Tehran / Anadolu

Iran's Revolutionary Guard announced that two oil tankers "exploded" while trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz via a route it described as "unsafe".

In a statement issued on Monday regarding navigation in the strait, the Revolutionary Guard said the two tankers tried to pass through "an unsafe route under American pressure," leading to their "explosion".

The statement did not provide any further details regarding the causes of the explosion or the extent of damage and casualties resulting from it.

The Revolutionary Guard warned that all maritime routes not within the path designated by Iran would not be safe for ship passage.

Washington demands ensuring freedom and safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, while Tehran insists on imposing a mechanism to regulate ship passage through the strategic waterway, exacerbating fears of disruptions to oil and gas exports from the region.

On June 18, 2026, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding that included a ceasefire, and began negotiations mediated by Pakistan and Qatar to end the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28 of the same year.

However, US President Donald Trump announced on July 8, 2026, the end of the ceasefire following renewed escalation, after Iran, a day earlier, attacked three ships while crossing the Strait of Hormuz, claiming they did not comply with the sailing route it had designated, to which Washington responded by launching attacks on sites inside Iran.