The El Gaia tanker fire has triggered a fresh confrontation between Iran and the United States, with the IRGC and US Central Command offering sharply different accounts of what happened to the vessel near the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC claims the El Gaia exploded and caught fire after striking naval mines while travelling on a route south of Hormuz that Tehran says is "forbidden". Iranian officials say firefighting efforts failed to contain the blaze as the vessel was engulfed in flames. Iran has also reiterated that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and under its naval control, while warning shipping companies, insurers and classification societies against providing services to vessels included on its updated list of ships allegedly violating its restrictions. The United States has rejected Iran's version of events. US CENTCOM has described the mine claim as false and accused Iranian forces of attacking the El Gaia. WATCH

Tensions across West Asia are escalating with a fresh maritime incident in the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran’s IRGC says it struck a Togo-flagged oil tanker after accusing the vessel of attempting an “illegal passage” through the strategic waterway. Iranian state media said the tanker, identified as the Trend, caught fire and was forced to stop. Independent confirmation of the circumstances surrounding the reported strike, including details about the crew, cargo and exact location, remains limited. The latest Hormuz incident comes amid continuing disruption to commercial shipping in one of the world’s most important energy corridors. The developments have raised concerns over the security of another critical regional shipping route and the potential impact on global oil supplies. WATCH