IRGC says two oil tankers exploded after hitting mines south of Hormuz; CENTCOM rejects the claim

Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) said on Saturday, 18 July 2026, via state television that two oil tankers trying to cross a minefield south of the Strait of Hormuz through the "deception of American intelligence services" had exploded and caught fire. The Guard did not name the two tankers.

In a separate statement the same day, the IRGC said four "violating" ships attempting to pass through the strait "with the support of the US military" had been "stopped in place" during a combined missile and drone operation.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) rejected the claim in a brief message on X, writing: "Like most IRGC claims, this is false." The developments came as US strikes on Iran entered a seventh consecutive night, and independent confirmation of the tanker explosions was not available. The Strait of Hormuz is the main route for the region's oil exports and energy shipments, and continued insecurity there weighs on the global oil market and inflation expectations.