ARAB NEWS | IRAN GUARDS SAY THREE TANKERS HIT MINES CROSSING HORMUZ STRAIT

What happened: Iran's Revolutionary Guards said naval mines halted three tankers attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz via routes Tehran considers illegal. Two tankers caught fire from the explosions, and the Guards later said a third struck a mine. Key numbers: One tanker carried over 2 million barrels of crude oil. Why it matters: Attacks on vessels crossing the waterway have increased as Washington seeks to escort more ships through the strait while Tehran seeks to maintain control over passage. The US has imposed a counterblockade on Iranian ports and ships.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said naval mines halted three tankers attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz via routes Tehran considers illegal. Two tankers caught fire from the explosions, and the Guards later said a third struck a mine.

Attacks on vessels crossing the waterway have increased as Washington seeks to escort more ships through the strait while Tehran seeks to maintain control over passage. The US has imposed a counterblockade on Iranian ports and ships.