Shafaq News- Tehran

Three oil tankers exploded and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said, warning that vessels using “unauthorized routes” risk striking naval mines.

In a statement carried by Iranian media, the IRGC Navy said the tankers had entered restricted routes with their navigation and identification systems switched off, accusing the US military of facilitating their passage. The explosions sparked intense fires, sending thick smoke across the waterway.

Speaking to reporters, IRGC spokesperson Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi said the strait remained under the Navy’s full control and that shipping operators had repeatedly been notified of Iranian navigation rules, cautioning that violations could expose vessels to floating mines.

Iranian authorities have not identified the tankers, disclosed their nationalities, or reported casualties.

On Saturday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) noted that it had disabled a commercial cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman after its crew repeatedly attempted to breach the US naval blockade on Iran. Since July, US forces have redirected 147 commercial vessels that complied with blockade instructions, disabled five merchant ships that refused, and destroyed 10 Iranian oil tankers allegedly linked to the IRGC’s oil trading network, according to CENTCOM.