Iran Claims Two Oil Tankers Exploded, Caught Fire In Strait Of Hormuz Minefield; US Denies

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Saturday that two oil tankers exploded and caught fire after hitting mines south of the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States dismissed the claim.

The IRGC said the vessels entered a mined area after being “deceived” by U.S. intelligence agencies. However, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) rejected the allegation, posting on X: “Like most IRGC claims, this is false.”

The reported incident could not be independently verified, and there was no immediate confirmation from international maritime authorities. The identities of the two tankers were also not disclosed.

The Strait of Hormuz is a key global energy corridor, carrying around one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas shipments. Any disruption in the waterway is closely monitored by shipping companies, energy markets and governments.

According to a statement published by Iran’s state news agency IRNA, the IRGC said, “An hour ago, two oil tankers, which were trying to pass through the minefield south of the Strait of Hormuz by deceptive American intelligence agencies, exploded and caught fire.”

Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB, citing sources, reported that the two tankers ignored warnings from the Iranian Navy before entering the route, leading to explosions and large fires. It also repeated the IRGC’s claim that the vessels had been misled by U.S. intelligence agencies.

In a separate statement, the IRGC said it had “stopped” four ships attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz.

“In the past hours, four violating ships with the support of the terrorist U.S. army were trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, and all four ships were stopped in place during a combined missile and drone operation,” it said.

Iran has been urging commercial vessels to use shipping lanes closer to its northern coastline and warning against using southern routes that the United States has been trying to secure.

The IRGC also repeated that the Strait of Hormuz was “extremely unsafe” and effectively closed while U.S. military operations against Iran continued.

“The IRGC Navy declares with certainty that the Strait of Hormuz is extremely unsafe and completely closed due to the crimes of the U.S. child-killing army, and until the aggressions of the criminal America end, it is impossible to export any chemical fertilizers or even a single drop of oil and gas from this region,” the statement said.

The United States and Iran continued to exchange military strikes across the region.

U.S. Central Command said it carried out its seventh consecutive night of strikes on Iranian targets aimed at degrading Iran’s military capabilities.

Iran said it had launched retaliatory attacks on U.S. military facilities in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain. According to Iranian authorities, drones targeted an ammunition depot at Al-Udairi Camp, headquarters buildings and ammunition depots at Ali Al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait, along with several communication bridges.

Iran’s Health Ministry said at least 38 people were killed and more than 400 injured in U.S. strikes across Hormozgan, Bushehr, Sistan and Baluchestan, Khuzestan and Lorestan provinces.

Iranian state media Press TV reported that the attacks damaged civilian infrastructure, including bridges, power facilities and the maritime control tower at Chabahar’s Shahid Kalantari Port.

Separately, IRNA reported on Saturday that three people were killed and eight injured in attacks on parts of Hormozgan province.

Major General Mohsen Rezaei, a senior military adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, said Tehran would resume “full-scale offensive operations” if U.S. strikes continued for another two or three days.

Iranian Revolutionary Guards aerospace force commander Majid Mousavi also said attacks against U.S. targets would continue until operations against Iran’s southern coastal facilities ended.

Iran also claimed it had targeted U.S. radar systems and military aircraft in Qatar, two U.S. radar sites in Oman and the Al-Tanf military base in Syria. A Syrian military source denied there had been an attack, while U.S. forces said they had withdrawn from the base earlier in 2026.

In Bahrain, Iranian state media reported strikes targeting U.S. helicopters and aircraft at an airbase, prompting authorities to urge residents to take shelter.

Jordan’s military said it intercepted three Iranian missiles. Kuwait said an Iranian attack damaged a power and water plant, while its military reported several personnel were injured after Iranian drones targeted military bases and camps.

In Iraq’s Kurdistan region, the exiled Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan said drone and rocket strikes killed nine of its members on July 17, blaming Iran.

Iran’s Energy Ministry also urged people to reduce electricity consumption after U.S. strikes on energy facilities increased pressure on the country’s power grid.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said on July 17 that a tanker was struck by a projectile off the coast of Oman overnight.

References: dnaindia, wionews