Iran says four tankers hit mines in Strait of Hormuz, challenges US claims

Iran said four tankers struck mines in the Strait of Hormuz for navigating in the illegal shipping lanes promoted by the US. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said three tankers caught fire after striking mines along what it called an “unauthorised southern route” near the Omani coast. UKMTO reported that an outbound vessel was “on fire” about 25 nautical miles northeast of Khasab. It comes a day after the US military claimed that it had cleared key routes in the Strait of Hormuz.

"Over the past 24 hours, three violating oil tankers exploded and caught fire after striking mines while attempting to pass through the unauthorised southern route of the Strait of Hormuz," Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said in a statement.

The initial three vessels had "switched off all their radar and navigation systems" and disregarded warnings from the IRGC navy, the statement said. The IRGC also said that the unauthorised route through the Strait of Hormuz is mined, and that "vessel owners and crews are responsible for transiting these routes and should not pay attention to Centcom's delusions on social media".

Also Read: Why have Trump and JD Vance cancelled weekend appearances ahead of US midterms?

Iran's attacks on the Strait of Hormuz have significantly increased since the start of October, with at least 30 vessels reportedly confirmed as attacked, the highest number since the start of the war.

“Prove the claim that the Strait of Hormuz has been cleared of mines with independent evidence, not a statement,” IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebi said. “The reality of the Strait of Hormuz is determined in the air, on land and at sea, not on social media and in America’s media war rooms.”

Meanwhile, Iran-allied Houthis have claimed that they have launched six military operations across Saudi Arabia, though Saudi officials did not confirm it. Houthis have claimed attacks on airports and oil facilities, despite a rare meeting of Saudi and Iranian senior officials in Tehran earlier this week.