Three offending tankers catch fire in Strait of Hormuz after defying Iranian warnings: IRGC

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy says three oil tankers attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz via an unauthorized route were stopped and caught fire in separate incidents.

In a statement on Friday, the IRGC Navy said two of the violating tankers, one east and the other west of the Strait of Hormuz, had attempted to cross the waterway via an unauthorized route before being stopped following separate incidents.

They had switched off their navigation and positioning systems and were attempting to leave the strait with support of the “terrorist” US military, it added.

“After ignoring several radio warnings, the two oil tankers entered the unsafe area, encountered incidents, and were brought to a halt off the southern coast of the Strait of Hormuz,” the IRGC explained.

It emphasized that the fires and stoppages involving the violating vessels resulted from the “malicious actions” of the terrorist US military and the vessels’ disregard for Iranian regulations governing passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

"The tanker owners will bear full responsibility for any consequences arising from unauthorized passage and disregard for maritime and safety warnings," the IRGC said.

"We warn the enemy that any movement, infiltration or provocative action within areas monitored by the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be met with a firm and proportionate response," added the statement.

In a separate statement, the IRGC Navy said a supertanker carrying more than two million barrels of oil had struck a naval mine while attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz via an unauthorized route.

It added that the vessel exploded and was left burning near the entrance to the strategic waterway.

Iran Army Navy destroys enemy remotely operated vessel east of Hormuz

Iran’s Army Navy also said on Friday that its forces struck and destroyed an enemy remotely operated vessel early in the morning while it was operating east of the Strait of Hormuz.

"Additionally, two violating enemy oil tankers were damaged and caught fire after striking naval mines while operating in prohibited and unsafe areas east of the Strait of Hormuz, with their tracking systems switched off, in defiance of warnings and announced regulations,” it added.

The Army Navy emphasized that the owners of the tankers would bear full responsibility for any consequences arising from unauthorized passage and disregard for maritime and safety warnings.

It also warned the enemy that any movement, infiltration or provocative action within areas monitored by Iran’s Armed Forces would be met with a strong and proportionate response.

IRGC Navy says mines blow up two violating tankers in Hormuz, setting them ablaze

The IRGC says two oil tankers were set ablaze after mines planted along an unauthorized passage south of the Strait of Hormuz exploded.

Since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran on February 28, Tehran has imposed strict regulations on the Strait, requiring all vessels to coordinate with Iranian naval authorities and obtain permission before transiting.

Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its complete control, with the IRGC Navy and the Army Navy jointly managing security in the region.

Ships that attempt to evade detection by silencing their systems or that venture into unauthorized corridors do so at their own peril and expose themselves to the defensive measures in place to protect the Islamic Republic’s sovereign rights and the security of the Persian Gulf.

The IRGC Navy has consistently warned commercial operators and shipping companies against heeding false assurances from external actors and against endangering crews by flouting established rules.