was carrying more than 2 million barrels of crude oil as it attempted to pass through the strategic waterway, a statement carried by the semi-official “Tasnim News Agency” said.
The IRGC Navy called the vessel a “rogue” tanker and said it had switched off its navigation and radar systems. It claimed the tanker had tried to use US military support to transport goods through the strait.
The statement did not name the vessel, its owner or its flag, and gave no information about possible casualties or the extent of the damage.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and the US over freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a major route for global oil and gas shipments.
Maritime traffic through the waterway has been severely disrupted since the US and Israel launched attacks against Iran on Feb. 28.
