TEHRAN, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Friday that a large oil tanker suffered a massive explosion earlier in the day after hitting naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement on the IRGC's official news outlet Sepah News, the navy said the vessel, the fourth "violating" oil tanker to catch fire on Friday, was seeking to exit the strait through the "unauthorized" route south of the waterway, ignoring the Iranian naval forces' warnings.
It added that the supertanker was carrying more than 2 million barrels of crude oil.
In a separate statement, the IRGC said the electronic warfare systems of its aerospace division intercepted a U.S. MQM-170 Outlaw drone over Iran's southern Qeshm Island on Friday night.
Earlier in the day, the IRGC Navy said three "violating" oil tankers, including a supertanker, caught fire while attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz via the "unauthorized" route.
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. ■
