Mines and attacks hit ships in Strait of Hormuz as Iran's Guards claim tankers halted

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Tuesday that naval mines halted three tankers trying to cross the Strait of Hormuz on routes Tehran considers illegal, with two of the oil tankers set ablaze. The International Maritime Organization warned that the shipping lane remains too unsafe to transit. Separately, at least 15 container ships have been struck in the waterway over the past 10 days, some by drones and others by mines, and one was hit on Sunday by a rocket-propelled grenade. People have been searching the strait for spilled cargo amid rumors that ships carried valuable goods. Tehran has also urged Washington to accept a deal.

Right-leaning coverage leads with Iran's claim that two tankers hit mines, citing the IMO's safety warning and Tehran's call for a US deal. Left-leaning coverage leads with the wider pattern of attacks on at least 15 container ships and with people searching for cargo. Alternative coverage relays the IRGC's own statement, including its view that the crossings were illegal. Reports differ on the tanker count, two versus three, and on whether ships were attacked or stopped on prohibited routes.