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Iran says a supertanker hit mines in the Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the tanker caught fire after striking two naval mines, amid renewed hostilities that lifted oil prices in Asia.
Iranian state media, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said a supertanker caught fire after hitting two naval mines in the southern Strait of Hormuz. The Guards said the vessel was trying to transit the Strait “illegally,” without identifying the tanker or its crew, and warned that other ships attempting to violate its security rules would face the same fate.
The claim comes as hostilities reignited in the area over the weekend, with oil prices rising when trade opened in Asia on Monday. As of early morning in Europe, Brent Crude moved back above $90 per barrel, rising about 3% to $90.72, while U.S. benchmark WTI Crude topped $85 per barrel, up about 2.8% on the day.
On Sunday, U.S. forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island, which sits inside the Strait of Hormuz. According to a U.S. Central Command spokesperson, the attack followed observations that the IRGC were preparing to launch rockets with sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported.
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