Iran claims oil tanker hit mine in Strait of Hormuz, two days after US declared waterway clear

Iran's military claimed that an oil tanker struck a mine and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz — just two days after the US military announced that Iranian mines had been cleared from the waterway's main shipping lanes. Iran insisted the strait remains closed and warned that vessels must coordinate passage with Tehran in advance to transit safely.

According to Russia's RIA Novosti and other outlets, the Iranian military said Tuesday (local time) that a tanker had hit a mine and caught fire in the eastern waters of the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement, the Iranian military said "an oil tanker that had disabled its tracking device hours earlier and attempted to pass through a restricted and dangerous zone in the eastern Strait of Hormuz struck a mine, caught fire and was damaged." The military emphasized that the vessel had turned off its location-tracking device before entering the hazardous area.

Iran also said the strait remains under blockade and warned that tankers must coordinate transit procedures with Iranian authorities in advance to pass through safely.

The announcement came two days after the US military said Iranian mines had been cleared from the strait's main trade routes.

CENTCOM commander Gen. Brad Cooper had inspected US forces deployed in the Strait of Hormuz aboard a CH-47 Chinook helicopter on Sunday. After the inspection, Cooper said the main shipping lanes in the strait were "safe and free of Iranian mines thanks to the incredible efforts of our service members."

The US military maintains that the key shipping lanes are secure, while Iran's military continues to insist that mine-strike incidents are occurring — leaving the two sides in direct contradiction.

Iran has issued a string of similar claims in recent days. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Friday that two supertankers attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz outside designated routes had struck mines.

Earlier, on Monday, Iran said three tankers had hit mines.

If Iran's claims are accurate, six tankers have struck mines in the Strait of Hormuz over roughly the past week.

The name, nationality and extent of damage of the tanker in the latest incident have not been confirmed.

With the US and Iranian militaries offering conflicting accounts of conditions in the Strait of Hormuz, uncertainty over safe passage through the waterway continues for shipping operators.