Two oil tankers explode, catch fire near Hormuz

Two oil tankers attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz exploded and caught fire after striking naval mines, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said on Friday (local time).

According to a statement reported by Iranian state media, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the IRGC Navy said that the two vessels were attempting to transit through the strategically important waterway without coordinating with Iranian authorities and had switched off their radar and positioning systems.

"An hour ago, two oil tankers, which were secretly attempting to transit the unauthorised Strait of Hormuz with their radar and positioning systems turned off, exploded and caught fire after hitting a naval mine," the statement said.

Describing the incident, the Iranian naval force further claimed that one of the vessels was a supertanker, whose flames illuminated the southern shores of the Strait of Hormuz during the night.

The IRGC Navy also issued a warning to shipping owners and companies, cautioning them against attempting to navigate the waterway without coordinating with its Traffic Control Centre and adhering to Iranian arrangements for the strait.

The latest claims come amid escalating tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel, with the Strait of Hormuz emerging as a key flashpoint in the ongoing West Asia conflict.

The development also follows the IRGC Aerospace Force's claim that it had destroyed a US military early-warning radar installation in Bahrain in retaliation for an alleged American aerial attack on a telecommunications tower in Iran's Sirik region.

According to Iran's Fars News Agency, the IRGC said its forces targeted the radar approximately an hour after the alleged attack on the telecommunications infrastructure.

In a statement reported by Fars, the IRGC Aerospace Force described the claimed destruction of the radar as a warning to Washington against continuing its military operations and what Tehran termed oil smuggling in the Strait of Hormuz.

"The destruction of a US radar in Bahrain was a serious warning to the aggressor enemy to end its aerial provocations and oil smuggling in the Strait of Hormuz. If the enemy repeats its violations and acts of aggression, the IRGC Aerospace Force is on full alert to respond without limits," the Aerospace Force said.

However, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) rejected Iran's claim that its forces had destroyed the American radar installation in Bahrain, stating that two Iranian one-way attack drones targeting the country had been intercepted by US forces.

In a post on X, CENTCOM said both drones were shot down and that the incident resulted in no injuries or damage.

"CLAIM: Today, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it attacked a "U.S. early-warning radar" in Bahrain. FACT: The IRGC launched two one-way attack drones toward Bahrain and both were shot down by U.S. forces. There were no injuries or damage," CENTCOM stated.