The key facts

  • Iran's IRGC: a second supertanker hit a mine in the Strait of Hormuz and was left disabled after an explosion in the engine room
  • According to the IRGC, the tanker was carrying more than 2 million barrels of crude oil; the ship had switched off its positioning systems and radar
  • Iran is restricting shipping in the strait amid the conflict with the US; the US and its allies reject these restrictions

Second incident in a short time

Iran's naval forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported on Saturday that a second supertanker hit a naval mine and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz. This came after the IRGC earlier said a first tanker had also, according to it, hit a mine while attempting to pass along an 'unauthorized' route.

Details according to the IRGC

The IRGC statement said the tanker was carrying more than 2 million barrels of crude oil, had switched off its positioning systems and radar, and was attempting to use an 'unauthorized' route. According to the statement, the mine strike caused a major explosion in the engine room, after which the vessel was left disabled. The IRGC did not name the vessel and provided no information about the crew, casualties, or possible environmental damage.

Context: dispute over freedom of navigation

Iran has imposed restrictions on shipping through parts of the strategic waterway amid the conflict with the US, insisting that vessels must follow routes approved by Tehran. The US and its regional allies reject these restrictions and argue that vessels have the right to freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world's most important routes for energy transit.