Iran said on Thursday, October 29, that four tankers caught fire after hitting mines in or near the Strait of Hormuz, while a British maritime monitor separately reported that a tanker was hit by an unidentified object fired at it.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said three ships hit mines while trying to use a southern route that Tehran considers unauthorized. It alleged that the ships ignored warnings and turned off their navigation systems. Iran’s army later reported that a fourth tanker was damaged by mines east of the strait and could no longer move.
Iranian authorities did not identify the vessels or provide details about their flags, operators or crews. The claims have not been independently verified. The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said it received a report that a tanker was hit by an object fired at it while leaving the strait.
It reported no crew injuries or environmental impact at the time. UKMTO did not say whether that ship was among the vessels Iran described. The reports do not establish that the same incident involved both a mine and a projectile.
The competing accounts came a day after the U.S. military said it had cleared key shipping routes of mines. Iranian officials challenged that claim. The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial route for shipping energy around the world.
The disputed reports add to security concerns for vessels traveling through the waterway.