Iran's IRGC says 3 tankers on fire in Strait of Hormuz after hitting mines

DUBAI — Three tankers have caught fire while passing through the Strait of Hormuz after hitting mines, according to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, Iranian state media has reported.The IRGC Navy said the vessels, having disabled its tracking systems, were attempting to pass through the restricted area in the Gulf of Oman.They were abandoned on the southern shores of the Strait of Hormuz after catching fire.“The tankers turned off all their radar and navigation systems and were trying to leave the unauthorized southern route of the Strait of Hormuz, ignoring warnings of the IRGC Navy,” Iran’s Tasnim News reported.The IRGC Navy noted an environmental impact after the vessels caught fire, saying “the unauthorized route in the Strait of Hormuz is polluted and the owners and crews of the vessels are responsible for passing through these routes.”An oil spill from a stricken vessel hit by a projectile off the coast of the United Arab Emirates continues to raise concerns.The incident off the UAE has also brought questions about what impact oil spills can have on desalination plants that crowd the ⁠Gulf coastline.The IRGC warned shipping operators to “not pay attention to US Central Command’s illusions in cyberspace”, adding that “any provocative action” would be dealt with “decisively”.The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said a fire was reported aboard a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, nine nautical miles north of Khasab in Oman.Vanguard Tech reported that the tanker had been struck by an unknown projectile in the southern corridor of the Strait of Hormuz at 03:00 hrs UTC on Thursday.The maritime security firm said the captain of a Panama-flagged tanker reported passing the vessel, which was on fire and mostly submerged. It added that another vessel was observed nearby, potentially providing assistance.Both UKMTO and Vanguard said the status of the crew remains unknown, and no damage assessment or environmental impact report was available at the time.UKMTO advised vessels to transit the area with caution and report any suspicious activity as authorities investigate.The incident comes amid rising tensions between Iran and the US over navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy and commodity supplies.The past month has seen a sharp increase in the number of attacks on shipping and International Maritime Organization (IMO) figures show 34 confirmed attacks on vessels between 28 September and 27 October, mostly in the Strait of Hormuz, although Iran has targeted shipping the wider region in more recent weeks as well.