United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has strongly rejected Iranian assertions that a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz was rendered inoperable after colliding with two mines.
In a post on social media, CENTCOM labeled the claims from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and reported by Iranian state media as inaccurate.
“Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) asserts that a supertanker traveling through the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz hit two mines and was completely immobilized. This is FALSE,” the command stated.
“No ships have struck mines in the Strait of Hormuz. This is yet another attempt by the IRGC to intimidate commercial shipping in the region through disinformation,” CENTCOM added.
The command referenced reports from Iranian sources that echoed the IRGC’s claims.
“Iranian Armed Forces: A law-breaking supertanker, which was passing through the Strait of Hormuz illegally without Iran’s permission, suffered significant fires after being struck by two naval mines,” stated Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, according to CENTCOM.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump announced that the Strait of Hormuz was entirely free of mines and emphasized a “Zero Tolerance policy” against placing mines in the area.
In line with this policy, U.S. forces reportedly targeted two launchers on Iran’s Larak Island after observing the IRGC attempting to deploy rockets with sea mines into the waterway, as confirmed by a U.S. official to the media.
