An oil tanker reportedly struck a sea mine and exploded in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, according to Iranian state-affiliated media. The vessel was said to have deviated from the designated maritime route and to have turned off its radar system prior to the incident, though further details were not immediately available.

The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy shipments, is subject to Iranian regulations requiring commercial ships to follow designated passages. Iran asserts control over the waterway and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has recently intensified enforcement measures. Reports from Tasnim news agency, linked to the IRGC, indicated that six commercial vessels have been stopped from transiting the strait as part of efforts to maintain Iranian jurisdiction over an area covering 240,000 square kilometers in the Persian Gulf and the strait. The IRGC reportedly warned of decisive responses, including warning shots, to any attempts by U.S. forces to alter ship courses. Tasnim stated that the detained vessels turned back.

However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghai offered a conflicting account, telling the state broadcaster PressTV that no changes had occurred in shipping conditions within the strait. Baghai pointed to ongoing diplomatic discussions with Oman, whose territorial waters overlap with parts of the passage.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a focal point of escalating tensions between Iran and the United States, with the latter maintaining a naval blockade aimed at restricting Iranian maritime activities. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported ongoing enforcement actions, including redirecting 12 commercial vessels attempting to breach the blockade, disabling two that failed to comply, and boarding two others. Additionally, U.S. forces intercepted a ship in the Gulf of Oman on Friday after repeated warnings were ignored amid attempts to breach the blockade. The U.S. asserts the blockade supports sanctions efforts, while Iranian forces have engaged in attacks on shipping along a southern route in the strait.

Iranian military officials warned Sunday that the conflict could escalate further if the United States resumes airstrikes on Iranian territory. Military spokesman Amir Akraminia, cited by Iran’s Mehr news agency, linked the current confrontations to regional fighting involving Yemen’s Houthi movement, whose attacks on Red Sea shipping are viewed as supported by Iran. Akraminia indicated that the conflict zone currently spans from Jordan to countries around the Persian Gulf and threatened to expand operations if U.S. air campaigns restarted. The Iranian military said it has prepared strategies for various potential scenarios, including major U.S. air or ground offensives.

At the same time, Akraminia noted Iran had temporarily suspended attacks on U.S. Arab allies following a pause in U.S. airstrikes over the preceding two nights. He emphasized that Iranian military actions were intended as retaliatory measures tied directly to U.S. operations, suggesting future Iranian responses would depend on American military activities.