OMM Newsroom
Two tankers were stopped in the Strait of Hormuz while attempting to pass through unauthorized routes, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said on Friday, according to Anadolu Agency.
The IRGC Navy said one tanker was in the eastern part of the strait and the other in the western part, Tasnim News Agency reported.
Both vessels had switched off their navigation and positioning systems and were trying to leave the strait via unauthorized routes, the statement said. The IRGC Navy claimed they were operating with support from the US military.
According to the statement, the tankers ignored several radio warnings and entered areas Iran considers unsafe before being stopped near the strait’s southern shores. The IRGC Navy said the vessels also caught fire.
The statement did not identify the tankers, their flags or crews, and gave no immediate details about casualties or the extent of the damage.
The incident comes amid rising tensions between Iran and the US over navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy and commodity supplies.
In February, the US and Israel launched a war against Iran. Tehran responded with attacks on Israel and US targets in the region before a ceasefire agreement was reached in April.
The US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding in June concerning freedom of navigation in the strait. Its implementation stalled amid disagreements over security in the strategic waterway, as tensions continued to escalate.
