Hormuz ship sank after mine blast, Iran Guards say

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Wednesday that a container ship hit a mine, caught fire and sank in the Strait of Hormuz, while a British security firm also reported a ship sinking in the area.

The Guards' navy said the ship was using what it called an unauthorised and dangerous shipping lane when it struck a mine that exploded. The Guards said the vessel was carrying more than 2,500 containers and released images showing black smoke rising from a ship, with containers floating in the water.

British security firm Vanguard said the Singapore-flagged container ship GFS Pride was struck by a projectile on Tuesday and sank. It was not clear whether Vanguard and the Revolutionary Guards were referring to the same ship.

Vanguard also reported three other ships struck on Tuesday, saying two continued on their way and the fate of the third was unknown. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said on Wednesday that two container ships were struck by projectiles on Tuesday but continued after sustaining only minor damage.

UKMTO had earlier reported two other Tuesday attacks targeting a tanker and a container ship, without specifying whether they caused damage or casualties.

Iran claims control of the Strait of Hormuz, a route through which one-fifth of the world's hydrocarbons passed before the Middle East war. The war was triggered in late February by US-Israeli strikes against Iran.