Oil tanker on fire after hitting mine in Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Guards say

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday an oil tanker caught fire after hitting a mine in the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway at the centre of the Middle East war.

The Guards said the supertanker was carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil and was attempting to pass illegally.

Is there a tanker on fire in the Strait of Hormuz?

The Revolutionary Guards say so. They posted a video of a vessel in flames during the night and said the tanker struck a mine, triggering an explosion and a fierce fire. The statement did not specify the exact location of the incident.

“A supertanker in violation of regulations, carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil and attempting to pass illegally through the Strait of Hormuz, struck a mine, triggering an explosion and a fierce fire,” the Revolutionary Guards said.

“The tanker attempted to cross the strait with US support... by deactivating all its tracking systems,” the Guards added.

How has Iran controlled the Strait of Hormuz during the war?

Tehran seized control over Hormuz after the start of the war in late February, choking off the strait that normally carries about one-fifth of global oil consumption. Since taking control, Iran has demanded that all ships seek its authorization before transiting.

Flanked by Iran to the north and Oman to the south, the Hormuz strait is about 30 kilometers (20 miles) wide at its narrowest point.

How has the US responded to the Hormuz blockade?

In response to Tehran’s blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, Washington has imposed its own naval counter-blockade on Iranian oil exports.

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