00:16The Strait of Hormuz is once again at the center of a dangerous maritime confrontation,
00:22with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claiming that multiple oil tankers
00:28have exploded and caught fire after striking naval mines along what Tehran calls unauthorized
00:35shipping routes.
00:36In statements carried by Iranian state media, the IRGC Navy initially reported three tankers
00:44catching fire after allegedly ignoring warnings and attempting to cross a restricted southern
00:51corridor near the Omani coast.
00:53Later updates claimed a fourth vessel had also struck a mine, triggering a powerful
00:59explosion.
01:00One of the tankers was reportedly carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil.
01:06Iran claims these vessels switched off their radar, GPS and identification systems before
01:13attempting to bypass its maritime restrictions.
01:16The IRGC has warned that ships using these routes could face serious consequences while
01:23holding vessel owners and crews responsible for ignoring its instructions.
01:28But the claims have not been independently verified.
01:32Separately, the UK Maritime Trade Operations Agency reported two incidents involving commercial
01:39vessels in the Strait of Hormuz area.
01:41In one incident, a crude oil tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile, causing a fire
01:49on its port side.
01:50The crew was reported safe, with no environmental impact.
01:54In another incident, a small boat allegedly approached a tanker northeast of Qasab Oman and
02:01attached two explosive devices to its hull.
02:04The resulting explosions triggered an engine room fire and temporarily disabled the vessel.
02:11Maritime sources identified the ship as the Panama-flagged Louise I.
02:16The fire was extinguished and the crew remained safe.
02:20It remains unclear whether these independently reported incidents are connected to the tankers
02:27mentioned in Iran's statements.
02:28The confrontation comes as Iran challenges U.S. claims that shipping routes through the
02:34strait have been cleared of naval mines.
02:37The IRGC has warned vessels against relying on assurances from U.S. Central Command and insists
02:45that ships must follow routes approved by Iranian forces.
02:49The stakes are enormous.
02:51The strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important oil choke points, carrying roughly
02:58one-fifth of global oil supplies.
03:01With Iran restricting maritime traffic, Washington supporting alternative routes, and commercial
03:07vessels reporting attacks and explosions, shipping through the waterway remains increasingly dangerous.
03:14For now, the scale of the latest tanker incidents remains uncertain.
03:19But with competing claims from Tehran and Washington, and no comprehensive independent confirmation
03:26of Iran's reported mine strikes, the strait of Hormuz is once again becoming a flashpoint
03:32in the wider conflict.
03:55They must demand for a long-term non-smertie.
03:59Follow the OneIndia app now.
04:03They must demand for a long-term non-term response.
