Four Oil Tankers Destroyed by Mines in Strait of Hormuz After Defying Iran

Four oil tankers were destroyed by naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, according to Iran's Revolutionary Guards, after the vessels allegedly violated Iranian orders. Two other ships were immobilized. The Guards said the tankers attempted to cross a forbidden route in the southern part of the waterway and are still burning. They also reported shooting down a drone over the strait, a key route for global oil and gas trade. Iran has closed the strait since US-Israeli bombings began in late February and demands Washington accept its conditions to reopen it. The US is enforcing a blockade on Iranian Gulf ports amid escalating tensions.