Iran says two oil tankers hit mines and exploded in Hormuz Strait
The Revolutionary Guard navy said the supertanker was burning and both ships had switched off their tracking systems.
Two oil tankers exploded after hitting naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's Revolutionary Guard navy said on Sunday, China's state news agency Xinhua reported.
The navy said in a statement published on Sepah News, the Revolutionary Guard's official news outlet, that the vessels were using an unauthorized route through the strait.
It said one of the tankers, a supertanker, suffered a massive explosion and was burning at the time of the announcement.
The navy said both vessels had turned off their navigation and identification systems before the blasts.
It added that both tankers were stopped after hitting the mines within the hours before its announcement.
Iran tightened its control of the strait on Feb. 28, barring safe passage for vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States after the two countries carried out joint strikes on Iranian territory.
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman that links the Gulf to the Arabian Sea and is one of the world's most important routes for oil shipments.
The report did not say whether crew members were hurt or who laid the mines in the waterway.
Vessels that switch off tracking systems are harder to monitor, a factor that shipping safety experts often cite as a concern in busy and contested waterways.
