India, Nov. 8 -- Two oil tankers caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after allegedly striking naval mines while attempting to cross routes not authorised by Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed.

The incident was reported by Iran's state news agency IRNA on Sunday, November 8, amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington over control of shipping through the strategic waterway. In a statement, the IRGC said the vessels had been travelling through unauthorised routes when they struck naval mines. Both tankers were reportedly engulfed in flames following the explosions.

The Guards alleged that the ships had violated Iranian shipping regulations and had switched off their navigation and positioning systems...