Tehran, November 9, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Iran’s Army has claimed that an oil tanker caught fire after striking naval mines while sailing through what it described as a prohibited area east of the Strait of Hormuz, warning that the strategic waterway will remain closed to shipping until all perceived threats are removed.
In a statement published on its official website on Sunday, the Iranian Army’s Navy alleged that the tanker had switched off its identification systems and entered a restricted maritime zone before hitting the mines.
The announcement followed a separate statement by the naval force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which also reported an oil tanker explosion and fire in what it called an unauthorised shipping route in the strait.
According to the IRGC’s official news outlet, Sepah News, the explosion triggered a massive fire aboard the vessel. The force claimed it was the third oil tanker to strike naval mines in the restricted route since the beginning of the day.
The developments came amid escalating maritime tensions, with the United States also enforcing a naval blockade against Iran.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces had disabled a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Oman after its civilian crew allegedly ignored repeated warnings and attempted to breach the blockade.
In a statement on X, CENTCOM identified the vessel as the St. Kitts-flagged cargo ship M/V Huda, saying a US military aircraft fired precision munitions at its stern after the crew was directed to leave the targeted areas.
The command said the vessel had attempted to leave regional waters after visiting an Iranian port.
CENTCOM further claimed that since July, US forces had redirected 147 commercial vessels and disabled five merchant ships that refused to comply with the blockade.
The Strait of Hormuz has emerged as a major flashpoint since February 28, when Iran tightened restrictions on maritime traffic, barring safe passage to vessels it considers affiliated with Israel and the United States following joint strikes on Iranian territory.
The US naval blockade has added another layer of tension around the strategic shipping corridor, through which a significant share of global oil supplies is transported.
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