Iran says 3 oil tankers struck mines in the Strait of Hormuz

Iran said three oil tankers struck mines and caught fire over the past 24 hours while attempting to exit the Strait of Hormuz through an unauthorized route, according to the state broadcaster, which cited the Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The report did not identify the tankers or provide details on casualties. The Associated Press could not immediately confirm the report. It came as tensions are high in the region over concerns that U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran could resume.

Iran's navy said the tankers switched off their radar and navigation systems and ignored warnings as they attempted to exit through a restricted route. It said the damaged vessels were abandoned off the southern coast of the waterway.

A British military monitor said Thursday that a vessel spotted another vessel on fire while transiting the strait. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center said it did not know the status of the crew on the burning vessel or how badly it was damaged. It was not immediately clear whether that vessel was one of the three referenced by the Revolutionary Guard.