Ship carrying 2,500 containers sinks after hitting mine in Hormuz: IRGC Navy

A container ship carrying more than 2,500 containers sank in waters south of the Strait of Hormuz after hitting a naval mine and catching fire, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) said on Wednesday.

The IRGC Navy said the vessel struck a mine and suffered a ‘severe fire’ while attempting to navigate “a dangerous and unauthorized” passage through the strategic waterway.

The ship, carrying more than 2,500 containers, sank in waters south of the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday morning after the fire intensified, the statement said.

The IRGC Navy urged local vessels and fishermen to exercise extreme caution when navigating the area, warning that containers from the sunken ship were floating on the water’s surface.

The statement did not identify the vessel, disclose details about its flag or operator, or provide information on the fate of its crew.

It comes as the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported on Wednesday two incidents from the previous day in which container ships were struck by unidentified projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz – although it is currently unclear whether the two incidents are linked.

It said in a statement that a 50,000-ton container ship conducting an inbound SoH transit, was struck by an unknown projectile at 1640UTC, while the other, a 19,000-ton container ship conducting an outbound SoH transit, was hit at 1700UTC.

Both vessels reported minor damage and no casualties and were able to continue their passages, according to the agency.

UKMTO advised vessels to transit the area with caution and report any suspicious activity. Authorities were investigating the incident.

The waterway has witnessed a series of attacks on commercial vessels, raising concerns about the risks faced by ships operating in the region.

US Central Command on Tuesday flatly rejected claims by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that it controls the Strait of Hormuz and would sink any approaching U.S. navy warships, asserting instead that Washington and its regional partners fully control the strategic chokepoint.

The military command disputed recent remarks by an Iranian navy commander who asserted Tehran’s dominance over the vital passage, declaring that US forces had assisted Gulf partners in transporting more than 19 million barrels of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday alone.

“IRGC’s navy commander has no navy. American forces and regional partners clearly control the Strait of Hormuz,” CENTCOM said in a statement posted to social media platform X.

Two Singapore-registered vessels struck in Strait of Hormuz: MPA

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said Wednesday that two Singapore-registered container vessels, GFS PRIDE and GFS GISELLE, were reportedly struck by unknown projectiles while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on 13 and 14 October 2026 (Singapore time), respectively.

According to the MPA, the GFS PRIDE sustained damage and a fire on board, and has since sunk. All 21 crew members were safely evacuated. No injuries have been reported.

The second vessel GFS GISELLE sustained hull damage, MPA said, and has since arrived under its own propulsion at a safe anchorage. All 22 crew members are safe, with no injuries reported.

There are no Singaporeans on board both vessels.

MPA said is in contact with the vessels’ management company and is monitoring the situation closely.