A supertanker caught fire after two mine explosions while attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz without permission from Iran, according to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
In a statement, the IRGC claimed that the tanker was attempting to pass through the strategic waterway illegally. The vessel has since stopped, the statement said. The IRGC did not disclose the name of the tanker or provide details about its crew.
The Iranian military force warned that other vessels could face a similar fate if they violate its security regulations. It also said vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz are required to comply with rules imposed by Iran.
Meanwhile, the IRGC has also claimed that its air-defense systems shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Qatar-based Al Jazeera, Iran’s Fars and Mehr news agencies cited an IRGC statement as saying that Iranian air defenses detected and downed a “long-range US MQ-9 drone” over the Strait. The drone later crashed into the Persian Gulf, according to the reports.
An MQ-9 Reaper drone can cost approximately $30 million to $50 million, equivalent to more than Tk 3.5 billion to Tk 5.5 billion at current approximate exchange rates.
The latest claims come amid heightened tensions surrounding the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, a major route for global energy shipments.
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