Iran's IRGC Navy says three tankers catch fire in Strait of Hormuz

Iran's ​Revolutionary Guards Navy said on Friday that three oil tankers had caught fire ‌and exploded while attempting to use what it described as unauthorised routes through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media reported.

An IRGC ‌Navy statement said one of the tankers, which was carrying ‌2 million barrels of crude oil, had hit a mine. Reuters was unable immediately to verify the statement.

State media said Iranian forces also ⁠downed ​and captured ⁠a MQM-170 U.S. drone in the sky of Iran's Qeshm island near ⁠the Strait of Hormuz. There was no immediate reaction from the ​U.S. military and Reuters could not independently verify the report. Iran ⁠also said it had destroyed an unmanned U.S. vessel in the eastern ⁠Strait ​of Hormuz.

But the U.S. CENTCOM denied this and said in a statement on X: "All U.S. military unmanned surface ⁠vessels in the Middle East are accounted for, including a squadron ⁠of advanced ⁠sea drones on patrol in the Strait of Hormuz."