Iran says two tankers hit mines in Strait of Hormuz ... adrift with 4.5 million barrels aboard

[Financial News] Iran claimed that two supertankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz had struck mines and were forced to stop. The two vessels were carrying at least 4.5 million barrels of crude oil, and their crews reportedly abandoned ship after explosions and fires broke out. However, the incident has not been independently confirmed.
According to Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) and other outlets on the 24th (the 23rd local time), the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said in a statement that two supertankers had struck mines in the southern Strait of Hormuz.
The IRGC said the vessels had encountered the incident while traveling along a route not approved by Iranian authorities. The mines exploded, sparking a major fire in the engine room, and both vessels were disabled when their engines stopped working, it said.
The two tankers were reportedly carrying a total of more than 4.5 million barrels of crude oil. The IRGC claimed that all crew members evacuated immediately after the incident and that the vessels had been left in waters in the southern Strait of Hormuz.
However, the vessels’ names and nationalities, as well as the exact location of the incident, have not been disclosed. No independent confirmation supporting Iran’s account has been made.
Attacks targeting merchant ships have recently continued in the Strait of Hormuz. According to Reuters, there have been 28 confirmed or reported attacks on merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters so far this month. This is the month with the most attacks since the war waged by the United States and Israel against Iran began in late February.
Iran is controlling ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz in response to the United States blockading its ports. It has also warned of possible attacks on vessels using unauthorized routes.
As attacks on ships continue in the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments, concerns are growing about international energy supply chains. If an actual mine collision is confirmed, it could add further strain to ship operations, marine insurance and oil transportation.

[email protected] Kim Kyung-min Reporter