Image for representation purposes only Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Saturday that two oil tankers exploded and caught fire after hitting mines south of the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States dismissed the claim. The IRGC said the vessels entered a mined area after being “deceived” by U.S. intelligence agencies. However, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) rejected the allegation, posting on X: “Like most IRGC claims, this is false.” The reported incident could not be independently verified, and there was no immediate confirmation from international maritime authorities. The identities of the two tankers were also not disclosed. The Strait of Hormuz is a key global energy corridor, carrying around one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas shipments. Any disruption in the waterway is closely monitored by shipping companies, energy markets and governments. According to a statement published by Iran’s state news agency IRNA, the IRGC said, “An hour ago, two oil tankers, which were trying to pass through the minefield south of the Strait of Hormuz by deceptive American intelligence agencies, exploded and caught fire.” Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB, citing sources, reported that the two tankers ignored warnings from the Iranian Navy before entering the route, leading to explosions and large fires. It also repeated the IRGC’s claim that the vessels had been misled by U.S. intelligence agencies. In a separate statement, the IRGC said it had “stopped” four ships attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz. “In the past hours, four violating ships with the support of the terrorist U.S. army were trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, and all four ships were stopped in place during a combined missile and drone operation,” it said. Iran has been urging commercial vessels to use shipping lanes closer to its northern coastline and warning against using southe