Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says a crude oil supertanker exploded after striking naval mines while trying to leave the Strait of Hormuz through a route Tehran had declared off-limits.
In a statement Saturday carried by its official outlet Sepah News, the IRGC Navy said the tanker — described as a supertanker able to carry about two million barrels of crude — was attempting to exit the strait via an unauthorized southern route with its navigation and GPS systems switched off. The mine strike triggered a powerful explosion and a massive blaze the Guards said could be seen from the coast.
"A massive fire awaits any violating oil tanker that seeks to disregard the security and regulations of the Strait of Hormuz," the IRGC warned. "The fate of every vessel that ignores the rules in the Strait of Hormuz is a horrific fire."
The blast came one day after the IRGC said its forces struck a "giant" liquefied petroleum gas carrier, identified as the NV Sunshine, as it tried to cross the strait through what Tehran called an illegal route. That vessel's engine room and propulsion system caught fire, the IRGC said.
The Guards did not name the supertanker or give its flag, owner, cargo details, or crew count, and gave no word on casualties. The account has not been independently verified, and neither shipping authorities nor the ship's operator have commented.
In the same statement, the IRGC blamed the United States military for the rising maritime tensions and warned its enforcement actions against vessels using unauthorized routes "will no longer be limited to the Strait of Hormuz" — a signal Tehran intends to pursue alleged violators across the wider region.
The warning lands in a strait Iran has controlled since February 28, when the US and Israel launched strikes on Iranian territory, according to Tehran. Iran barred safe passage for vessels tied to Israel and the United States, shut the waterway again on July 12 after Washington resumed attacks on July 8, and says it will not reopen it until the US meets its demands. Commercial traffic has collapsed to single digits of vessel movements — through a chokepoint that still carries roughly 20 percent of the world's oil supply.
Washington disputes Iran's version of events at sea. US Central Command has previously rejected IRGC mine-strike claims, saying at least one damaged tanker had actually been hit by an Iranian missile weeks earlier and struck again while stationary. President Donald Trump has said the United States controls the strait and that "things are going very well," even as American forces keep up military pressure on Tehran — including a strike days ago that disabled a cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman.
Even Tehran is talking diplomacy. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Thursday he will not abandon negotiations with Washington despite what he called repeated US attacks during past talks, saying both sides have exchanged proposals and Iran is finalizing revisions through mediators.
The tanker's identity, its crew, and whether anyone was hurt remain unknown. What is certain is that the strait — and the oil flowing through it — now runs through one of the most dangerous waterways on earth.