Iranian Military Claims Two Oil Tankers Exploded While Attempting to Pass Through Strait of Hormuz

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran claimed on the night of July 19 (local time) that two oil tankers exploded while attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement released on July 20, the Revolutionary Guard announced, "Late last night, two oil tankers violated regulations by attempting to enter and exit through a dangerous waterway with a high risk of accidents in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz, under the instigation and coercion of the U.S. military, resulting in explosions that halted their operations."
The statement further warned, "The intervention of the terrorist U.S. military, which has come from thousands of kilometers away, has no legal justification, and we will firmly respond to it," adding, "As long as the U.S. military's evil acts continue in the region, the passage of any chemical fertilizers, oil, and gas through the strait will not be safe."
While the Revolutionary Guard did not disclose the cause of the explosions, it threatened, "The aggressor forces should be prepared for our punitive operations against this illegal violation," hinting at the possibility of an attack by the Iranian military.
The previous day, the Revolutionary Guard had announced that "two oil tankers attempting to secretly pass through the Strait of Hormuz suffered an accident and stopped."
It has not been confirmed whether the two vessels mentioned are the same tankers involved in the explosions reported today.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) stated that it received information from military authorities at 2:15 a.m. on July 20 (Iran time) regarding a fire on a vessel in waters approximately 15 km away from the Musandam Peninsula in Oman, located in the middle of the Strait of Hormuz.
The UKMTO added that the cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.