An oil supertanker carrying over 2 million barrels of crude oil exploded and caught fire after striking a mine in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed.
The IRGC said in a statement on Saturday that the vessel burst into flames after attempting to transit the strategic waterway without authorization.
According to the Guards, the tanker was in violation of regulations and attempted to pass illegally through the strait.
“A supertanker in violation of regulations, carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil and attempting to pass illegally through the Strait of Hormuz, struck a mine, triggering an explosion and a fierce fire,” the statement said.
The IRGC did not disclose the precise location of the incident or the identity of the vessel. It also released a video purportedly showing the vessel engulfed in flames at night.
The force further alleged that the tanker attempted the crossing with US support while concealing its movement by switching off its tracking systems.
“The tanker attempted to cross the strait with US support… by deactivating all its tracking systems,” the IRGC claimed.
The incident comes amid heightened tension in the waterway. Iran tightened control over the Strait of Hormuz following the outbreak of conflict in the region in late February, requiring vessels to obtain approval before passage.
The strait, located between Iran and Oman and measuring about 30 kilometres at its narrowest point, is one of the world’s most critical oil shipping routes, handling about one-fifth of global oil consumption.
Earlier this week, IRGC naval commander Admiral Ali Ozmai warned that any vessel switching off its navigation systems in the strait would be considered “hostile.”
Washington is currently maintaining a naval counter-blockade targeting Iranian oil exports in response to Tehran’s restrictions on shipping through the waterway.
