Iran says ship sank in Strait of Hormuz after hitting mine

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Wednesday that a ship caught fire and sank in the Strait of Hormuz after striking a mine. British security firm Vanguard also reported a sinking on Tuesday, though it was unclear whether both statements referred to the same ship.

Why did the ship sink in the Strait of Hormuz?

The Revolutionary Guards navy said a container ship using an unauthorized and dangerous shipping lane struck a mine that exploded. The Guards said it was carrying more than 2,500 containers. Vanguard separately reported that the GFS Pride, a Singapore-flagged container ship, was struck by a projectile on Tuesday and sank.

"A container ship attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz using an unauthorized and dangerous shipping lane struck a mine that exploded," said the navy of the Revolutionary Guards, the ideological arm of Iran's military.

Images released by the Guards show a plume of black smoke rising from a ship. Dozens of containers that fell into the sea float on the water.

Who controls the Strait of Hormuz?

Iran claims control of the strait, through which one-fifth of the world's hydrocarbons passed before the Middle East war. It regularly targets ships it accuses of transiting without authorization. The US has imposed its own blockade on Iran's ports.

The war was triggered in late February by US-Israeli strikes against Iran.

Which other ships were struck in the Strait of Hormuz?

Vanguard reported three other ships struck on Tuesday. Two continued on their way, and the fate of the third is unknown.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO) reported Wednesday that two container ships were struck on Tuesday by projectiles but continued on their way after sustaining only minor damage. UKMTO earlier reported two other attacks on Tuesday targeting a tanker and a container ship, without specifying whether they had caused damage or casualties.