Key facts
- Iran's navy said one tanker struck a mine in the eastern Strait of Hormuz on Saturday morning.
- The Revolutionary Guards Navy said two more tankers hit mines later on Saturday on a prohibited route.
- Iran has restricted vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and has attacked ships it says violated those rules.
Iran's navy said three oil tankers caught fire on Saturday after striking naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media reported on November 14. Reuters said it could not immediately verify the reports.
One tanker hit a mine in the eastern Strait of Hormuz on Saturday morning, while two others struck mines later in the day, according to the state media account. Iran's IRNA news agency quoted the Revolutionary Guards Navy as saying the two evening tankers were attempting to slip through a prohibited route when they hit mines, exploded and burst into flames.
Iran has imposed restrictions on vessels seeking to pass through the Strait of Hormuz and has attacked ships it says violated those restrictions, as it seeks to assert control over the strategic waterway and exert pressure on the US.