Two Oil Tankers Catch Fire After Striking Mines in Strait of Hormuz
Two oil tankers caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz early Saturday after striking naval mines while attempting an unauthorized transit with their tracking systems disabled. Regional shipping lines and international energy traders face mounting hazards as Iran‘s Revolutionary Guards enforce strict navigation controls amid an ongoing conflict with the United States.
Supertanker Among Vessels Damaged in Secret Passage
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards navy stated that the vessels had switched off their radar and positioning systems to bypass authorized routes. The military branch confirmed that one of the stricken ships is a supertanker, though officials did not disclose the names or national origins of either vessel involved in the blasts.
The incident unfolds as Tehran continues to demand that all commercial traffic secure explicit authorization before entering the strategic trade route, a policy enforced since war erupted with the United States in February. Ships failing to comply have repeatedly come under attack.
In response to the waterway’s restrictions, the United States military has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports and maintains active military support for compliant tankers. While the US military maintains it has cleared the main navigation channels of mines, Iranian forces have reported multiple shipboard fires and explosions across the strait in recent weeks, including footage released Friday of a liquefied gas carrier hit by a mine in the southern sector of the channel.
