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Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Thursday that an oil tanker was hit by an explosion and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz, forcing two other vessels to turn back after all three attempted to transit a route through the strait that Iran said had been mine-laid.
According to a statement quoted by Iranian Tasnim News Agency, the three tankers had attempted to use the southern route through the strait, which the IRGC said had been encouraged by the U.S. military.
"Three oil tankers, provoked and tempted by the child-killing American army, were trying to pass through the mine-laid route south of the Strait of Hormuz, but after one of them exploded and caught fire, the other two quickly turned around and turned back," the Guards said.
The statement did not specify when the incident occurred.
The IRGC said the Strait of Hormuz would remain "completely closed" for the duration of ongoing U.S. military operations, with no tankers permitted to enter or exit during that period.
"The powerful IRGC Navy emphasizes that the Strait of Hormuz is under our control... and any ship that is deceived by the US and intends to pass without coordination with the Islamic Republic of Iran will suffer the same fate," the statement said.
"We warn the aggressive and child-killing America to stop its mischief in this sensitive region and endangering commercial ships and playing with the world's energy security... Put an end to interference that results in nothing but an energy crisis and reduced agricultural fertilizer for the world. These acts of mischief will bring you nothing but greater discredit and an irreparable defeat that you will soon taste. With Allah's help, a punitive operation will be carried out for this violation you have committed," the IRGC added.
The U.S. has carried out a series of strikes across Iran since last week, while Tehran has responded with attacks targeting facilities and bases it says are used by the U.S. military in several countries across the region.
The exchange of fire has continued despite the Pakistan-brokered framework agreement signed by the U.S. and Iran in June, aimed at ending the war that began in February and paving the way for a lasting peace deal.
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