Another oil tanker suffered a major explosion after striking a sea mine in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Al Jazeera. Iranian officials confirmed the incident, reported on July 27, 2026. Iranian authorities said the explosion occurred because the vessel had not followed a designated navigation route.

Iran issued a stern warning after the blast, saying any vessel seeking to cross the Strait of Hormuz must maintain full coordination with Iranian authorities. It said Iran would not guarantee the safety of ships that fail to do so. The incident came after two days of calm, during which there had been no US attack on Iran and no reported Iranian response.

Iran announced on June 26 that traffic through the strait could use only routes designated by Tehran. The United States supports free navigation through Hormuz, while Iran says ships must use designated coastal routes under a Tehran-supervised maritime guidance system. On July 8, President Donald Trump announced the cancellation of a memorandum of understanding signed with Iran the previous month, alleging Tehran had violated the agreement.