Iran announces that two oil tankers struck mines and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz, on routes considered unauthorized by Tehran

Two tankers caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after reportedly hitting naval mines while sailing on routes unauthorized by Tehran, Iran’s IRNA news agency reported Sunday. According to the source, both vessels are engulfed in flames, while the crews and authorities have so far provided no information about possible casualties.

IRNA did not specify the tankers’ names or nationalities. The agency said one vessel was in the eastern part of the strait, while the other was inside it. Both reportedly deactivated their navigation and positioning systems while attempting to transit channels considered unauthorized by Iran.

The announcement follows several similar reports from Tehran in recent weeks. Iran claims extensive control over the Strait of Hormuz, a route through which approximately one-fifth of the world’s hydrocarbons passed before the war. Washington, however, says it has largely cleared mines from this waterway and is escorting tankers while imposing a blockade on Iranian ports.

IRNA also reported explosions heard on Qeshm Island and in the towns of Sirik, Jask and Bandar Abbas, without specifying their cause. Tensions are heightened by the deadlock in negotiations between Iran and the United States.