Iran Claims Two Oil Tankers Hit Mines in Strait of Hormuz; US Rejects Allegation
Tehran/Washington:Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed that two oil tankers struck naval mines and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States has dismissed the allegation as false.
According to international media reports, the IRGC said the incident occurred after US intelligence agencies allegedly attempted to guide the two tankers through a mined area in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz.
The IRGC claimed the vessels hit naval mines, triggering powerful explosions that set both tankers ablaze. Iranian authorities did not identify the ships involved but urged all mariners to follow official safety instructions and avoid entering mined areas to protect lives and property.
In response, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a brief statement on the social media platform X that, “Like most claims made by the IRGC, this allegation is false.”
In a separate statement, the IRGC also claimed it had intercepted four vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz during a joint missile and drone operation. It alleged the ships were trying to pass through the strategic waterway with US military support in violation of Iranian restrictions.
The claims come amid heightened tensions in the Gulf, where Iran has imposed strict navigation restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz over the past week, directing commercial and oil tankers to use routes closer to the Iranian coastline while avoiding southern channels.
Meanwhile, the United States has reportedly reimposed a naval blockade targeting Iranian ports in response to growing threats to maritime navigation. US forces have also conducted overnight airstrikes against targets inside Iran, which Washington says are aimed at reducing Tehran’s ability to monitor and disrupt shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
**Note:** The claims regarding the tanker explosions, mined waters, and intercepted vessels have been made by Iranian officials and denied by the United States. These assertions have not been independently verified.
