The Public Relations Department of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy announced that a third oil tanker, described as “violating regulations,” exploded after colliding with a naval mine this afternoon while navigating an unauthorized route in the Strait of Hormuz.
In an official statement, the IRGC reported that the tanker caught fire in the area east of the strait, and that smoke from the explosion and ensuing fire blanketed the skies over the Strait of Hormuz.
The statement added that following the destruction of radar systems and coastal navigational aids belonging to the U.S. military—which it described as “fleeing”—in the southern part of the strait, oil tankers are attempting to pass through what it termed an “illegal route,” thereby assuming risks that are many times higher than previously.
The IRGC attributed the collision of these tankers with sea mines to their attempts to transit through paths it characterized as “dangerous and illegal”.
Source: Al-Manar English Website