IRGC Says Supertanker Struck a Mine and Exploded in the Strait of Hormuz
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said in a statement posted on social media on October 17 that a supertanker carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil struck a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz, triggering a massive explosion and a fierce fire. Xinhua, Iran's Press TV and Al Jazeera were among the outlets that reported the statement within hours. The claim, however, remains an assertion by the Iranian military and has not been independently verified.
According to the IRGC, the tanker had switched off all of its navigation and radar systems and was attempting to cross the strait along a route not approved by Iran, with the support of the U.S. military. The statement did not name the vessel or give its flag, crew size, any casualties or the extent of the damage. The IRGC repeated in the statement that "the Strait of Hormuz is closed" and warned other vessels against violating Iranian rules for passage.
As of publication, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which collects reports of attacks on shipping around the strait, had issued no report on such a tanker, U.S. Central Command had not publicly responded to the latest Iranian claim, and Reuters and other major wire services had not carried a corresponding report. The tanker's identity, and the exact time and location of the alleged explosion, therefore remain unconfirmed.
The claim comes as security for shipping in the strait deteriorates sharply. Several vessels have been hit in the waterway this week: a UAE cargo ship caught fire and sank on Wednesday after striking a mine, and the Singapore-flagged container ship GFS Pride was hit by a projectile, caught fire and sank, with all 21 crew members safely evacuated, according to Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority. Notably, the IRGC also attributed the GFS Pride sinking to a mine, a claim U.S. Central Command rejected, saying the ship had been struck by an IRGC projectile and that the strait's main commercial shipping lanes were clear of mines. UKMTO has also said recently that most attacks on ships in the area are not being reported to it, so the documented incidents may capture only part of the actual risk.
The Strait of Hormuz is a chokepoint for global energy supplies: before the war, roughly one-fifth of the world's traded oil passed through it. After the United States and Israel struck Iran on February 28, 2026, and the U.S.-Iran war began, Tehran moved to close the strait; on July 12 Iran announced the closure again and laid mines, while U.S. forces imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports. With attacks on shipping continuing, international crude prices remain above $100 a barrel.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：一艘大型原油油轮在海上航行（资料图）。图片来源：ITookSomePhotos 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0（Wikimedia Commons）。Photo: A large crude oil tanker underway at sea (file photo). Image by ITookSomePhotos, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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