The IRGC Navy claims the vessel struck a naval mine while attempting to navigate an unauthorised route. The ship's identity, cargo classification and crew condition remain unconfirmed.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said on Friday, November 13, that a gas carrier struck a naval mine and suffered a major explosion in the eastern part of the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement carried by Iran's Tasnim news agency, the IRGC Navy said the vessel caught fire after attempting to transit what it described as an unauthorised and dangerous southern route, despite repeated warnings from Iranian naval authorities.

The force did not identify the vessel or disclose its flag, ownership, operator, cargo volume or the number and condition of crew members.

Vessel identity and cargo type remain unclear. There are discrepancies in early reports over the type of gas carried by the vessel. Reuters and Türkiye Today described it as a liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker, while Tasnim identified it as a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier.

The reported mine strike and explosion have not been independently confirmed, and no verified information on casualties, vessel damage or potential pollution was immediately available.

Further pressure on shipping in the Gulf.

The incident comes amid a sustained increase in maritime security threats across the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters.

According to Reuters, citing data from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, at least 10 ships were hit during the first 10 days of November, following 37 attacks in October, the highest monthly total since the conflict began in late February.

Iranian media also reported explosions involving four oil tankers on Thursday, November 12, although details of those incidents have not been independently verified.

The International Maritime Organization's latest incident tracker recorded 134 confirmed incidents across the wider Middle East maritime region and 25 seafarer fatalities as of November 11.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important energy shipping chokepoints, connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

Another reported explosion involving a gas carrier is likely to heighten concerns among shipowners, operators and insurers over vessel routing, crew safety and war-risk exposure in the region. The extent of any disruption to commercial traffic remains unclear.