Iran says a cargo ship has sunk after striking a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz, the first sinking reported by Tehran as a result of a mine during the war. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps gave few details and the claim has not been independently verified.
Iranian state television quoted the IRGC as saying the vessel caught fire while carrying 2,500 containers before it went down on Wednesday morning. The fate of the crew was not immediately clear.
The IRGC said the ship had been travelling along what Iran considers an illegal and dangerous route. The description is likely to refer to shipping lanes close to Oman that the United States has urged vessels to use.
Iran has repeatedly warned ships not to enter the strait without its approval. There was no immediate report of the sinking from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations monitor.
The claim comes despite President Trump declaring at the end of August that the Strait of Hormuz was free of mines, saying US forces had “totally cleared the strait of mines”.
The reported incident came as Iran-backed Houthi rebels warned that attacks on Saudi Arabia would continue. Houthi military spokesman Brig Gen Yahya Saree said international shipping companies, civilians and employees at targeted airports and businesses should leave, warning they would otherwise be considered legitimate targets.
Saudi-led coalition forces said they had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched towards Riyadh by the Houthis. Saudi authorities said debris from two intercepted missiles had injured four people and damaged 15 homes in the capital on Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia also reported a limited fire at an administrative building within an Aramco facility in the Eastern Province after it was targeted, although no injuries were reported. The Saudi-led coalition said it had carried out strikes on Houthi oil sites in western Yemen, including Sanaa, in response to attacks on the kingdom.
