By: Ganiyu Olayinka
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Saturday that an oil tanker struck a mine in the Strait of Hormuz and caught fire. The strait is a strategic waterway at the heart of the ongoing Middle East conflict.
In a statement, the Guards said the supertanker was carrying more than two million barrels of crude and was trying to pass through the strait illegally, in breach of Iran’s rules. They said the vessel hit a mine, causing an explosion and a large fire. The statement did not say where the incident took place. The force also released a night-time video showing a vessel in flames.
The Guards further alleged that the tanker tried to cross with American backing and had switched off its tracking systems. Earlier this week, the IRGC’s naval commander, Admiral Ali Ozmai, warned that any ship that turned off its navigation systems would be treated as “hostile.”
Background
Iran took control of the strait after the war began in late February, disrupting a route that normally carries around one-fifth of the world’s oil consumption. Since then, Tehran has required ships to obtain its permission before transiting. The strait, which lies between Iran to the north and Oman to the south, is about 30 kilometres (20 miles) wide at its narrowest point.
In response to Iran’s blockade, the United States has imposed a naval counter-blockade aimed at Iranian oil exports.
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