Iran says the tanker El Gaia hit a sea mine — CENTCOM says Iran itself struck the ship twice, by missile and by drone

Incident Details: Iran claims the Panama-flagged tanker El Gaia hit a sea mine, but CENTCOM reports it was struck twice by Iran—once by missile and once by drone. Two sailors are missing, 23 rescued.

Disputed Claims: Tehran’s mine claim is seen as false by the U.S., part of ongoing attempts to control commercial shipping in the strait and influence global oil flow.

Strategic Importance: The Strait of Hormuz, a key oil passage, remains a flashpoint. Iran leverages its narrow waters to raise oil prices and limit support for U.S.-Israeli actions, while Oman seeks temporary traffic solutions.

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has dismissed a claim by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that a Panama-flagged tanker exploded after striking a sea mine in the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran said the El Gaia tanker exploded after striking a sea mine in the strait over the weekend – a claim rejected by CENTCOM, which said the tanker had been hit twice over the past month.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/iran-says-the-tanker-el-gaia-hit-a-sea-mine-centcom-says-iran-itself-struck-the-ship-twice-by-missile-and-by-drone/ar-AA2chjlN?ctsrc=dgst&ocid=edgdhpruby&pc=NMTS&cvid=6aaa37629d2d481a8dd9823de8ea614a&uxmode=ruby&ei=64