Iran's Revolutionary Guards Say Oil Supertanker Exploded After Striking Mine in Strait of Hormuz

Mine blast in Hormuz

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said an oil supertanker struck a naval mine and exploded while attempting to leave the Strait of Hormuz through an unauthorized southern route. The IRGC said the vessel had switched off its navigation systems before attempting to cross the strategic waterway, and it described the tanker as a supertanker capable of carrying around 2 million barrels of oil. The IRGC warned that "the fate of every vessel that ignores the rules in the Strait of Hormuz is a horrific fire."

The United Arab Emirates National Guard stated that a fire broke out on an oil tanker in the Persian Gulf and that it rescued 22 Asian crew members, adding that all rescued crew members are in stable condition. The IRGC and the UAE National Guard did not disclose the name of the tanker, its country of registry, or the exact location of the fire, leaving it unconfirmed whether they were the same vessel.

Vessel not named1 of 1 outlets reported it▾

Reporting for this sectionAnadolu Ajansınews.sbs.co.kr

Competing claims and threats

The IRGC said the tanker struck a mine while trying to exit through the alternative route, triggering an explosion visible from coastal areas, and it said there was no immediate information about the vessel's identity, crew or possible casualties. The IRGC Navy targeted the engine room and propulsion system of the MV Sun Shine, a tanker owned by Natwit, after the vessel attempted to use what it described as an unauthorised route by the southern section of the strait. The IRGC warning said actions against 'violators' would no longer be limited to the Strait of Hormuz and that any ship using what it considers unauthorised routes would be pursued and 'punished' anywhere in the region.

CENTCOM said it has cleared the main navigation routes through the strait, removed naval mines from the most important transit corridors, and declared them open to all ships that do not violate U.S. sanctions against Iran. UKMTO reported a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier was struck by unknown projectiles on Friday morning, 13 nautical miles west of Al Jazira, in the United Arab Emirates, causing a large fire that was later brought under control.

Reporting for this sectionEuronews

Shipping disruption and next steps

The IRGC warned shipping companies complying with US instructions could face sanctions and threatened to pursue vessels using routes Tehran considers unauthorized, including those beyond the Strait of Hormuz.

Reuters data cited by Shafaq News showed that just seven commodity vessels crossed the strait on Oct. 6, the lowest daily total since July 23, and Shafaq News said crude oil flows stood at approximately 10.1 million barrels per day, about 74% of prewar levels.

The Strait of Hormuz has remained largely closed since the war broke out, after Iranian missile and drone attacks on commercial ships and a blockade of Iranian ports by the U.S.

Tehran's Friday-prayer leader stated in his weekly sermon that the strait will remain closed until Iran's conditions are fully met, and he said Iran has set 'seven conditions'.

US energy trader and logistics company PIF Energy announced a planned $2bn investment to acquire up to 15 crude oil tankers, aiming to build a fleet to support the movement of oil through the Strait of Hormuz to refineries and markets.

Reporting for this sectionشفق نيوزShipping Telegraph