Iran's Revolutionary Guard says 2 supertankers struck mines in Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Friday (local time) that two supertankers struck mines while attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz outside designated shipping lanes.

The IRGC's naval public affairs office said in a statement that the vessels had been traveling through an unauthorized route in the southern part of the strait when they hit the mines.

"The engine rooms of the vessels were disabled by the mine explosions and intense fires," the IRGC said. "The ships have now come to a complete halt."

The two tankers were carrying a combined total of more than 4.5 million barrels of crude oil. The IRGC added that all crew members abandoned ship immediately after the strikes, leaving the vessels unattended.