Three oil tankers catch fire in Strait of Hormuz? Iran’s Navy blames naval mines
Three oil tankers reportedly caught fire after striking naval mines in and around the Strait of Hormuz, according to statements issued by Iran’s naval forces. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy claimed that two vessels attempting to cross the strategically important waterway without authorisation exploded and caught fire after hitting mines. In a separate statement, the Armed Forces’ Navy reported that another tanker had met a similar fate east of the strait.
The incidents were reported on Saturday, November 15, amid heightened tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel. Iranian forces also warned shipping operators against entering restricted maritime areas, threatening that vessels navigating the prohibited zone could face similar consequences.
Iran claims two oil tankers hit naval mines in Strait of Hormuz
According to Iranian state media, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the IRGC Navy said two oil tankers attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz without authorisation had exploded and caught fire after striking naval mines. In its statement, the IRGC Navy alleged that the vessels were secretly attempting to navigate the waterway with their navigation and automatic identification systems switched off.
“An hour ago, two offending oil tankers, which were secretly attempting to transit the unauthorised Strait of Hormuz with their navigation and automatic identification systems turned off, exploded and caught fire after hitting naval mines,” the statement said, as reported by IRIB. The Iranian naval force further claimed that two other tankers attempting to pass through the strait turned back after receiving warnings from the IRGC’s Naval Traffic Control Centre.
Armed Forces’ Navy reports another tanker incident
In a separate statement, Iran’s Armed Forces’ Navy reported an incident involving another oil tanker east of the Strait of Hormuz. It claimed that the vessel caught fire after striking a naval mine while operating in an area it described as unsafe and prohibited. According to the Navy’s Public Relations Department, the tanker had ignored earlier warnings and switched off its tracking and identification systems.
“This morning, an oil tanker that had been operating in the unsafe and prohibited area east of the Strait of Hormuz, ignoring previous warnings and turning off its tracking and identification systems, caught fire and stopped after hitting a naval mine,” the statement said. The Armed Forces’ Navy also issued a warning to other shipping operators, saying that vessels entering the restricted maritime zone could face similar consequences. “Without a doubt, any offending tanker that travels in the restricted area east of the Strait of Hormuz will be set on fire by hitting naval mines,” it said.
Iran warns vessels against entering restricted maritime zone
The Iranian Navy also criticised tanker owners for sending vessels into the restricted area, accusing them of relying on assurances from US President Donald Trump. “It is unfortunate that tanker owners, without learning from the fate of other offending vessels, trusting the nonsense of the criminal US president, are sending their capital into the mine war and throwing it into the fire,” the statement added.
Iran’s statements come amid growing tensions over access to the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important international shipping route. The latest warnings signal that Iranian naval forces intend to enforce restrictions on vessels entering areas they have declared prohibited. The developments add to the tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel, with the Strait of Hormuz emerging as a key flashpoint in the ongoing West Asia conflict.
The claims about the tanker explosions and the presence of naval mines were made by Iranian military authorities. Independent confirmation of the incidents and the reported damage was not included in the information available at the time of writing.
(Inputs: ANI)
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