Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, IRGC, said on Thursday that three oil tankers had caught fire after striking mines while attempting to navigate the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement, the Guards said the vessels were attempting to use what Tehran considers an unauthorised southern passage through the strategic waterway when the incidents occurred.
“Over the past 24 hours, three violating oil tankers exploded and caught fire after striking mines while attempting to pass through the unauthorised southern route of the Strait of Hormuz,” the IRGC said.
According to the statement, the tankers had switched off their radar and navigation systems and ignored warnings issued by the IRGC Navy.
The Guards did not immediately disclose the exact time of the incidents or the flags under which the vessels were sailing.
Since the war began on February 28, Iran has significantly restricted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route that normally handles about one-fifth of global oil and gas consumption.
In response, the United States has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports.
Iran’s military has repeatedly accused the US Central Command, CENTCOM, which supervises American military operations in the region, of encouraging ships to navigate a southern corridor close to the Omani coast, a route Tehran considers unauthorised.
In its latest statement, the IRGC Navy warned that the disputed passage had been mined and cautioned vessel owners and crews against following guidance issued by CENTCOM on social media.
“The IRGC Navy states that the unauthorised route through the Strait of Hormuz is mined, and that vessel owners and crews are responsible for transiting these routes and should not pay attention to CENTCOM’s delusions on social media,” the statement said.
Earlier on Thursday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, UKMTO, agency reported receiving information about a vessel on fire in the Strait of Hormuz. However, it provided no further details about the cause of the fire or whether anyone had been injured or killed.
It was not immediately known whether the vessel mentioned by UKMTO was among the three tankers cited by the Iranian military.
In a separate statement, the IRGC also claimed that its forces had captured a United States reconnaissance drone during an operation in the strait.
“The IRGC Navy announced that its electronic warfare unit had successfully captured a US MQM-170 drone during an offensive operation in the western Strait of Hormuz,” the statement said.