Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says oil tanker struck mine and caught fire in Strait of Hormuz

An oil tanker caught fire after striking a naval mine in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said late Sunday. The blast struck the vessel’s engine room as it attempted to leave the strategic waterway, Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency reported, citing an IRGC Navy statement. The tanker had switched off all its positioning and navigation systems from the start of its voyage and attempted to use what Tehran considers an unauthorized southern route, according to the statement. The IRGC Navy accused the vessel of violating maritime regulations governing passage through the strait. It warned that ships operating in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf with their navigation and identification systems switched off would face a firm response. The statement did not identify the tanker or provide information on possible casualties or the extent of the damage. The announcement follows a series of similar incidents in the strategic waterway. On Saturday, the IRGC Navy said a second supertanker carrying more than 2 million barrels of crude oil struck a naval mine and caught fire while attempting to cross the strait through an unauthorized route. A day earlier, the Iranian force reported that another tanker had struck a mine, triggering an explosion and fire. The US and Israel launched a war against Iran on Feb. 28. Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks across the region and effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, while Washington later imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports. The US and Iran subsequently signed a memorandum of understanding in June concerning freedom of navigation in the strait, but implementation stalled over disagreements related to security in the strategic waterway.