IRGC Navy says supertanker exploded after hitting mine in Strait of Hormuz
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy has announced in a new statement that a supertanker carrying more than 2 million barrels of crude oil struck a naval mine while illegally transiting the Strait of Hormuz, causing an explosion and a major fire aboard the vessel.
According to the statement, the tanker had turned off all position and radar systems in an attempt to deceive Iranian armed forces and pass unlawfully through the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC Navy stressed that the Strait of Hormuz is closed, and that any violation of Iran’s regulations in the area will be met with a decisive response.
The incident comes as Tehran has repeatedly warned against the passage of offending vessels through the sensitive strait, describing it as a violation of its territorial integrity. The latest incident could have wide-ranging security and economic consequences for the route used to transport crude oil from the Persian Gulf.
