Another tanker catches fire near Hormuz after two cargo ships sink

An oil tanker caught fire in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday after entering a restricted area with its tracking systems switched off, according to Iranian state-run media. It was the second tanker fire reported in the same waters within 24 hours, adding to a series of incidents near the Strait of Hormuz. The name, flag and condition of the crew were not immediately known, and the cause of the fire had not been confirmed.

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Iran's navy said monitoring teams patrolling the eastern sector of the Strait of Hormuz detected the vessel ablaze in what it described as a prohibited zone. The report, cited by the Mehr news agency, said the tanker had entered the area with its tracking disabled. On Wednesday, Iranian domestic media reported a separate tanker fire near the strait after that vessel also switched off its tracking equipment.

No official account has yet explained whether the two fires are linked. The latest fire comes after two commercial vessels sank in the same waters in recent days. The container ship GFS Pride sank on Wednesday after catching fire, and all 21 crew members were rescued.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the ship struck a sea mine, while maritime sources cited an unidentified projectile. The cargo ship Cape Dao, which had previously been hit by a projectile, also sank, and one crew member was killed in the initial attack. Those incidents have raised concern about the safety of shipping through one of the world's most sensitive maritime chokepoints.

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The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow passage through which a large share of global oil and fuel shipments pass, making any disruption there closely watched by governments and shipping companies. Iran's Revolutionary Guard declared the waters leading to the strait a prohibited zone in September, saying the restriction covered part of the Gulf of Oman and part of the Arabian Sea along the approach to the waterway. Iranian officials have said vessels entering the area without permission may face penalties, while Tehran has also said it exercises control over the route.

The recent incidents have unfolded against a backdrop of heightened tension over maritime security in the region. Videos circulating on social media appeared to show cargo and debris floating near the strait, with people in small boats collecting items, but the footage could not be independently verified. US Central Command, which oversees US military operations in the region, had not commented on Thursday's tanker fire at the time of publication.

The conflicting accounts over mines, projectiles and vessel movements underline how little is yet confirmed about the sequence of events. What remains unclear is whether the tanker fire on Thursday was caused by an attack, an accident or another form of maritime incident. The identity of the vessel, its flag and the status of the crew have not been released, and there has been no independent confirmation of the cause.

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