Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say 2 oil tankers intending to transit Strait of Hormuz exploded

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said early Monday that two oil tankers attempting to transit an “unsafe shipping lane” south of the Strait of Hormuz exploded and were left immobilized.

The IRGC said the vessels were attempting to use the route under “pressure and coercion” from the US military.

The statement warned that as long as “US aggression” continues in the region, the passage would not be secure for the transit of fertilizers, oil or gas, adding the US military should be prepared for retaliation over this “illegal transgression.”

Earlier, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said military authorities had reported a vessel on fire about 8 nautical miles northwest of Kumzar, Oman, adding the cause of the fire had not been verified.

Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran in February. Iran retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Gulf nations hosting US assets.

The US and Iran signed a Pakistani-mediated memorandum of understanding last month to end their conflict and reach a lasting peace agreement, but tensions escalated again last week over the Strait of Hormuz, with the two sides exchanging attacks.