World · World News Bureau
Iran says four tankers hit naval mines in Strait of Hormuz
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claims the vessels struck mines while transiting a restricted maritime corridor in the strategically vital waterway. The incident underscores persistent tensions in the region's most critical shipping route.
LSN World News ·
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Thursday that four tankers were destroyed after striking naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz while attempting to cross a prohibited shipping route.
The IRGC, Iran's elite paramilitary force, did not immediately provide additional details about the incident, including the identity of the vessels, their nationality, or the timing of the alleged mine strikes.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global petroleum passes annually, has been a flashpoint for regional tensions. The strategic waterway remains heavily militarized, with multiple nations maintaining a naval presence amid longstanding disputes over maritime boundaries and shipping rights.
Ship losses in the region have periodically drawn international attention and concern from major oil-consuming nations dependent on uninterrupted passage through the chokepoint. The IRGC's assertion that vessels were operating in restricted areas suggests ongoing navigation hazards in contested portions of the waterway.
No independent confirmation of the incident has been reported, and it remains unclear whether international maritime authorities have received formal notification of any vessel losses.