Iran's Guards Claim Two Supertankers Hit Mines in Hormuz and Declare the Strait 'Closed'

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy claimed that two supertankers struck naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz and declared the strait "closed," according to Iranian state media reports posted late Friday, Oct. 16, and Saturday morning, Oct. 17, ET. The IRGC has not identified either ship. Reuters and AFP have since reported both claims, citing Iranian state media, and Reuters said there was no independent confirmation. As of about 12:45 p.m. ET Saturday, no independent confirmation of a mine strike had been reported, and the latest warnings from the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations center (UKMTO) do not mention a mine.

The U.S. military says the strait is open. Its commander's statement came Friday afternoon, Oct. 16, about eight hours before the IRGC's first claim, and as of about 12:45 p.m. ET Saturday the U.S. military had not publicly addressed either tanker claim.

What Iran claims

The first claim appeared late Friday. Iran International reported it at about 9:53 p.m. ET, and Iran's state broadcaster Press TV posted it at 9:58 p.m. ET. Reuters carried the claim minutes later, citing Iranian media.

According to the IRGC navy statement, a supertanker carrying more than 2 million barrels of oil hit a mine on an "unauthorised route," causing a "massive explosion" and a "fierce fire". The IRGC said the tanker "switched off all positioning and radar systems and attempted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz by deception".

The IRGC declared, "The Strait of Hormuz is closed," according to translations of its statement.

At 8:23 a.m. ET Saturday, Press TV reported an IRGC announcement that "this morning, a second offending supertanker caught fire in a massive blaze after hitting a naval mine". The IRGC said that ship was also carrying more than 2 million barrels and that an engine-room explosion left it immobilized, Anadolu Agency reported. Reuters, citing Iran's official IRNA news agency, also reported that the second vessel was left immobilized.

None of these details has been independently verified. The IRGC did not name either ship or report on crew, casualties or environmental damage. Euronews reported that "it is unclear exactly where the incident took place".

What the U.S. says

Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), said in a video update CENTCOM posted at 2:03 p.m. ET Friday, Oct. 16: "Let me be clear, the Strait of Hormuz is controlled by the United States and our regional partners, not Iran." He added, "It remains open for business," Euronews reported.

Cooper said 400 ships and 100 million barrels of oil had moved through the strait in the past week, according to Al Jazeera. Those figures are CENTCOM's.

On Oct. 15, a day before Iran's latest claims, CENTCOM called an earlier IRGC claim that a container ship had hit a mine "FALSE." It said that ship was hit by an IRGC projectile and that the strait's primary routes "remain clear of mines". Fox News identified that ship, citing CENTCOM, as the GFS Pride, a Singapore-flagged container ship that sank while being towed.

CENTCOM spokesperson Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins told Fox News Digital "this week" that "the vast majority of Iran's attempted attacks" on mariners transiting the strait were "unsuccessful." He said about 97% of ships seeking to transit had done so "without being hit by an Iranian projectile," and that the strait "is open, it is available for transit". Fox published the interview at 11:46 a.m. ET Saturday but did not say on which day it took place, and his quoted remarks do not mention the tanker claims.

As of about 12:45 p.m. ET Saturday, CENTCOM had posted no statement on X addressing either tanker claim; its only post on Saturday was a photo of an aircraft being readied for takeoff.

An earlier Indian report

Before either IRGC claim, India's minister of ports, shipping and waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, said at 1:41 p.m. ET Friday that on Oct. 16 a crude oil tanker "carrying 15 Indian seafarers, was struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz." He said all the Indian crew members were safe.

India's statement describes a projectile, not a mine. It was posted about eight hours before the IRGC's first mine claim. Whether the Indian-crewed tanker is one of the ships the IRGC described has not been established.

Why it matters

The claims add to a contested picture of shipping through the strait. UKMTO counted at least 12 ships attacked in the week to Oct. 16. It said it "is struggling to accurately report true number of attacks with majority of vessels attacked refusing to report to UKMTO," Al Jazeera reported Oct. 17.

UKMTO's latest warnings, covering incidents on Oct. 16 and 17, describe a projectile strike and a rocket-propelled grenade attack on tankers northeast of Saudi Arabia's Al Jubayl and shots fired at an LNG tanker southeast of Al Mukalla, Yemen. None is in the Strait of Hormuz, and none mentions a mine. UKMTO had posted no newer warning on X as of about 12:45 p.m. ET Saturday.

Oil flows are already down. Analytics firm Kpler estimated Hormuz oil flows at 11.6 million barrels a day in the seven days to Oct. 13, about 68% of the pre-war baseline of 17.1 million barrels a day, according to Al Jazeera. Brent crude touched $110 a barrel on Friday for the first time since May, Al Jazeera reported.

Key questions remain open: which ships, if any, were hit, where, by what, and whether anyone was hurt. Iran has not provided evidence for its claims, and the U.S. military has not responded to them directly. This story is developing and will be updated.