Three vessels catch fire in Hormuz, Iran's Guard claims
The Guard said the incidents followed attempts to use a route it called unauthorized, and it accused Washington of encouraging ships to cross a mined area.
Two oil tankers and a tugboat were hit by fire in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, Turkey's state-run news agency Anadolu Agency reported.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the fires broke out in separate incidents after vessels tried to use a route it described as unauthorized.
In a statement carried by the official IRNA news agency, the force said a large oil tanker struck a mine late Wednesday while passing south of the strait on that route.
The tanker caught fire and stopped moving, the statement said.
A second supertanker caught fire as it left the route in the eastern part of the strait, the Guard said.
A tugboat sent to help put out the blaze also caught fire, the statement added.
The Guard said its navy's electronic warfare unit had gained control of two aircraft it called Lucas-type, describing them as intruding.
The force also claimed that its navy continued to hold control over the Strait of Hormuz.
It accused the United States of encouraging vessels to break restrictions and pass through a mined route, arguing that the damage would impose heavy insurance costs on American taxpayers and regional allies.
The Guard warned that further attempts to break the rules governing passage through the strait would bring more financial losses and political setbacks for Washington.
The strait lies between Iran and Oman and is one of the world's most strategically important shipping lanes, carrying large volumes of oil and gas from Gulf countries to international markets.
The United States and Israel launched a war against Iran on Feb. 28, and a ceasefire was reached in April before fighting between Washington and Tehran resumed in July amid stalled diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.
