Revolutionary Guard: Fires break out in 4 tankers that collided with mines in Hormuz

It added that the tankers "turned off all their radar and navigational systems" and ignored the warnings of the Revolutionary Guard's naval force.

It was not immediately clear when the incidents occurred or what flags the tankers were flying.

Later on Thursday, the Iranian military reported that another tanker caught fire east of the strait.

The military stated in a broadcasted statement by state television that "a tanker operating illegally in a restricted and dangerous area east of the Strait of Hormuz suffered damage and caught fire after colliding with naval mines, rendering it immobile."

Iran has announced in recent weeks that several ships have collided with naval mines, prompting the US Central Command (CENTCOM), which manages military operations in the region, to affirm via social media that all mines located in the "main transit routes" have been removed.

Revolutionary Guard spokesman Hossein Mohebbi cast doubt on the veracity of the US announcement, saying on "X": "Prove your claim regarding the removal of mines in Hormuz by providing independent evidence, not through statements!"

Since the outbreak of the war on February 28, Iran has imposed strict restrictions on navigation in the strategic waterway through which about a fifth of global oil and gas supplies normally pass.

In response, the United States imposed a blockade on Iranian ports and helped tankers cross the strait. CENTCOM announced on Sunday that it has helped Gulf countries export 1.5 billion barrels of oil through Hormuz since the summer.

Iran considers that ships using the southern route near the Omani coast do so without authorization.

The Revolutionary Guard stated in a statement on Thursday that "the unauthorized route in the Strait of Hormuz is contaminated (with mines), and ship owners and crews bear the responsibility for crossing these routes, and they must not pay attention to the illusions of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) in cyberspace."

Earlier on Thursday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that it received a report indicating that a fire broke out on board a ship in the strait without providing details about the cause or any casualties.

It is not yet clear whether the ship was one of those referred to in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's statement.

In another statement, the Revolutionary Guard announced the seizure of a US reconnaissance drone during an operation in the Strait of Hormuz.

The statement mentioned that the Revolutionary Guard's naval force "announced that its electronic warfare unit successfully seized a US MQM-170 drone during an offensive operation in the west of the Strait of Hormuz."