Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy says oil tanker struck mine in Strait of Hormuz

An oil tanker struck a mine while attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz, triggering an explosion in its engine room, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said Sunday. The IRGC Navy said in a statement that the supertanker, capable of carrying around 2 million barrels of oil, was attempting to transit the strategic waterway with its navigation system switched off. The oil tanker is the third vessel to strike naval mines along the prohibited route in the Strait of Hormuz since Saturday, it added. The statement did not identify the vessel or specify its nationality or flag. The IRGC Navy renewed its warning that vessels switching off their navigation systems while passing through the waterway would be classified as “hostile vessels.” The announcement came after the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in late August that international shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz had been reopened following the removal of Iranian naval mines by US forces. Iran announced on July 12 that it had again closed the strait following the resumption of US attacks on July 8. Tehran has threatened to target vessels using routes other than those designated by Iranian authorities or attempting to cross the waterway without permission. 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.