Fact Check: Did the IRGC claim that an oil tanker hit a mine in the Strait of Hormuz?
WASHINGTON, DC: A claim about an oil tanker incident in the Strait of Hormuz has sparked attention online amid ongoing tensions between Iran and the United States.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that the Panama-flagged tanker El Gaia struck a naval mine while sailing through the strategic waterway.
The claim comes as shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely restricted amid the ongoing conflict. Let's fact-check the claim.
Claim: IRGC claimed Panama-flagged tanker EI Gaia struck a naval mine
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said Monday that the oil tanker EL GAIA struck a naval mine while attempting to pass through what it called a restricted area south of the Strait of Hormuz, causing an explosion and a major fire.
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) September 14, 2026
The IRGC Navy Command said efforts to… pic.twitter.com/pNl1KgUQgF
According to an X post by Iran International English, a report went viral claiming that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the oil tanker El Gaia struck a naval mine.
The post said, “Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said Monday that the oil tanker EL GAIA struck a naval mine while attempting to pass through what it called a restricted area south of the Strait of Hormuz, causing an explosion and a major fire.”
The post further quoted the IRGC Navy as saying that efforts to contain the fire had failed and that flames had engulfed the entire vessel. It also said the authorities had previously warned about the risks of using what they described as an “illegal passage.”
The post also quoted the IRGC Navy as saying, “The Strait of Hormuz is closed and remains under our smart control.”
It identified the Panama-flagged El Gaia, IMO number 9325336, as a 180-meter oil tanker with a deadweight of about 48,000 tons, citing ship registry data.
The post concluded that there was no immediate independent confirmation of the IRGC’s account. It also said there was no information about casualties or the extent of damage to the tanker.
Fact Check: False, CENTCOM disputes IRGC claim
US Central Command (CENTCOM) disputes the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) account that the tanker struck a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz.
In a post on X, CENTCOM said, “The Panama-flagged oil tanker El Gaia was struck by an Iranian missile last month and rendered inoperable.”
It added, “This weekend, Iran struck the tanker again with a drone while the ship sat in waters of the coast of Oman. The tanker is currently being towed by a regional partner.”
CENTCOM also called the IRGC’s account false and accused the group of using such claims to intimidate commercial vessels and disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The conflicting accounts highlight the difficulty of independently verifying incidents in the region as tensions remain high. Independent reports have confirmed that the tanker was damaged in a projectile-related incident, while details surrounding the full sequence of events remain disputed.
