Oil Supertanker Carrying 2 Million Barrels Explodes After Hitting Mine in Strait of Hormuz

Tehran: A fully loaded supertanker carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil caught fire and suffered a massive explosion after striking a naval mine while attempting to transit through the Strait of Hormuz.

The incident marks a dangerous escalation in the ongoing maritime confrontation along one of the world's most critical energy supply routes.

According to official statements released by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, the vessel was navigating through an unauthorised corridor in violation of maritime transit regulations established by Tehran.

Iranian military officials claimed that the tanker had deliberately deactivated its automatic identification system (AIS) and radar transponders in an attempt to bypass local monitoring protocols.

IRGC Issues Warning 

The IRGC confirmed that the vessel exploded into flames shortly after detonating the submerged explosive device. State media released video footage showing the vessel engulfed in flames.

In a statement broadcast by Iranian state networks, the IRGC reiterated its strict controls over the narrow waterway, asserting that passage through the strait remains strictly controlled under Iranian maritime authority.

"The Strait of Hormuz is closed, and the consequence of defying Iranian regulations in the Strait of Hormuz is burning in the fire of trust in the terrorist US army," the IRGC stated.

Iranian naval commanders had previously issued warnings that any vessel disabling its navigation transponders while attempting to cross the strait would be categorised as a hostile craft.

Rising Security Threats 

The Strait of Hormuz, flanked by Iran to the north and Oman to the south, serves as a vital global shipping chokepoint through which approximately twenty per cent of the world's petroleum supply historically passes.

The mine detonation follows a series of recent maritime incidents across the Persian Gulf and surrounding regional waters, including drone strikes, small-boat rocket attacks, and projectile strikes against commercial vessels.

Naval coalition forces operating in the region have increased aerial reconnaissance and patrols to assess potential environmental contamination and monitor commercial shipping lanes as global energy markets react to intensifying transit hazards.