Iran's Revolutionary Guards say supertanker struck mine in Hormuz and caught fire

What the Revolutionary Guards report

Iranian media, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, say a supertanker struck a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz in the early hours of 17 October, causing an explosion and a fire on board. The vessel was reportedly loaded with more than two million barrels of crude oil. According to the Guards, the ship tried to cross the strait by an unauthorised route, switching off its positioning and radar systems, and did so with the support of the US military. The Guards' statement was broadcast by Iranian state media, and the Guards also said the strait remains closed and warned that ships breaking Iranian rules there would be set ablaze.

Claims not yet independently checked

None of the Iranian details could be verified independently in the first reports. The extent of the fire remained unclear, and the whereabouts and condition of the crew were unknown, with no source providing information on either. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) and UKMTO, the British shipping security authority, had made no statement about the incident in the overnight reporting. The account therefore rests on the Guards and on Iranian media repeating it.

The strait at the centre of the war

The Strait of Hormuz is only 35 to 40 kilometres wide at its narrowest point and carries large volumes of oil and liquefied natural gas for world trade. The United States and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February 2026, and in the weeks that followed fighting spread to more than a dozen countries in the Middle East, mostly through drone and missile fire from Iran. Iran has largely blocked traffic through the strait since the war began, using threats and attacks on ships, and it is accused of having partly mined the waterway. The US, in turn, blockades Iranian ports and coastal areas to cut off Iran's oil export revenue.

Ceasefire attempts and their collapse

On 6 April the United States and Iran agreed a ceasefire to open negotiations, but both sides broke it several times. On 17 June the talks produced a 14-point declaration of intent, which remains contested, and Israel did not take part in the negotiations and criticises the document. On 7 July, during the NATO summit, Trump declared the ceasefire over. Since then the US has carried out attacks on Iran daily, and Iran has responded with missile strikes on its neighbours. The reported mining of a supertanker adds a maritime dimension to a conflict that has already reached the region's trade routes.