IRGC Navy says fourth tanker hit naval mine, caught fire in Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said on Saturday that a fourth supertanker struck a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz after disregarding warnings not to use the unauthorized southern route, according to a statement cited by Mehr News. The explosion was described as massive, and the IRGC Navy said the vessel is currently on fire.

The supertanker was carrying more than 2 million barrels of crude oil, the statement said. According to the IRGC Navy, the vessel attempted to exit through the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz despite radio warnings issued to it. The IRGC said the ship ignored those warnings before the incident.

The statement did not provide further details on the condition of the crew, the exact timing of the explosion, or the extent of the damage to the vessel. It also did not specify the flag or ownership of the tanker. The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a large share of global seaborne oil passes, making incidents there closely watched by shipping and energy markets.

The IRGC Navy's account is the latest in a series of reported incidents involving tankers in the strait. The statement referred to the vessel as a "violating" supertanker, a term Iranian authorities have used for ships they say transit without authorization. No independent confirmation of the incident was immediately available in the Mehr News report.

Iranian officials have repeatedly warned vessels against using routes they describe as unauthorized in the strait, while shipping traffic through the waterway has been affected by regional tensions. The report by Mehr News did not include a response from the tanker's operators or from international maritime authorities.

According to Mehr News, the IRGC statement was issued on Saturday and said the supertanker caught fire after hitting the mine. The report added that the vessel was carrying over 2 million barrels of crude oil and had been warned by radio before attempting to leave through the southern route.