Iran’s IRGC says 2nd supertanker hits naval mine in Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said Saturday that a second supertanker had struck a naval mine and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz. In a statement, the IRGC Navy said the tanker was carrying more than 2 million barrels of crude oil and had switched off its positioning and radar systems while attempting to use an “unauthorized” route. The mine strike caused a major explosion in the vessel’s engine room, leaving the tanker immobilized, the statement said. The IRGC did not identify the vessel or provide information about its crew, casualties, or possible environmental damage. The latest incident came after the IRGC said a first supertanker had struck a naval mine while attempting to pass through what it called an “unauthorized” route in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has imposed restrictions on shipping through parts of the strategic waterway amid its conflict with the US, while insisting vessels must follow routes authorized by Tehran. The US and its regional allies have rejected Iran’s restrictions and maintained that vessels have the right to freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy transit routes.