Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy announced that an oil tanker, which it described as "violating," exploded and caught fire on Sunday, October 18, after hitting a sea mine in the southern Strait of Hormuz.
The IRGC released images, stating that the incident occurred on Sunday night and resulted in a fire in the ship's engine room. The force has declared the Strait of Hormuz a high-risk area.
So far, no details have been released regarding the condition of the ship's crew or the extent of the damage to the tanker. The identity and ownership of the tanker also remain unknown.
The incident took place in one of the world's most critical waterways for oil transit. Similar incidents have occurred in the region before, leading to increased tensions in the Persian Gulf.
The IRGC Navy had previously announced during tensions with the United States that it had mined the Strait of Hormuz and had requested that ships coordinate with Iran for safe passage.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center announced on Monday that 153 incidents involving ships in the region were recorded from March 1 to October 18 of this year. This statistic indicates a rise in insecurity for maritime navigation in the area.
The organization has described the Strait of Hormuz as the world's most dangerous region for vessels, citing the risk of mine explosions as well as drone and missile attacks.
Source: Zarin TV
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