Iranian Navy: tanker moving in prohibited area east of Strait of Hormuz catches fire after hitting mine

The Iranian Army Navy said on November 7 that a fire broke out on an oil tanker east of the Strait of Hormuz that morning.

According to the statement, the tanker ignored warnings and moved in a prohibited and dangerous area, having switched off its navigation systems. The tanker caught fire after striking a naval mine and came to a halt.

The Navy warned in its statement: “The same fate awaits all ships and vessels that move in prohibited areas, ignoring warnings.”

No information was given on the tanker's name, flag, cargo or whether there were casualties among the crew. The Iranian statement has not been independently confirmed.

Iran has tightened its restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and is seeking to control which vessels can pass and under what conditions.

Earlier, on November 4, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said four oil tankers attempting to pass through a prohibited passage south of the Strait of Hormuz had struck naval mines. On November 3, the Guard Corps Navy had said three tankers attempting to pass through the strait illegally were on fire.

The International Maritime Organization said on November 6 that 25 seafarers had been killed in the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the Iran war. The Strait of Hormuz, which links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, is one of the most important sea routes for the world oil trade.