Iran: Two More Oil Tankers Hit Mines in Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Revolutionary Guard reports that two more oil tankers attempting to smuggle through the Strait of Hormuz have struck mines and caught fire. This follows Iranian claims that at least five ships suffered the same fate on Thursday. The affected vessels had turned off their transmitters and tried to take "an unauthorized route" out of the Persian Gulf, according to the Revolutionary Guard. Since the US and Israel began war against Iran in February, shipping traffic in the strategically vital strait has been severely restricted. Iran has blocked the strait and attacked ships, while the US has imposed a naval blockade targeting Iranian ports. The strait is a critical chokepoint for global oil trade.