Oil tanker carrying over 2M barrels of crude hits mine in Strait of Hormuz, catches fire, says Iran

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said Friday that an oil supertanker struck a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz, leading to an explosion. The vessel was carrying over 2 million barrels of crude oil while attempting to illegally transit the strategic waterway, according to a statement carried by the semi-official Tasnim News Agency.

The vessels was transiting through a route unauthorized by Iran, when it struck a sea mine leading to fire on the ship.

The IRGC alleged that the tanker had turned off all tracking and radar systems, attempting to pass through the strait with US military support.

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The statement by IRGC did not mention the name of the vessel, its owner or flag. Neither was any information provided on the number of casualties, if any, or the extent of damage caused to the ship.

Singapore-flagged cargo ship sinks

This comes almost two days after a Singapore-flagged cargo ship sunk in the Strait of Hormuz after the vessel hit a naval mine while on an unauthorised route, claimed Iran. While maritime sources cited a projectile strike. State television, quoting an IRGC statement, said the ship was carrying 2,500 containers.

Iran has repeatedly warned ships against transiting the strait without its approval. The US military, meanwhile, has been guiding ships through the waterway along a route closer to Oman's coast.

The sinking underscores the risks faced by commercial ships in one of the world's most important maritime corridors, where competing claims over passage and approval continue to complicate navigation.