TEHRAN, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- The navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) announced early Monday that a "violating" oil tanker suffered a blast within the preceding hours after hitting a naval mine south of the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement published on the IRGC's official news outlet Sepah News, the navy said the blast caused a fire in the oil tanker's engine room.
It added that the vessel had turned off its GPS and navigation systems and, in disregard of the regulations, was seeking to exit the strait through the "unauthorized" route south of the waterway.
The IRGC Navy stressed that if vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters turn off their navigation and identification systems, they will be dealt with "severely and decisively."
Over the past week, the navy has reported that several "violating" oil tankers attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz exploded after striking naval mines.
The navy has claimed to exercise full control and dominance over the strait's eastern waters, the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, and is "aware of the risks involved in (vessels') transit in forbidden regions."
Iran tightened its grip on the strait on Feb. 28, barring safe passage of vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States following their joint strikes on Iranian territory. ■
