Iran’s navy says three tankers on fire after hitting mines in Hormuz

Nov 14 (Reuters) – Iran’s navy said three oil tankers caught fire on Saturday after hitting naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media reported.

 One tanker hit a naval mine in the eastern Strait of Hormuz on Saturday morning, while two others struck mines later in the day.

“Two violating tankers … were attempting to slip through a prohibited route in the Strait of Hormuz when they hit naval mines, exploded, and burst into flames,” Iran’s IRNA news agency quoted the Revolutionary Guards Navy as saying about the evening incident.

Reuters could not immediately verify the reports. 

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.

(Reporting by Yasmine Ghania; Editing by Alexandra Hudson and Sanjeev Miglani)