Video: Two oil tankers and a tugboat caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz — Reuters

Two oil tankers and a tugboat caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz. According to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the incidents occurred after the vessels attempted to navigate routes that Iran considers prohibited.

Iran also stated that one of the vessels struck a sea mine. Details of the incidents have not yet been provided.

According to the IRGC, the first oil tanker struck a sea mine while attempting to pass south of the Strait of Hormuz. The explosion caused a fire on the vessel.

The second incident occurred in the eastern part of the strait. There, a supertanker that had strayed from its navigational route caught fire.

A tugboat approached the burning vessel, and its crew attempted to help extinguish the fire. However, the fire subsequently spread to the tugboat as well.

The Iranian side claims that the incidents were caused by violations of the navigation restrictions it had imposed.

At the same time, there is currently no independent confirmation of all the circumstances surrounding the fires. Information about casualties, the names of the vessels, and the extent of the damage has not been made public.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important maritime routes for oil transportation. Energy supplies from the Persian Gulf countries pass through it, so an escalation of the security situation poses a threat to international shipping and the global energy market.

This was reported with reference to Reuters.

The IRGC reported fires on two tankers in the Strait of Hormuz — OilPrice.

The IRGC claimed it shot down two U.S. drones in the Strait of Hormuz — Anadolu Agency.

Risks to oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz persist — Reuters.