Tehran (Monitoring Desk): Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed that two oil tankers allegedly using an unauthorised route in the Strait of Hormuz were struck by naval mines, causing explosions.
According to the IRGC’s public relations department, one of the affected vessels was a very large oil tanker that caught fire following a powerful explosion and is still burning.
The statement alleged that both vessels had switched off their navigation and identification systems and were attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz secretly.
The claim emerged just hours after the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) authority reported that a vessel had been hit by an unidentified projectile.
According to Vanguard, an organisation monitoring global maritime traffic, one of the affected vessels was sailing under the Panamanian flag. Part of the ship sank after the explosion and subsequent fire.
Meanwhile, US Central Command has repeatedly rejected claims in recent weeks that vessels are striking naval mines. The US military maintains that Iran is using missiles and drones to target the ships.