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Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said Friday that two supertankers struck naval mines in the southern Strait of Hormuz, triggering explosions and fires that disabled their engines and forced their crews to abandon the vessels.
In a statement carried by state news agency IRNA, the IRGC Navy said the tankers had attempted to pass through what it described as an "unauthorized route" in the southern part of the strategic waterway.
The explosions sparked intense fires in the vessels' engine rooms, leaving both tankers immobilized and stranded, according to the statement.
The IRGC said the vessels were carrying a combined cargo of more than 4.5 million barrels of crude oil.
Both tankers were subsequently abandoned by their crews near the southern coast of the Strait of Hormuz, it added.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and serves as a crucial passage for global oil shipments.
Iran has repeatedly warned vessels against using routes it considers unauthorized amid ongoing tensions with the United States over maritime security and control of the waterway.
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The U.S. and Israel launched a war against Iran in late February, and the conflict remains unresolved despite a ceasefire and a memorandum of understanding aimed at reaching a final peace agreement.
Washington and Israel have also reportedly drawn up plans for renewed strikes against Iran following the Nov. 3 U.S. midterm elections.
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