IRGC Accuses US-Backed Tankers of Navigating Illegal Route in Strait of Hormuz

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed that two oil tankers were hit by mines in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important waterways for energy shipments.

The IRGC stated that the vessels had released their crews and were transferred to personnel associated with the US military before attempting to pass through an 'illegal route,' where they subsequently struck mines, exploded, and were forced to stop.

The tankers were left on fire following the incidents, but the IRGC did not provide information about the ships' national flags, precise locations, or whether anyone was injured or martyred.

The IRGC warned shipping firms that they would take 'additional punitive measures' against companies that permit their vessels to use the disputed route rather than the passage Iran considers authorized.