Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has reported that a container ship sank in the Strait of Hormuz. According to the military, the vessel struck a mine while attempting to pass through an area that Tehran had declared closed to commercial shipping, infohub.kz reports.
According to the Mehr news agency, citing an IRGC statement, a fire broke out on board after the explosion. The military claims the container ship was carrying smuggled goods and was trying to pass through a dangerous zone of the strait.
Due to the intense fire, the vessel sank in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz. It was carrying 2,500 containers. The exact contents of the containers have not been specified.
The IRGC warned of the danger of passing through this area and urged caution. According to the Iranian side, after the sinking, the containers may remain on the water's surface and pose a threat to other vessels.
Iranian military officials have repeatedly warned about the risks of using the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz, which runs near the coast of Oman. The IRGC says it continues to monitor the situation and fully controls the strait.