Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Navy has reported that two oil tankers caught fire after striking naval mines while passing through the Strait of Hormuz, raising fresh concerns over the safety of one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes.
The official Iranian news agency IRNA reported on Saturday that both vessels were carrying approximately two million barrels of crude oil combined. However, there was no independent confirmation of the reported incidents.
According to Iranian state media, the tankers had switched off their tracking and radar systems before attempting to navigate a route that Iran had not authorised. One of the vessels was reportedly left immobilised after hitting a mine.
The incidents come amid escalating tensions around the strategic waterway, where disruptions to shipping linked to the US-Israeli war on Iran have contributed to rising global energy prices and inflation.
Maritime officials also reported on Wednesday that a container ship and a dry bulk carrier sank near the strait following separate projectile strikes.
Attacks around the waterway have increased over the past two weeks, with Iran saying it is intensifying its strikes in response to a US blockade of its ports and tougher sanctions imposed last month.
