OMM Newsroom
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Thursday that two oil tankers and a tugboat caught fire in separate incidents in the Strait of Hormuz after vessels attempted to use what it called an unauthorized route, according to Anadolu Agency.
In a statement carried by the official IRNA news agency, the Revolutionary Guard said a large oil tanker struck a mine on Wednesday night while trying to pass south of the strait via an “unauthorized route”. The vessel caught fire and stopped, the statement said.
A separate supertanker caught fire as it left the route in the eastern part of the strait, according to the statement. A tugboat that approached to help extinguish the blaze also caught fire.
The Revolutionary Guard said its navy’s electronic warfare unit had “taken control of two Lucas-type aircraft” that it described as “intruding”. It also said its navy continued to maintain control over the Strait of Hormuz.
The force accused the US of “encouraging vessels to violate restrictions and pass through a mined route”. It said the resulting damage would “impose heavy insurance costs on US taxpayers and regional allies”.
The Revolutionary Guard warned that attempts to breach rules governing passage through the strait would “lead to further financial losses and political setbacks for Washington”.
The Strait of Hormuz, between Iran and Oman, is one of the world’s most strategically important maritime routes and carries significant volumes of oil and gas exports from Gulf countries to international markets.
The US and Israel launched a war against Iran on Feb. 28, before a ceasefire was reached in April. Fighting between Washington and Tehran resumed in July amid stalled diplomatic efforts to end the war.
