Iranian Guard Says Explosions Disabled Two Oil Tankers in Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Navy said Thursday that two supertankers were disabled by massive explosions after ignoring warnings about using an "unauthorized route" in the Strait of Hormuz overnight. Iranian state media later reported the tankers exploded after hitting naval mines, releasing video footage of the incidents. The explosions occurred in the southern part of the strategic waterway, with the Guard claiming the vessels were on unauthorized paths. In recent months, the Guard has shifted from directly targeting tankers to attributing fires to naval mine strikes, while the British maritime trade operations agency has noted many such incidents involved attacks by unknown projectiles. The events come amid the US-Israeli war on Iran that began in February, with the Revolutionary Guard Navy having previously announced direct strikes on tankers in the early months of the conflict. The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments.