US Denies Iran's Claim of Oil Tanker Hitting Mine in Strait of Hormuz

The US military has denied claims by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that an oil tanker struck a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz.

CENTCOM, which oversees American military operations across the Middle East, stated that the Panama-flagged tanker El Gaia had not hit a naval mine.

Instead, CENTCOM said the tanker was previously targeted by an Iranian missile last month and struck again over the weekend by an Iranian drone while operating off the coast of Oman.

The US military added that the vessel is currently being towed by a regional partner, and described the IRGC's claim as another attempt to spread misinformation and intimidate commercial shipping through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.