Oil tanker catches fire after hitting naval mine in Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media says

An oil tanker caught fire on Saturday morning following a collision with a naval mine in the eastern Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran's navy as reported by state media. However, Reuters could not independently verify the claim. Iran has been imposing restrictions on vessels attempting to pass through the strategic waterway and has targeted ships it deems as violating those restrictions, in an effort to assert control over the vital trade route and put pressure on the United States.

The claim emerged shortly after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy announced on Friday night that two oil tankers, including a large supertanker, had exploded and caught fire after colliding with naval mines while attempting to navigate through the strait via an unauthorized route. The IRGC stated that both vessels had disabled their radar and navigation systems, and issued a warning to shipowners that crossing without coordinating with its traffic-control center would result in similar consequences.

Earlier this month, the IRGC had asserted that four oil tankers had been destroyed after striking mines in an unauthorized route south of the strait, and that two additional vessels had been seized. According to the IRGC, the ships had turned off their identification systems to bypass the strait covertly with alleged assistance from the US military.

On November 1, the IRGC reported that two tankers had exploded after colliding with mines in the strait, with a supertanker left "engulfed in flames." The same day, UKMTO reported that a tanker in the strait had been hit by an unidentified projectile. In mid-October, the IRGC claimed that two tankers carrying approximately 2 million barrels of crude oil had caught fire following collisions with mines.

Iran has alleged that it is intensifying its attacks on ships in the region as a response to the US naval blockade of its ports and the imposition of stricter sanctions. However, none of the IRGC's assertions have been independently confirmed.