The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy stated in a statement that two tankers caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz. This incident happened one day after Tehran claimed that five other tankers had met a similar fate.
Tankers Fire in the Strait of Hormuz
This strait, which carries about one-fifth of global oil consumption, has been under heavy surveillance by Iranian forces since the onset of the war in the Middle East on February 28. The IRGC Navy stated in its announcement: "Two offending tankers - one in the east of the Strait of Hormuz and the other in the strait itself - which attempted to pass through an unauthorized route, collided with mines and caught fire."
Read more: Reduction of fuel oil refining margins in Asia following increased exports from the UAE
Impact of Sanctions and Transportation Security
U.S. forces have also imposed a blockade on Iranian ports as part of the response to these incidents and are escorting tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. Central Command announced last month that it has assisted Gulf countries in exporting 1.5 billion barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz since last summer. The statement noted that all mines have been cleared from this waterway.
The IRGC Navy also stated: "The two passing tankers had disabled all their navigation and identification systems and were attempting to exit the Strait of Hormuz with the support of the U.S. military, but after colliding with mines, they caught fire and were halted." However, no confirmation has yet been released by maritime officials regarding these incidents.
Read more: Slight increase in the number of oil and gas drilling rigs in the United States · IRGC forces destroyed four tankers in the Strait of Hormuz
