Iran says 2 ‘violating’ oil tankers exploded after hitting mines in Hormuz

Tehran: The navy of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) has announced that two “violating” oil tankers, including a supertanker, suffered explosions and were stopped after hitting naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz within the preceding hours.

In a statement published on the IRGC’s official news outlet Sepah News on Sunday (local time), the navy said the tankers were transiting the “unauthorised” route in the strait. It added the supertanker “suffered a massive explosion and is burning,” stressing that both vessels had turned off their navigation and identification systems, reports Xinhua news agency.

Iran tightened its grip on the strait on February 28, barring safe passage of vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States following their joint strikes on Iranian territory.

Earlier, IRGC spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi said that Iranian forces have determined a vast battlefield to inflict damage on the “enemy” and achieve complete deterrence.

Speaking at a conference in Iran’s southeastern Kerman province on Sunday (local time), Mohebbi said Iranian forces are more prepared than ever “to respond decisively to the enemy,” reports Xinhua, quoting the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

He pointed to recent orders from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei to senior military commanders, saying the leader’s guidelines “opened a new chapter of war.”

Mohebbi highlighted Khamenei’s emphasis that “there is no geographical limitation in the war with the United States,” saying the IRGC has placed on its agenda identifying new enemy targets and planning operations in new geographical regions.

On Saturday, a statement announced that Iran’s supreme leader had ordered senior commanders of the armed forces to ensure that any level and kind of threat from the “enemies” must be met with an “immediate and effective” response without geographical limitations.

The warnings come amid heightened US threats of military action against Iran. According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), US President Donald Trump was briefed on Thursday by top US military officials on options regarding Iran. The United States has also informed several Gulf countries to prepare for a possible brief but intense military campaign against Iran after the US midterm elections, according to the WSJ.