A supertanker carrying over two million barrels of crude oil exploded and caught fire after striking a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, according to a statement by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Iranian state media reported that the vessel attempted to navigate the strategic waterway illegally using an unauthorised route. The IRGC accused the tanker of intentionally turning off its radar and positioning systems in an effort to evade Iranian maritime authorities while relying on US military support.
Reaffirming its unilateral closure of the passage, the IRGC warned all commercial shipping against defying local maritime regulations, stating that unauthorised transit risks severe consequences.
The escalation comes amid heightened security risks in the vital corridor—which historically handles nearly a fifth of global petroleum supply—following intensified conflict and a US blockade on Iranian ports.
Efforts to reopen the chokepoint remain stalled as diplomatic talks between Tehran and Washington face severe impasses. The latest explosion underlines growing threats to global commercial shipping lanes across the Gulf and Red Sea corridors.
