Explosions rocked oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz
Powerful explosions have occurred on two oil supertankers in the Strait of Hormuz. According to the Iranian military, the vessels sustained serious damage and lost the ability to continue moving.
This was reported on Thursday, November 12, by Reuters citing a statement from the naval forces of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
According to the Iranian side, the incidents occurred on the evening of November 11 after the tankers ignored warnings and continued along a route that Tehran considers unauthorized.
Later, Iranian state media claimed that both vessels were hit by naval mines. In support of this version, video recordings were published that allegedly show the aftermath of the explosions.
Independent confirmation of the circumstances of the incident is not yet available. Iranian military officials did not name the vessels, their owners or countries of registration. Information about the condition of the crews and the extent of the damage is also missing.
In recent months, Iranian military officials have repeatedly reported incidents involving commercial vessels using routes through the Strait of Hormuz that Tehran considers prohibited.
In the early stages of the war that began in February between the US and Israel against Iran, the IRGC openly stated that it had struck oil tankers. Recently, the Iranian side has more often attributed damage to vessels to naval mine explosions.
The UK's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has also been recording attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. However, in some cases, the agency notes that tankers were hit by unknown projectiles, not confirming Iranian claims about mines.
In particular, the Joint Maritime Information Center advisory update of November 12 reports several attacks on tankers in the region that occurred on November 10–11. Among the vessels affected are named NCC FAJR, FUJAIRAH ENERGY and DOMINICA PROSPERITY.
At the same time, there is no confirmed evidence that these incidents are directly linked to the two explosions announced by the IRGC.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and is one of the most important routes for global oil trade. Military actions and threats to commercial shipping have significantly complicated the movement of tankers through this area.
