Iran says tankers destroyed

TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) — Four oil tankers caught fire after hitting mines while attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran said Wednesday, after it warned no one would benefit from a return to war.

It came a day after President Donald Trump said the United States had launched strikes on the Islamic republic, following reports of a raid on Qeshm, the largest island in the strait.

“Four non-compliant oil tankers attempting to pass through the prohibited passage south of the Strait of Hormuz were destroyed after striking naval mines and are still burning,” Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said in a statement quoted by state TV.

“Two other non-compliant ships or vessels have also been halted.”

The Guards also said they had shot down a drone over the strait.

Tehran claims control over Hormuz, a vital global energy conduit, and has targeted vessels that attempt to cross without its authorization since the war erupted.

The conflict, triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February, has been at a stalemate for months.