Oil Super Tanker Hits Naval Mine in Strait of Hormuz, Iran Says

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has reported that a super tanker carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil struck a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz, triggering a fire aboard the vessel.

According to the IRGC, the tanker was attempting to pass through a prohibited route in the strategic waterway while its radar system was switched off.

The Iranian force also alleged that the vessel had attempted to cross the strait covertly with assistance from the US military. It warned that the Strait of Hormuz remained closed and that ships must comply with navigation instructions issued by Iranian authorities.

The IRGC did not identify the tanker in the information provided, nor did the statement specify the extent of the fire, the vessel’s current condition or whether anyone had been injured.

The incident, if confirmed, would raise further concerns about the safety of commercial shipping through one of the world’s most strategically important maritime routes.

The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and is a major international passage for crude oil and other energy shipments. Any disruption to traffic through the waterway can affect shipping costs, energy supplies and global oil markets.

The reported incident and the circumstances surrounding the tanker’s passage have not been independently verified.