At least four oil tankers caught fire after striking naval mines near the Strait of Hormuz, according to statements from Iran’s armed forces, marking a continuation of recent maritime incidents in the strategically vital waterway. The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) reported that three vessels exploded and caught fire within the previous 24 hours while attempting to navigate what Iran describes as an unauthorized southern route through the strait.
The IRGC accused the tankers of turning off their radar and navigation equipment and ignoring warnings from the IRGC navy before hitting the mines. It did not specify the timing of the incidents or provide details about the vessels’ nationality or ownership. Later, Iran’s army reported another tanker caught fire east of the strait after also striking mines and became immobilized.
The British maritime agency UKMTO reported a separate incident involving a dhow, a traditional wooden vessel, which caught fire and subsequently sank after a maritime security event in the strait. Authorities confirmed the crew had been safely evacuated.
The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial maritime chokepoint, responsible for approximately one-fifth of global oil shipments. Since the outbreak of the war on February 28, Iran has imposed strict restrictions on traffic through the region. It regards the southern corridor near the Omani coast as unauthorized for passage. In contrast, the United States and its Gulf allies have sought to maintain the flow of oil exports via the strait, with the U.S. Central Command affirming on Sunday that it had assisted Gulf countries in exporting about 1.5 billion barrels of oil through the route since the summer.
U.S. Central Command has publicly stated that key maritime transit routes in the Strait of Hormuz have been cleared of mines. However, the IRGC’s spokesman Hossein Mohebi challenged these claims, demanding independent proof rather than statements on social media. The IRGC reiterated that the southern route in the strait remains mined and that ship operators bear responsibility for navigating it despite U.S. assertions.
In a related development, the IRGC announced it had captured a U.S. MQM-170 reconnaissance drone during an operation in the western Strait of Hormuz. According to the IRGC, its electronic warfare unit successfully seized the drone during the mission.
These escalating maritime incidents underscore ongoing tensions in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, reflecting broader confrontations between Iran and U.S.-backed Gulf states over control and security of critical shipping lanes.