Iran Says LNG Tanker Hit Mine in Strait of Hormuz

An Iranian military unit has reported that a liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker struck a mine and exploded while attempting to sail through the Strait of Hormuz on Friday.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said the vessel was travelling through a route it had not authorised, describing the passage as dangerous.

Iranian state media, citing the IRGC Navy, reported that the tanker ignored restrictions on navigation through the strategic waterway.

The reported incident comes amid rising attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran claiming responsibility for enforcing restrictions on ships attempting to cross the waterway.

On Thursday, the Iranian military said four oil tankers had been struck by explosions after allegedly ignoring warnings and entering restricted sections of the strait.

Iran has also hardened its position on the future of maritime navigation in the area. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in an interview with Al Jazeera on Wednesday that shipping conditions in the Strait of Hormuz would never return to their pre-war arrangements.

He argued that navigation through the waterway should be governed by the laws of Iran and other coastal states, rejecting the application of international maritime rules under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Meanwhile, United States President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Washington no longer needed an agreement with Tehran, insisting that the United States had already secured significant financial and strategic advantages.

The latest reported attack comes as LNG shipments through the Strait of Hormuz show signs of recovery.

Data from commodities intelligence firm Kpler showed that 31 LNG tankers exported cargoes through the waterway in October, up from 23 in September and the highest monthly figure since February.

However, Qatar's LNG exports remain below pre-war levels. Shipments from its Ras Laffan terminal exceeded 2.7 million tonnes in October, compared with nearly 6.2 million tonnes in February, according to Kpler.