Iran blames tankers for Ormuz mine hits

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Thursday that three tankers exploded and caught fire after striking naval mines in the Strait of Ormuz. The military force stated that the incidents occurred within the last 24 hours and that the vessels subsequently ran aground on the southern coast of the waterway.

In a press release, the IRGC Navy public relations office accused the ships of using the "unauthorized southern route." Tehran has long maintained that vessels must transit the strait via northern routes managed by Iranian authorities. Conversely, Washington has encouraged shipping companies to use the southern path, which President Trump declared clear of mines at the end of August.

The IRGC noted that the affected tankers had switched off all radar and navigation systems. The group described this as a common practice among ships attempting to evade blockades imposed by either the United States or Iran in the region and its surrounding waters.

"These tankers had turned off all their radar and navigation systems," the IRGC added. The statement continued that the vessels, "ignoring the warnings of the IRGC Navy, attempted to exit via the unauthorized southern route of the Strait of Ormuz when they struck naval mines and exploded."

The IRGC held the owners and crews of the vessels responsible for following a route against which Tehran had issued warnings for months. The announcement places the financial and operational burden of the incident on the commercial operators rather than on the Iranian state, a distinction that could influence insurance claims and shipping schedules in the coming days.