IRGC: Tanker catches fire after striking mines in Hormuz

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced Monday that a commercial oil tanker erupted in flames following contact with two naval mines. The vessel was "completely stopped after being hit by two sea mines," the IRGC said in a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB. The elite force offered no immediate information regarding crew casualties or the severity of structural damage.

According to the IRGC, the ship was navigating through the strategic waterway when it attempted to take an "illegal" route, triggering the incident. The statement emphasized that all maritime traffic must adhere to protocols established by Iranian authorities for safe passage through the chokepoint, which handles a significant portion of global oil shipments.

Drone downed, US strikes island

The tanker incident came hours after the IRGC reported downing an American unmanned aircraft over the Strait of Hormuz. The drone crashed into Gulf waters following the engagement, though Washington has not immediately confirmed the loss. The statement marked the latest in a series of confrontations between Iranian forces and US military assets operating near the critical shipping lane.

Separately, US forces conducted strikes against two Iranian launchers on Larak Island on Sunday, according to a US official who spoke to Axios. The attack represented the first American military action against Iranian territory since late July, raising the specter of further escalation between the two powers. Tehran has previously deployed coastal defense systems and missile batteries across islands in the Gulf to monitor and control traffic through the narrow strait.