Iranian navy says tanker catches fire after striking sea mine in Strait of Hormuz

TEHRAN– An oil tanker caught fire and was left immobilized after striking a sea mine in the eastern Strait of Hormuz on Saturday morning, the Iranian Army’s Navy said, adding that the vessel had entered a restricted maritime zone despite repeated warnings. In a statement issued on November 7, the Navy said the tanker had been sailing through an area designated as prohibited and unsafe and had switched off its navigation systems. It said the vessel struck the mine in the early hours of Saturday, triggering a fire and bringing it to a halt.

The Navy warned that vessels disregarding its instructions and entering restricted waters would face similar consequences, reiterating the need for ships to observe maritime restrictions and heed warnings issued by Iranian authorities. The incident came a day after the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy reported that two oil tankers had caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after entering restricted waters without coordination with Iranian authorities.

According to the IRGC Navy, the two vessels had attempted to leave the strait through unauthorized routes while their navigation and identification systems were switched off. The force also said they had received support from the “aggressive and terrorist US military.” Iranian officials have repeatedly warned commercial vessels against using routes they have designated as unauthorized or unsafe, emphasizing that ships must comply with maritime coordination requirements when transiting the strategic waterway.