Hormuz oil tanker on fire after mine blast, Iran says

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday that an oil tanker was on fire in the Strait of Hormuz after hitting a mine in the waterway.

The Guards said the supertanker was carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil and was trying to pass through the strait illegally when it struck a mine, causing an explosion and fire. The statement did not specify the exact location.

The Guards also said the tanker had attempted to cross the strait with US support by deactivating its tracking systems. They posted a video showing a vessel in flames at night.

Tehran seized control of the Strait of Hormuz after the Middle East war began in late February. The waterway normally carries about one-fifth of global oil consumption and is about 30 kilometres wide at its narrowest point, with Iran to the north and Oman to the south.

Since taking control of the strait, Iran has demanded that all ships seek its authorisation before transiting. Washington has imposed a naval counter-blockade on Iranian oil exports in response to Tehran's blockade.

This week, Guards naval commander Admiral Ali Ozmai warned that any vessel that deactivated its navigation systems would be considered “hostile”.