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A super tanker has caught fire after striking a sea mine in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Saturday.
In a statement shared via Iranian state media, the IRGC’s navy said a tanker carrying more than two million barrels of oil struck a mine whilst “attempting to pass through an unauthorised route” in the Strait, causing a “massive explosion” and a “fierce fire.” It is unclear exactly where the incident took place.
Iran’s Fars news agency posted a video appearing to show the vessel ablaze.
The IRGC navy accused the tanker of having turned off its positioning and radar systems in an effort to evade detection.
“The Strait of Hormuz is closed, and the consequence of defying Iranian regulations in the Strait of Hormuz is burning in the fire of trust in the terrorist US army,” the IRGC navy added in its statement.
The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial gas and oil transit chokepoint that has been at the heart of tensions between Washington and Tehran since the Iran war broke out in late February.
Iran effectively cut off the passage, which usually carries around 25% of the world’s seaborne oil trade, following US and Israeli strikes on the country, prompting the US to impose a naval blockade on Iranian ports.
The US military has repeatedly pushed back on claims that the IRGC has control of the Strait, saying commercial vessels have continued to transit the region “despite unwarranted IRGC aggression.”
Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), said in an update on Friday that US forces were working with regional allies and partners in the shipping industry to help protect vessels navigating the Strait.
“Let me be clear, the Strait of Hormuz is controlled by the United States and our regional partners, not Iran,” he said. “It remains open for business.”