TEHRAN, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- The navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) announced Wednesday that two "violating" oil tankers that sought to exit the Strait of Hormuz through the "unauthorized and high-risk" route the previous night exploded after hitting mines.
The vessels caught fire following the massive blasts and were left burning despite efforts by the U.S. Army's "accomplices" to contain the blaze, the navy said in a statement on the IRGC's official news outlet Sepah News.
It added the oil tankers had turned off their navigation and identification systems and were trying to transit the "unauthorized" route with the "aggressive" U.S. Army's support and under a U.S. Army officer's guidance.
Separately, Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority, the body responsible for maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, announced in a post on social media platform X on Wednesday that "recently, two bulk carriers that had proceeded toward the Persian Gulf southern ports using forged documentation, were subject to legal enforcement action."
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. ■
