Iran says 4th oil tanker hit mine, caught fire in Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said Friday that a fourth oil tanker had struck a mine and caught fire while attempting to pass through an unauthorized route in the Strait of Hormuz. The navy’s public relations office said the supertanker, carrying more than 2 million barrels of crude oil, ignored repeated radio warnings against using the southern passage through the strategic waterway. The vessel was struck by a mine, triggering a powerful explosion and leaving it burning, according to the statement.

The IRGC said the tanker was attempting to exit the strait through what it described as an unauthorized southern route. It claimed the incident marked the fourth time a tanker had caught fire in the strait since early Friday. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported earlier that a vessel had been struck by an unidentified projectile 40 nautical miles south of Iran’s Lavan Island at 1800GMT. The projectile hit the vessel’s port side, causing a fire on board, the UKMTO said, adding that the crew was safe and no environmental impact had been reported.

It was not clear whether the UKMTO incident was connected to the tanker reported by the IRGC. In recent weeks, Iranian authorities have reported several incidents involving commercial vessels in and around the strait, including tankers allegedly damaged by naval mines. The strait, which connects the Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, is one of the world’s most important maritime routes for oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Maritime tensions have persisted since the US and Israel launched attacks against Iran on Feb. 28, prompting Iranian retaliation across the region.

Despite subsequent diplomatic efforts and a memorandum signed by Washington and Tehran in June, disputes over maritime security and navigation arrangements in the strait have continued.