Politics1 min read

Iran says two oil tankers hit by mines in Strait of Hormuz

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Revolutionary Guards reported that two vessels, including a supertanker, caught fire after striking naval mines during a secret transit through the strategic waterway. Tehran currently demands that all commercial vessels obtain permission before entering the passage and targets non-compliant maritime traffic. This confrontation follows an existing American naval blockade on Iranian ports established to counter attacks on commercial ships. The explosions also coincide with recent Iranian military claims of maritime attacks, including newly released footage of a burning liquefied gas carrier.

Key points

  • War between Iran and the United States has severely disrupted commercial shipping through…: War between Iran and the United States has severely disrupted commercial shipping through the strategic strait.
  • American forces are providing military support to transiting tankers while enforcing an e…: American forces are providing military support to transiting tankers while enforcing an embargo against Iranian ports.
  • Tankers attempting to bypass Iranian transit mandates by turning off tracking systems fac…: Tankers attempting to bypass Iranian transit mandates by turning off tracking systems face severe maritime hazards.

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 Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday (Nov 14) that explosions rang out on two oil tankers after they struck mines in the Strait of Hormuz, where Tehran has restricted navigation.

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.

"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 carried by the Iranian state broadcaster early on Saturday.

The statement did not provide the names or origins of the vessels but said one was a supertanker.

The United States, in response to Tehran's choking of the strategic trade route, has imposed a naval blockade…

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