Hormuz: Revolutionary Guards claim three tankers hit mines – evidence lacking
Iran's Revolutionary Guards claim mines halted three tankers in the southern Strait of Hormuz. They did not name the ships, and there was no independent confirmation at first.
Archive image · Photo: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jonathan Sunderman / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain (cropped and resized)
The navy of Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday that naval mines had halted three tankers on routes not authorised by Tehran. It first spoke of two ships set ablaze, then of a third tanker that it said exploded after striking a mine south of the Strait of Hormuz. According to AFP, it was carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil and had switched off its radar and navigation systems. Any movement that disregards the strait's security will be dealt with decisively, the navy said in a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB, Anadolu reported.
The Guards gave no ship names, flags, crew details or information on possible casualties. Industry outlet gCaptain notes that earlier mine claims could not be substantiated: the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) said on 18 October that there was no substantiation for claims made the previous day. The Guards also did not say when the reported hits occurred. Traffic through the strait was recently about 70 percent below pre-war levels.