A widely shared report alleged that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated the oil tanker El Gaia hit a naval mine.
WASHINGTON, DC: Amid heightened friction between the United States and Iran, a viral report concerning an oil tanker incident in the Strait of Hormuz has drawn significant online attention.
According to the circulated accounts, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) maintained that the Panama-registered vessel El Gaia detonated a naval mine while navigating the vital maritime corridor.
This development unfolds as commercial maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz faces severe disruptions due to the ongoing geopolitical conflict. Here is a closer examination of the facts behind the assertion.
Claim: IRGC asserted that the Panama-flagged EI Gaia struck a naval mine
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said Monday that the oil tanker EL GAIA struck a naval mine while attempting to pass through what it called a restricted area south of the Strait of Hormuz, causing an explosion and a major fire.
The IRGC Navy Command said efforts to… pic.twitter.com/pNl1KgUQgF
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) September 14, 2026
A post published on X by Iran International English brought widespread visibility to the narrative that the IRGC held responsibility for announcing the naval mine strike involving the El Gaia.
The social media post detailed: “Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said Monday that the oil tanker EL GAIA struck a naval mine while attempting to pass through what it called a restricted area south of the Strait of Hormuz, causing an explosion and a major fire.”
Furthermore, the statement attributed to the IRGC Navy claimed that attempts to extinguish the blaze proved unsuccessful, leaving the ship completely engulfed in flames. Authorities also reportedly reiterated earlier warnings regarding the dangers of navigating what they deemed an unauthorized route.
Additionally, the IRGC Navy was quoted as declaring, “The Strait of Hormuz is closed and remains under our smart control.”
Registry details referenced in the coverage identified the El Gaia as a Panama-flagged, 180-meter petroleum carrier with a deadweight capacity of approximately 48,000 tons (IMO number 9325336).
At the time, the report noted a lack of independent verification regarding the IRGC’s version of events, alongside an absence of immediate data concerning potential casualties or the precise magnitude of the vessel’s destruction.
Fact Check: False, CENTCOM refutes the IRGC statement
United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has formally rejected the narrative pushed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that the tanker fell victim to a naval mine inside the Strait of Hormuz.
In a public statement via X, CENTCOM clarified: “The Panama-flagged oil tanker El Gaia was struck by an Iranian missile last month and rendered inoperable.”
The military command further elaborated: “This weekend, Iran struck the tanker again with a drone while the ship sat in waters of the coast of Oman. The tanker is currently being towed by a regional partner.”
Moreover, CENTCOM dismissed the IRGC’s narrative as untruthful, alleging that the faction relies on such fabrications to intimidate commercial shipping operators and destabilize traffic through the critical strait.
These contradictory reports underscore the persistent challenges in independently verifying maritime incidents amid prevailing regional hostilities. While independent sources have corroborated that the ship suffered physical damage from a projectile attack, the exact sequence of underlying events remains contested.