Strait of Hormuz: new IRGC claim of a tanker hitting a sea mine

On the evening of Sunday 18 October 2026, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) released a video of an explosion and fire on a tanker in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz and claimed the ship had hit a sea mine. The IRGC announced neither the tanker's name nor its flag and owner, and as of early Monday morning no independent body has confirmed that the ship hit a mine.

According to the IRGC's claim, the explosion occurred in the tanker's engine room, and the ship had switched off all its positioning and navigation systems when leaving its port of origin. The IRGC called the ship a "violator" and said it was passing through the southern route near the coast of Oman, a route the IRGC calls "unauthorized" and along which American forces guide ships. The IRGC also warned that it would deal "severely" with any vessel that switches off its identification and navigation systems in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf. No report of possible crew casualties has been published.

Repeated IRGC claims without independent confirmation

This is the IRGC's third claim of a tanker hitting a mine in the past two days. On Saturday 17 October, the IRGC had also reported the explosion of two supertankers in the Strait of Hormuz, but the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC), in its report of 18 October, called the claim unconfirmed. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), in its recent reports, has also recorded no case of a ship hitting a mine, and has described the incidents as attacks with unidentified projectiles, drones and small boats. In the week ending 16 October, the organization had recorded 12 attacks on ships in and around the Strait of Hormuz.

The IRGC had earlier also declared the Strait of Hormuz "closed", while US Central Command (CENTCOM) says 97 percent of ships have passed through the waterway safely and the strait remains open. Two senior Islamic Republic officials told Reuters last week that Tehran had adopted a new method of targeting ships to keep oil prices high ahead of the US election.

Explosion in Konarak

At the same time, citizens reported on social media hearing two explosions near Konarak in Sistan and Baluchestan province that same night. The source of the sounds and their possible link to the tanker incident are unclear, and Islamic Republic officials have given no explanation.

The IRGC has again reported an unnamed tanker hitting a mine, a claim that no independent maritime body has confirmed.