US Central Command on Monday denied an Iranian report that an oil tanker struck two mines while attempting to cross the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that no vessel had struck mines in the strait.
Two conflicting accounts of the incident
According to the Iranian announcement, the tanker struck two mines while attempting to cross, causing it to catch fire and come to a stop. In contrast, US Central Command said in a statement: “No vessels have struck mines in the Strait of Hormuz.”
No vessels have struck mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
Accusation of media disinformation
The US command described the Iranian announcement as another attempt by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to intimidate commercial shipping in the region through media disinformation.
Details remain unavailable
The report contained no information about the identity of the oil tanker or the fate of its crew, nor did it include an Iranian response to US Central Command’s denial.
