IRGC Claims Tankers Burned on Unauthorized Hormuz Routes
The IRGC says five tankers caught fire on routes Iran had not authorized. The claims, carried by Russian state media, have not been independently confirmed.
Featured photo: An oil tanker in the North Sea (file photo). Photo: ImagePerson, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.
DUBAI — Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed on Sunday that tankers caught fire while using routes through the Strait of Hormuz that Tehran had not authorized. The claims have not been independently confirmed.
The claims
Claim: The IRGC said two ships caught fire after hitting mines, one east of the strait and one in it, according to TASS, a Russian state agency.
Claim: The IRGC Navy later said three more tankers exploded early Sunday, and blamed their disabled navigation systems and U.S. military actions, TASS reported.
Other reports
UKMTO reported an incident involving a bulk carrier and military forces about 18 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan, TASS said. Al Jazeera said the UAE rescued 22 sailors from a burning ship near Hormuz on Sunday.
What to watch
Assessment: Ship names, owner statements or insurer reports would be the first independent test of Tehran’s account.
Sources
- TASS (Russian state): Two tankers hit mines in Hormuz — IRGC
- TASS (Russian state): Three tankers explode in Strait of Hormuz on Sunday — IRGC
- TASS (Russian state): UKMTO reported incident with bulk carrier near UAE coast
- Al Jazeera: US military attacks cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman
