Iran’s IRGC Says Supertanker Hit Mine, Exploded in Hormuz
(MENAFN) Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Saturday that an oil supertanker struck a naval mine and exploded as it tried to leave the Strait of Hormuz by an unauthorized southern route.
In a statement, the IRGC said the vessel, which it described as a supertanker able to carry roughly 2 million barrels of oil, had switched off its navigation systems before attempting the crossing. The tanker hit a mine while trying to exit through the alternative passage, setting off an explosion visible from coastal areas, the statement said.
The IRGC warned that “the fate of every vessel that ignores the rules in the Strait of Hormuz is a horrific fire.”
There was no immediate information on the ship’s identity, its crew or any possible casualties.
A day earlier, Iranian state television reported heavy explosions in the strait, citing military sources who said oil tankers using routes Tehran considers unauthorized may have hit mines in the southern passage.
Iran announced July 12 that it had closed the strait again after the US resumed attacks on July 8. Tehran has also threatened to target vessels that use routes other than those designated by Iranian authorities, or that try to transit without permission.
The US and Israel launched a war against Iran on Feb. 28 that killed more than 3,000 people, according to Tehran. Iran retaliated with attacks that killed Americans and Israelis before a ceasefire was reached in April. The US later struck Iranian sites again as negotiations stalled, despite a memorandum of understanding signed in mid-June.
Talks remain deadlocked over disagreements on navigation through the strait, a vital shipping route for global energy and commodity supplies.
In a statement, the IRGC said the vessel, which it described as a supertanker able to carry roughly 2 million barrels of oil, had switched off its navigation systems before attempting the crossing. The tanker hit a mine while trying to exit through the alternative passage, setting off an explosion visible from coastal areas, the statement said.
The IRGC warned that “the fate of every vessel that ignores the rules in the Strait of Hormuz is a horrific fire.”
There was no immediate information on the ship’s identity, its crew or any possible casualties.
A day earlier, Iranian state television reported heavy explosions in the strait, citing military sources who said oil tankers using routes Tehran considers unauthorized may have hit mines in the southern passage.
Iran announced July 12 that it had closed the strait again after the US resumed attacks on July 8. Tehran has also threatened to target vessels that use routes other than those designated by Iranian authorities, or that try to transit without permission.
The US and Israel launched a war against Iran on Feb. 28 that killed more than 3,000 people, according to Tehran. Iran retaliated with attacks that killed Americans and Israelis before a ceasefire was reached in April. The US later struck Iranian sites again as negotiations stalled, despite a memorandum of understanding signed in mid-June.
Talks remain deadlocked over disagreements on navigation through the strait, a vital shipping route for global energy and commodity supplies.
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