Three tankers damaged in Hormuz, US forms task force to block Iran's land routes

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said three oil tankers caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday.

According to the Guard, the tankers exploded while travelling through an unauthorized route, though their names and nationalities were not disclosed. The incident has not been independently confirmed.

Since the war began in late February, Iran has tightened movement through the strait, requiring ships to use routes it designates. In response, the US has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports and has been helping tankers cross Hormuz.

Since around a fifth of global fuel demand is supplied through this route, tensions here could affect international energy markets.

Meanwhile, the US military has announced the formation of a 20-member task force to find ways to block land routes used to smuggle weapons and illegal goods into Iran. This will further widen the blockade already imposed on Iranian ports during the eight-month-long war.

According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), the blockade has prevented Iran from exporting more than $25 billion worth of crude oil. The Iranian Guard, however, said Washington's latest economic blockade attempt would fail.