Iran Says Over 2M Barrel Supertanker Hit Mine in Hormuz
(MENAFN) An oil supertanker carrying more than 2 million barrels of crude struck a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, setting off a massive explosion and fire, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy of Iran said. The claim has not been independently verified.
The announcement, relayed by a semi-official Iranian news agency, said the vessel was attempting to pass through the strategic waterway at the time of the blast.
The IRGC Navy labeled the ship a “rogue” tanker and said it had shut off its navigation and radar systems. It also alleged the vessel was trying to take advantage of US military backing to move cargo through the strait.
The statement left major questions unanswered. It did not name the tanker, its owner or its flag state, and it gave no details on casualties or the scale of the damage.
The incident comes as tensions between Iran and the US over freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz continue to climb. The passage is a critical artery for global oil and gas shipments, and commercial traffic has been severely disrupted since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.
The announcement, relayed by a semi-official Iranian news agency, said the vessel was attempting to pass through the strategic waterway at the time of the blast.
The IRGC Navy labeled the ship a “rogue” tanker and said it had shut off its navigation and radar systems. It also alleged the vessel was trying to take advantage of US military backing to move cargo through the strait.
The statement left major questions unanswered. It did not name the tanker, its owner or its flag state, and it gave no details on casualties or the scale of the damage.
The incident comes as tensions between Iran and the US over freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz continue to climb. The passage is a critical artery for global oil and gas shipments, and commercial traffic has been severely disrupted since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.
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