Tehran:Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy announced that two supertankers were struck by naval mines in the southern Strait of Hormuz, leading to explosions and fires that disabled their engines and forced the crew to abandon the ships.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, the IRGC Navy's statement, which was disseminated via state news agency IRNA, indicated that the tankers were navigating through an 'unauthorized route' in the southern section of the strategic waterway.

The IRGC reported that the explosions and intense fires in the engine rooms left both tankers disabled and stranded. The vessels were carrying a total of more than 4.5 million barrels of crude oil and were abandoned near the southern coast of the Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and serves as a major channel for global oil transport. Iran has consistently cautioned vessels against using routes it deems unauthorized. This incident occurs amid ongoing tensions with the US over maritime security and control of the waterway, exacerbated by a conflict involving the US and Israel against Iran that began in late February. Despite a ceasefire and memorandum for a final peace agreement, the conflict remains unresolved, with reports suggesting possible renewed attacks by the US and Israel after the midterm elections on November 3.