Two oil tankers caught fire after reportedly striking a naval mine in the eastern Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, according to Iran’s navy, amid continuing maritime tensions in one of the world’s most strategically important shipping routes.
In a statement carried by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, the Iranian navy said the vessels had experienced fires and explosions after entering waters subject to restrictions.
“Fire and explosions are the fate of tankers involved in illegal activities that have turned off their tracking systems and are operating in restricted areas,” the navy said.
The statement suggested that the vessels had disabled their tracking systems and were operating in prohibited waters, although it did not provide evidence establishing the circumstances surrounding the reported incident.
Iranian authorities did not disclose the names of the tankers, their countries of registration or the extent of the damage sustained.
There was also no immediate information about possible casualties, the condition of the crews or whether rescue operations had been launched.
The reported incident could not be independently verified, and no confirmation was immediately available from international maritime authorities or the operators of the vessels.
The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the wider Indian Ocean, is among the world’s most important maritime corridors for international energy shipments.
The narrow waterway serves as a major transit route for oil and other energy exports from Gulf producers, making disruptions to shipping a significant concern for international trade and energy markets.
Maritime security in the region has deteriorated since the United States and Israel launched a military offensive against Iran on February 28, triggering heightened tensions and repeated disruptions to commercial shipping.
Iranian forces have previously reported incidents involving merchant vessels allegedly entering restricted maritime areas, while the safety of commercial traffic through the strait has remained a major concern.
The situation has been further complicated by tensions surrounding the US naval blockade and disputes over access to regional shipping lanes.
Maritime restrictions and the security of commercial vessels have consequently become important issues in diplomatic efforts between Tehran and Washington.
Saturday’s reported explosions have added to uncertainty surrounding navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, although the identities of the affected tankers and the circumstances of the incident remain unconfirmed.
Iranian authorities had not released further details about the vessels or the scale of the damage at the time of the initial report.