Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has reported that three oil tankers caught fire after allegedly striking mines while attempting to navigate a restricted route through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Guards said on Thursday that the vessels attempted to cross the southern passage despite warnings from its naval forces, accusing them of ignoring instructions to avoid the route.
According to an IRGC statement, the tankers had switched off their radar and navigation systems before proceeding. The Guards did not identify the vessels, disclose their flags or specify when the alleged mine strikes occurred.
The IRGC said the southern route had been mined and warned shipowners and crews against using it. It also accused the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) of encouraging vessels to navigate the passage, which Tehran considers unauthorised, and urged maritime operators to disregard what it described as misleading communications from the U.S. military command.
The allegations had not been independently verified, and there was no immediate information about the extent of the damage or possible casualties.
Earlier on Thursday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it had received a report of a vessel on fire in the Strait of Hormuz. The agency did not disclose the cause of the fire or provide details about casualties. It was unclear whether the vessel was among the three tankers cited by the IRGC.
In a separate statement, the Guards also claimed that their electronic warfare unit had captured a U.S. MQM-170 reconnaissance drone during an operation in the western part of the strait. The statement did not provide further details about the reported seizure.
The incidents come amid continuing tensions over maritime access through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway that normally carries about one-fifth of global oil and gas consumption.
Since the Middle East war began on February 28, Iran has severely restricted shipping through the strait. The United States has responded by imposing a blockade on Iranian ports.
Iranian military officials have repeatedly accused CENTCOM, which oversees U.S. military operations in the region, of encouraging vessels to use a southern corridor near the Omani coast that Tehran considers unauthorised.
The reported tanker fires add to concerns about commercial shipping safety in the strait. However, the circumstances of the alleged mine strikes, the identities of the vessels and the relationship between the UKMTO-reported fire and the IRGC's claims remain unclear.