IRGC says supertanker hit mine and caught fire in Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said in a statement on Saturday that a supertanker carrying crude oil struck a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz and caught fire. According to the statement, the vessel was sailing on an unauthorized route and had turned off its navigation and positioning systems before the explosion.

The IRGC Navy's public relations office described the blast as massive and said the tanker was burning in a large fire, with flames clearly visible to people living on the shores. The statement added that the fire was the result of a law-breaking tanker attempting to ignore security rules and regulations in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically vital waterway through which a significant portion of the world's seaborne oil passes. The IRGC Navy regularly patrols the area and has previously warned vessels against navigating outside designated routes or disabling tracking systems.

No further details were provided about the tanker's identity, flag, crew, or the extent of damage or casualties. The IRGC statement did not specify when the incident occurred or whether any rescue operations were underway.

According to Mehr News, the IRGC Navy's public relations announced the incident in a statement on Saturday, saying the supertanker was burning after hitting a naval mine on a dangerous route.