IRGC reports oil supertanker, carrying 2 million barrels of crude, 'hit a mine' while sailing an 'unauthorised' route off Oman

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported that another supertanker, carrying about two million barrels of crude, hit a mine.

The Guards claimed the unnamed ship was sailing an "unauthorised" route with its tracking systems off.

The IRGC framed the explosion and engine room fire as enforcement against ships ignoring new transit rules imposed after the US-Israeli conflict began in late February.

The latest claim follows an earlier Iranian report of a similar tanker incident.

Reuters reported that Iranian state media described two tankers catching fire after mine strikes, but said the reports had not been independently confirmed.

In the latest incident, the vessel’s name, flag, ownership, crew status and the extent of any environmental damage were not disclosed in the initial reports.

There was no independent confirmation that the tanker had struck a mine, according to Reuters reporting carried by other outlets.

The incidents come amid escalating maritime insecurity since the US and Israel began their war against Iran on February 28.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical route for global oil shipments, and attacks on commercial vessels have heightened concerns over energy supplies, shipping costs and insurance premiums. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has separately reported multiple attacks on vessels in and around the strait.

The competing claims over transit rules reflect a wider dispute over control of the waterway. Iran says vessels must follow routes approved by Tehran, while the US has rejected Iran’s restrictions and maintained that international shipping must be protected.