Oil tanker on fire after hitting mine in Hormuz: Iran's Guards

Tehran - Iran's Revolutionary Guards reported on Monday that an oil tanker caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after colliding with a mine, the most recent incident since Tehran increased its control over the waterway. The Islamic nation seized command of the strait following the outbreak of war with the United States and Israel in late February, blocking the crucial shipping route that typically transports around a fifth of the globe's oil.

Iran has demanded that all vessels obtain authorization before navigating through the passage. According to Iranian state media, quoting the Guards, an oil tanker, which was transgressing regulations, rammed a naval mine south of the Strait of Hormuz, leading to an explosion and a fire in its engine room. The tanker was navigating in the strait's unauthorized southern route and had deactivated its positioning and navigation systems, as per the statement.

This followed the Guards' declaration on the previous day that two oil tankers had caught fire in the strait, both after hitting mines. Naval Commander Admiral Ali Ozmaei had warned earlier in the week that any vessel disabling its navigation systems would be regarded as hostile.