Politics1 min read

Iran reports three incidents of oil tankers hit by mines in Hormuz

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Iranian naval forces and Revolutionary Guards confirmed that three oil tankers caught fire after striking mines in unauthorized areas of the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes follow ongoing warfare that began in February, prompting Tehran to mandate crossing permits and attack non-compliant vessels. In response to these transit restrictions, the United States has enacted a naval blockade on Iranian ports while providing military escorts for passing commercial ships. Iranian military officials identified one of the severely damaged vessels in the southern waterway as a supertanker, though specific ship names and origins remain undisclosed.

Key points

  • Tehran requires maritime vessels to secure official authorization before crossing the Str…: Tehran requires maritime vessels to secure official authorization before crossing the Strait of Hormuz or face potential attacks.
  • Commercial tankers have attempted to bypass Iranian travel restrictions by disabling thei…: Commercial tankers have attempted to bypass Iranian travel restrictions by disabling their onboard radar and tracking systems.
  • Washington continues to enforce a blockade on Iranian ports while offering armed military…: Washington continues to enforce a blockade on Iranian ports while offering armed military support to commercial tankers.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

Since war erupted with the United States in February, Tehran has insisted that vessels obtain its authorisation to cross the strait and has attacked ships that do not comply.

TEHRAN: Iran's navy and Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday (Nov 14) that fires had broken out on a total of three oil tankers that struck mines in the Strait of Hormuz, where Tehran has restricted navigation.

Tehran has insisted that vessels obtain its authorisation to cross the strait since war erupted with the United States in February, and has attacked ships that do not comply.

"A short while ago, two oil tankers that had switched off their radar and positioning systems and were secretly attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz through an unauthorised route exploded and caught fire after striking a naval mine," the Guards' navy said in a statement on the incident in the south of the waterway, carried by the Iranian state broadcaster early on Saturday.

A separate statement from Iran's conventional navy said another tanker "navigating through the unsafe and prohibited zone east of the Strait of…

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