The IRGC Navy said the ships were “deceived” by the U.S. military, which where attempting to send vessels through an illegal path in order to undermine Iranian control of the waterway.
The tankers endangered shipping and chose to enter a mined area despite several warnings, the IRGC said in a statement.
The statement warned that cooperation with the “invading enemy”, which it said has travelled thousands of kilometres to trample on regional rights, and any attempt to use the mined route would bring nothing but regret, damage, delays in reopening the strait, and a global energy crisis.
The incident follows a series of escalations in the narrow channel, which Iran has closed to all traffic until U.S. interference ends. The IRGC has also launched multiple waves of retaliatory strikes against American bases across the region in recent days in retaliation for repeated American strikes on Iranian territory.
MNA u