Two oil tankers and a tugboat caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said, according to local media on Thursday. The Guards made the claims to a local news agency, and maritime officials have not confirmed either incident.
The strait normally carries about one-fifth of global oil consumption. Since the Iran war began in late February, Tehran has severely restricted traffic through the waterway and regularly attacks ships it accuses of passing without its authorisation. In response, the United States military has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports and helped tankers travel the strait.
Guards describe mine strike and supertanker blaze
The Guards said a large oil tanker trying to use what they called an illegal passageway south of the strait hit a mine and was brought to a halt by fire. In a second incident, they said another supertanker was halted by a massive fire as it exited the eastern strait, and a tugboat that approached to fight the blaze also caught fire.
Also read: Iran says four tankers destroyed by mines in Strait of Hormuz
The British maritime monitor UKMTO reported that a tanker was struck by “two unidentified projectiles” about 50 nautical miles, or 90 kilometres, off the north coast of Qatar. That area is roughly 500 kilometres west of Hormuz, but UKMTO gave no details on damage or casualties.
US role in Gulf shipping and seized drones
Local media also reported, citing the Guards, that the force’s electronic warfare unit had taken control of two LUCAS drones. The US-developed model’s name is short for Low-cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System.
Last month, the US military said it had helped Gulf countries export 1.5 billion barrels of oil via Hormuz since the summer.
