Oil Tanker Explodes After Striking Mine in Strait of Hormuz, Iranian Media Report

DUBAI - An oil tanker exploded in the Strait of Hormuz after striking a naval mine, Iranian state and semi-official media reported on Sunday, in an incident that risks further raising tensions in one of the world's most important oil-shipping corridors.

According to the reports, including from the semi-official Tasnim and Mehr news agencies, the vessel struck the mine after deviating from a shipping route that Iran has designated for passage through the strait. Iranian outlets said Tehran had repeatedly warned that ships straying from the corridor would face consequences, and that the tanker had turned off its radar system before the blast.

The identity and flag of the vessel were not disclosed, and there was no immediate official statement from Iranian government authorities. The reports could not be independently verified, and there was no confirmation of casualties, the extent of the damage, or any spill.

The incident comes amid a period of heightened friction in the Gulf. Since a recent ceasefire, Iran has demanded that vessels transit the strait only through a route it has specified; when some ships instead used an alternative path near the coast of Oman, Iran targeted several of them, prompting escalation with the United States.

US President Donald Trump had warned that if attacks on shipping continued, the United States would strike Iranian infrastructure, such as a bridge or power plant, for every ship hit in the strait. By characterising the latest incident as a mine strike rather than a direct attack, Tehran left it unclear how Washington might respond.

Oman has been mediating over navigation through the waterway. Two sources familiar with the matter said Iran and Oman had made some progress, with a proposal on the table for a regional consortium to oversee maritime security and search-and-rescue operations on a voluntary basis, though it remained uncertain whether Tehran would accept it.

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow chokepoint between the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman through which a significant share of the world's seaborne crude passes, making any disruption there a matter of immediate concern for global energy markets. This is a developing story and will be updated as further details are confirmed.