In brief
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that two oil tankers, including a supertanker, exploded after striking naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran claims the vessels were transiting an “unauthorised” route, had turned off navigation and identification systems, and were halted when the detonations occurred. The incident follows Iran’s tighter controls on the strait after joint Israeli‑U.S. strikes on Iranian territory.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Sunday that two oil tankers, one of them a supertanker, detonated after striking naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, saying the vessels had turned off their navigation and identification systems.
The IRGC said the tankers were transiting an “unauthorised” route, and that the supertanker suffered a massive explosion and is burning.
It provided the statement on its official digital platform, Sepah News, noting that both vessels were stopped when the explosions took place.
According to the IRGC’s report, the vessels had disabled their navigation and identification systems prior to the incident.
The Iranian navy described the events as occurring in the hours preceding the announcement.
Iran tightened its grip on the strait on Feb. 28, after a joint Israeli‑U.S. strike on Iranian territory, barring safe passage for vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States, as reported by Xinhua.
In the statement, the IRGC highlighted that the two vessels were “violating” protocol by navigating an unauthorised route.
The mention of the mines indicates that Iran has placed naval mines in certain sectors of the Strait of Hormuz.
The supertanker’s explosion was described as ‘massive’, and the vessel was reported to be burning.
The claim that the tankers had turned off navigation and identification systems has not been corroborated by external maritime surveillance at this time.
Irregularities such as vessels disabling navigation aids raise questions about compliance with international maritime navigation rules.
The incident comes amid reports of increased security measures by Iran in the narrow waterway that sees a significant share of the global oil trade.
Both tankers are identified only as oil carriers, with no further detail on ownership or national flag provided by the IRGC.
The statement and associated details were disseminated by Xinhua, an outlet that frequently reports on Iranian military announcements.
Details about the specific type of mines, their deployment, or the precise timing of the explosions remain limited to the IRGC’s brief release, according to the news source.
Anyone following further developments may look for additional confirmation from international maritime monitoring groups.
Since the announcement, no definitive international reaction has been documented within the source materials.
The IRGC’s call for the vessels to be “stopped” after the explosions signalled their assertion of control over that sector of the strait.
The incident underscores the ongoing complexity of navigation and security issues in the Strait of Hormuz.
For now, the only source of detailed information remains the IRGC’s release conveyed through Xinhua’s coverage.
Regardless, the event highlights the heightened level of maritime alertness by Iran since the tightening of its strait controls following late‑February incidents.
Further clarification, including whether any humanitarian aid is affected or if a salvage operation has been organized, is absent from the initial statement.
That conclusion is acknowledged by the lack of additional trips to the site, which the IRGC did not mention.
In sum, the incident signifies a rare publicized explosion attributed to mine contact involving Iranian‑flagged or international vessels in a tightly monitored zone.
