Iran Says Two Supertankers Carrying 4 Million Barrels Were Disabled. Shipping Attacks Continue In Strait Of Hormuz.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Thursday that two oil supertankers carrying more than 4 million barrels of crude were left burning in the Strait of Hormuz after explosions disabled the vessels, in the latest reported incidents along one of the world’s most important oil-shipping routes.
The ships were traveling through what Tehran described as an unauthorized southern passage Wednesday night and had ignored repeated warnings from Iranian maritime authorities, according to Iran International, which cited a statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy.
The IRGC did not identify the tankers, their operators or flag states. Their condition, the status of their crews and the reported cargo volumes have not been independently confirmed.
Iranian state media subsequently reported that the vessels had struck naval mines and broadcast footage it said showed the explosions, according to Reuters. Independent maritime authorities have not established that mines caused the reported incidents.
The Revolutionary Guards also warned that ships switching off their navigation systems and cooperating with U.S. military forces while using routes Iran considers unauthorized could face similar consequences.
The warning follows several Iranian claims of tanker attacks in recent days, including separate incidents reported on Tuesday and Wednesday. Tehran has repeatedly accused vessels of disregarding its maritime restrictions, although the circumstances of individual incidents have not always been independently established.
Britain’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) recorded a separate report involving a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday.
The agency classified the report as suspicious activity and said the condition of the crew, damage to the ship and possible environmental impact were unknown. It advised vessels to exercise caution while authorities investigated.
UKMTO did not identify the tanker in its public notice or establish whether the incident was connected to either of the vessels described by Iran.
The British agency has documented several other attacks on commercial shipping this month. On Tuesday, a tanker northeast of Limah, Oman, reported being struck by an unidentified projectile. Its crew was safe, and no environmental damage was reported at the time.
Two days earlier, UKMTO recorded an attack on another tanker northwest of Khasab, Oman, where a fire prompted the evacuation of the crew.
The increase in shipping incidents comes as more vessels resume journeys through the Gulf despite the war between Iran and the United States and Israel, which began in February.
October saw attacks involving 37 vessels, the highest monthly total since the conflict began, while 31 liquefied natural gas tankers departed the Gulf, also a wartime high, according to a Reuters analysis.
The recovery in traffic has been supported by higher shipping rates and efforts by Gulf exporters to restore disrupted energy shipments. However, additional vessels transiting the strait also face exposure to continuing attacks.
The International Maritime Organization had recorded 134 confirmed maritime incidents in the region as of Nov.11, with 25 seafarers killed.
The UN shipping agency has called for stronger enforcement of maritime safety regulations and greater protection for commercial crews operating in the region.
In a statement issued Wednesday, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez urged governments to ensure compliance with international maritime rules, including requirements intended to protect ships and their crews.
Recent attacks have also created environmental concerns along the Gulf coast. Iran International reported Thursday that footage verified by Reuters showed a tanker burning near Oman, with oil pollution reaching the shoreline. The footage concerned earlier shipping incidents and did not independently establish the circumstances of Wednesday night’s alleged supertanker explosions.
Oil leaking from another damaged tanker has also led to beach closures in the United Arab Emirates and threatened a desalination facility, according to Reuters. Such plants are an important source of drinking water for Gulf countries.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a crucial passage for crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments from major producers including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Shipping disruptions have continued despite diplomatic efforts to reduce hostilities. Iran has maintained restrictions on certain routes, while U.S. forces have assisted vessels traveling through the strait.
The latest Iranian announcement has not been accompanied by independently verified vessel identities or a confirmed damage assessment. UKMTO continues to advise merchant ships operating in the area to report suspicious activity as investigations into recent incidents proceed.
