Iran · updated 1h ago · 2 min read
IRGC Says El Gaia Exploded After Hormuz Mine; CENTCOM Rejects Iran Claim
CENTCOM denies Iran's claim El Gaia hit a naval mine and exploded near Hormuz. IRGC asserts El Gaia was struck by a mine, exploded, and in flames near Hormuz.
Whether it was caused by a mine or by missile and drone.
7 of 8 outlets skipped it: omani foreign minister said the Iran-Gulf meeting was postponed.
The Jerusalem Post was read line by line by the Watchdog: 7.9. See the score →
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SShafaq News
“accused the IRGC of spreading “false claims,” intimidating commercial shipping and disrupting navigation”Read the original ↗
Iranian outlets attribute the explosion to mine strikes. Western outlets attribute it to an Iranian missile then a drone, rejecting the mine claim.
El Gaia vs Hormuz Mines
The dispute centers on the Panama-flagged oil tanker El Gaia, which Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said exploded after colliding with mines in the Strait of Hormuz, while U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) rejected that account.
“CENTCOM on Monday rejected Iran’s claim that the Panama-flagged oil tanker El Gaia struck a naval mine”
Shafaq News reported that CENTCOM “rejected Iran’s claim” and said the vessel “was struck by an Iranian missile last month and rendered inoperable,” before being hit again by an Iranian drone over the weekend while anchored off Oman.
The IRGC, as quoted by Shafaq News, said “We warned of the dangers of the illegal southern passage,” and added that “the Strait of Hormuz is closed and remains under our control.”
India said on Sunday that El Gaia had been attacked off Oman, with 13 of its 14 Indian crew members rescued and one still missing, according to Shafaq News.
Competing Claims and Quotes
CENTCOM accused the IRGC of spreading “false claims,” intimidating commercial shipping and disrupting navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, while Shafaq News said the U.S. command called Iran’s mine claim “false.”
The Jerusalem Post reported that CENTCOM denied the IRGC account and wrote on X/Twitter: “The IRGC's false claim is yet another example of their lies and intimidation attempts while they try to impede commercial vessels in the strait.”
The Jerusalem Post also said the incident report first emerged on Sunday, with the Indian Ministry of External Affairs condemning the attack and stating that of the 14 Indian crew aboard, 13 had been rescued and search and rescue operations for the missing individual were ongoing.
In parallel, the IRGC Navy told the same story through Iran’s state-linked channels, with the Jerusalem Post citing Fars for the claim that the tanker was identified as El Gaia and that it exploded after colliding with mines, without saying when the incident occurred.
Towing, Regional Talks, and Risks
CENTCOM said El Gaia is currently being towed with the assistance of a regional partner, without identifying the country involved or the vessel’s destination, after the U.S. said it was struck by an Iranian missile last month and later hit by an Iranian drone.
“The tanker is currently being towed with the assistance of a regional partner”
The Reuters report tied the tanker dispute to wider regional friction, saying Gulf Arab states postponed planned talks with Iran and that Oman had been due to host a meeting on Monday with Iran and Gulf states to discuss negotiations aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Reuters quoted Iran’s Revolutionary Guards saying the Strait of Hormuz is closed and still under its “smart control,” while also noting that the world’s most important oil shipping lane has been mostly shut down since the war began on February 28.
Reuters added that the International Maritime Organization has reported 79 incidents in the Strait of Hormuz since the war began that have killed 22 seafarers, and it reported that the postponement of the Oman meeting was announced by Oman’s Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi.