Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Thursday that two oil tankers and a tugboat caught fire after attempting unauthorized routes through the Strait of Hormuz. In two separate incidents last night, the IRGC said, a large tanker trying an illegal passage south of the strait was hit by a mine, caught fire and stopped; another supertanker leaving the eastern route stopped in a massive fire, and a tugboat that approached to put out the fire also caught fire. The IRGC Public Relations Office statement added that the IRGC Navy Electronic Warfare Unit landed and took control of two Lucas-type drones. It said the US regime "imposes heavy insurance costs on American taxpayers and its allies in the region by instigating vessels to violate and pass through mined waterways" and "would not have suffered these heavy losses and a humiliating electoral defeat (in the midterm elections) if it had been more prudent to release Iran's frozen funds instead of paying these costs." The accounts have not been independently confirmed. Rated coverage was 1 left, 0 center, and 2 right, with outlets across the spectrum leading on the same IRGC claim.
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The IRGC warning shows why tankers should follow approved paths to prevent fires like these.
It's reckless for ships to try unauthorized routes and end up hitting mines in the strait.