Iran says 2 oil tankers hit mines, catch fire near Hormuz
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Iran says 2 oil tankers hit mines, catch fire near Hormuz")
In this picture obtained from Iran's ISNA news agency and taken on May 2, 2026, the Gambia-flagged tanker vessel Bili is pictured anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas in southern Iran. Photograph: (AFP)
Iran’s IRGC claimed two oil tankers exploded and caught fire south of the Strait of Hormuz after being "misled" by US intelligence into a minefield. The claims remain unverified.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed on Saturday (July 18) that two oil tankers exploded and caught fire after entering what it described as a mined area south of the Strait of Hormuz, as tensions in the Gulf continued to escalate.
According to statements carried by several Iranian state media outlets, the IRGC Navy said the vessels entered the area after being "misled" by US intelligence agencies. The claims could not be independently verified, and there was no immediate confirmation from international maritime authorities or the countries linked to the vessels.
In a statement, the IRGC said the two tankers "exploded and caught fire" after attempting to pass through the minefield.
"An hour ago, two oil tankers, which were trying to pass through the minefield south of the Strait of Hormuz by deceptive American intelligence agencies, exploded and caught fire," the statement said. Iran's state broadcaster IRIB reported that the vessels had ignored warnings issued by the Iranian Navy before entering the route, which it said resulted in the explosions and large fires.
The IRGC repeated its accusation that the ships had been deceived by the United States.
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"Earlier today, two oil tankers, which were deceived by US intelligence agencies into attempting to pass through a minefield in the southern Strait of Hormuz, exploded and caught fire," the force said. The IRGC also declared that the Strait of Hormuz remained "extremely unsafe" and effectively closed while US military operations against Iran continued.
"The IRGC Navy declares with certainty that the Strait of Hormuz is extremely unsafe and completely closed due to the crimes of the US child-killing army, and until the aggressions of the criminal America end, it is impossible to export any chemical fertilizers or even a single drop of oil and gas from this region," the statement said.
There was no immediate response from the United States to the allegations. International maritime authorities have also not confirmed the reported explosions or the status of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important energy chokepoints, with a significant share of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passing through the narrow waterway. Any disruption to traffic in the area is closely watched by global energy markets and shipping companies.
