Two Oil Tankers Explode in Strait of Hormuz Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has stated that two oil tankers exploded in the early hours of Monday morning while attempting to transit an ‘unsafe route’ in the southern Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC claimed the vessels were rendered disabled and unable to continue their voyage.

According to an IRGC statement, the ships were attempting to use the route under ‘pressure and coercion’ from the United States military. The force claimed that four vessels initially ignored Iranian warnings and acted with US backing, adding that two of the ships subsequently left the route while the other two did not.

The IRGC warned that as long as ‘US aggression’ continues in the region, the strategic shipping lane will not be safe for the transit of vessels carrying fertiliser, oil, or gas. ‘Ships that are influenced by the words of the Americans and enter the unsafe route will certainly meet with accidents,’ the statement read. The IRGC further declared that the US military must prepare for retaliation over what it termed an ‘illegal violation’.

The origin and names of the affected vessels remain unclear. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) had earlier reported that military authorities were responding to a ship on fire approximately 8 nautical miles northwest of Kumzar, Oman, though the cause of the blaze has not been confirmed.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil and gas supplies, where Iran and the US are vying for control. In recent weeks, Tehran and Washington have launched reciprocal attacks following strikes on vessels in the strait, which are believed to have been orchestrated by Iran. US forces have targeted Iranian assets on land and at sea, while Tehran has retaliated by striking US military bases in Gulf states. The renewed hostilities have derailed a ceasefire agreement mediated by Pakistan.