Iran Says Tanker Hit Mine, Caught Fire Near Hormuz

Iran's navy said a tanker struck a sea mine east of the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday morning. The navy said the blast set the vessel on fire and brought it to a standstill.

According to the navy, the ship had disabled its identification and navigation systems before the explosion, as other vessels mined in recent days had done. The claim has not been verified.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that two oil tankers and a tugboat were set ablaze in distinct incidents, and said the vessels had tried to pass through the strait on routes it had not authorized.

The Guards said one tanker hit a mine while crossing a passage south of the strait. A second tanker caught fire as it left the route in the waterway's eastern section. A tugboat that came alongside to fight that fire was then engulfed as well.

The navy places its mine strike east of the strait. The IRGC places its mine strike in a passage south of the strait.

A third incident took place outside the strait. United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said two unidentified projectiles hit a tanker about 50 nautical miles north of Madinat ash Shamal in Qatar. The agency dated the attack to 11:20 p.m. UTC on November 4. The Jerusalem Post reported that UKMTO could not yet confirm the condition of the crew or the extent of the damage.

On Wednesday, the IRGC claimed four tankers were destroyed by mines south of the strait while using a "prohibited" route. US Central Command has repeatedly rejected earlier Iranian claims of mine strikes in the strait as inaccurate. On October 29, the Guards said three tankers had struck mines and caught fire, and said those ships had switched off their radar and navigation systems.