Iran says gas carrier hit a mine and exploded in the Strait of Hormuz
Illustration: Press Pass USAIran's Revolutionary Guards navy said Friday a liquefied gas carrier struck a naval mine and suffered an explosion in the eastern Strait of Hormuz, the latest attack on shipping in the waterway that carries a large share of the world's oil and gas.
The claim, reported by Iranian state media and carried by the semi-official Tasnim news agency, could not be independently verified. No details on the vessel — its name, flag or crew — were immediately available, and there was no immediate comment from the U.S. military or maritime authorities.
According to Tasnim, the Guards said the carrier caught fire and suffered a "massive explosion" after striking the mine while attempting to pass through what Tehran called an unauthorized and dangerous southern route in the eastern part of the strait, despite repeated warnings. Reuters, which also reported the claim, described the vessel as carrying liquefied natural gas; Tasnim called it a liquefied petroleum gas carrier.
The incident follows a string of attacks on commercial shipping in the strait. Iranian media reported Thursday that four oil tankers were hit by explosions in the waterway after ignoring warnings and entering areas Tehran considers restricted. At least 10 ships were hit in the first 10 days of November, after 37 attacks in October — the highest monthly tally since the conflict began in late February, according to data from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy cited by Reuters.
The same day, Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said they had attacked a pumping station on Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline, an oil facility in the Red Sea city of Yanbu and an Aramco building in Riyadh, Reuters reported. Hours earlier on Friday, Iran's Guards claimed they had struck a U.S. early-warning radar installation in Bahrain — the first such claim against American military assets in a Gulf country since early September.
The Strait of Hormuz, between Iran and Oman, is a vital route for global oil and gas supplies. Iran has sought to restrict shipping through it since the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran began on February 28, while Washington has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports. Traffic through the strait has partly rebounded in recent weeks even as attacks on vessels continue, and oil prices have eased on expectations of de-escalation — a calm this week's incidents now put to the test.
Sources: Reuters, "Iran says tanker carrying LNG hit mine, suffered explosion in Hormuz" (Nov. 13, 2026, full text verified); Tasnim News Agency, "LPG Carrier Hits Naval Mine in Strait of Hormuz: IRGC" (Nov. 13, 2026); Reuters, "Oil prices set for second weekly decline as Trump to stay with Iran blockade" (Nov. 13, 2026). The mine strike and any damage have not been independently verified.
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