Iran's Revolutionary Guard: "Two oil tankers collided with mines in Hormuz... operations suspended"

(Cairo = Yonhap News) Correspondent Kim Sang-hoon = Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed on the 20th (local time) that two oil tankers that violated regulations collided with mines in the Strait of Hormuz and halted operations.

The Revolutionary Guard's press office said in a statement, "A mine laid by the Iranian Navy exploded in the southern navigation zone of the Strait of Hormuz, causing fire on two oil tankers in violation of regulations and suspending operations."

The Revolutionary Guard Navy emphasized that crossing mine-laying zones is illegal and will only lead to the destruction of violators' property.

He then warned that if such arbitrary actions by the United States continue, the oil companies involved will have to pay a much greater price.

In this regard, the UK Maritime Trade Organization (UKMTO) announced that it had received a report of an incident involving an oil tanker and military personnel in the sea approximately 121 nautical miles (approximately 224 km) east of Duqm, Oman.

UKMTO added that the incident was reported as military personnel approaching the tanker as part of ongoing military activities in the region.

Meanwhile, the Revolutionary Guard also claimed that it had hit and crashed a U.S. military drone MQ-9 that was scouting over the Strait of Hormuz the night before.