Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran
Tehran, Nov 13: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy said a tanker carrying liquefied natural gas struck a naval mine and suffered an explosion in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday while navigating what it described as an “unauthorised and dangerous route”, state media reported.
No immediate details were available about the tanker or the extent of the damage.
The development comes a day after Iranian media reported that four oil tankers had been hit by explosions in the strategic waterway. The reports said the vessels had ignored warnings and entered areas considered restricted by Iran.
Tankers continue to face attacks across the Strait of Hormuz despite a recent recovery in shipping traffic and expectations of a de-escalation in the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.
According to data from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, at least 10 ships were hit during the first 10 days of November. This followed 37 attacks in October, the highest monthly total since the conflict began in late February.
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital international shipping route for global energy supplies.