Two oil tankers attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz exploded and caught fire after striking naval mines, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said on Friday (local time).

According to a statement reported by Iranian state media, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the IRGC Navy said that the two vessels were attempting to transit through the strategically important waterway without coordinating with Iranian authorities and had switched off their radar and positioning systems.