Oil tanker on fire after hitting mine in Hormuz

In the Strait of Hormuz, an oil tanker caught fire following a collision with a naval mine, according to Iran's Revolutionary Guards. This incident occurred just a day after two other tankers also caught fire in the strait, both of which had struck mines. The Guards stated that the tanker in question was traveling through the strait's unauthorized southern route and had disabled its positioning and navigation systems, classifying the vessel as hostile.

The Guards' naval commander, Admiral Ali Ozmaei, warned earlier in the week that any ship deactivating its navigation systems would be viewed as hostile. The Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route carrying about a fifth of the world's oil, has been under Iran's control since a war against the US and Israel erupted in late February. Iran has demanded that all ships seek authorization before transiting through the waterway, which the US has countered with a naval counter-blockade on Iranian oil exports.