OMM Newsroom
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said a third oil tanker exploded after striking a naval mine while attempting to pass through an “unauthorized” route in the Strait of Hormuz, state broadcaster IRIB reported, according to Anadolu Agency.
The IRGC Navy’s public relations office said in a statement carried by IRIB that the tanker hit the mine on Tuesday afternoon and caught fire in the eastern part of the strategic waterway.
Smoke from the explosion and fire spread across the skies above the strait, the statement said.
The IRGC Navy claimed that the destruction of US coastal radar and navigational aid systems south of the strait had increased the risks for tankers using unauthorized shipping routes. It added that vessels navigating dangerous and illegal passages were striking naval mines.
The statement did not identify the tanker or its flag, or say how many crew members were aboard. It also gave no information about casualties or environmental damage.
The incident comes amid heightened maritime tensions in the strait following the US-Israeli offensive against Iran on Feb. 28. Iranian authorities have repeatedly warned commercial vessels against using routes outside those designated by Tehran.
Despite diplomatic efforts and a memorandum signed by Washington and Tehran in June, disputes over navigation and maritime security in the strategic waterway have persisted.
