An oil tanker caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday after striking a naval mine, according to Iran's army, adding to a series of recent maritime incidents in one of the world's most strategically significant waterways.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions across the Middle East following the outbreak of regional conflict in late February. Since then, Tehran has tightened control over shipping movements through the Strait of Hormuz and has insisted that vessels use routes authorised by the Islamic Republic.

In a statement broadcast by state television, the naval forces of Iran's army said: "Early this morning, a violating oil tanker caught fire after striking a naval mine in an unsafe, prohibited area in the east of the Strait of Hormuz."

Iran maintains that ships transiting the strait without authorisation are placing themselves at risk by entering restricted zones. The latest fire is one of several incidents reported in recent weeks involving commercial vessels operating in the area.

The United States has responded to Iran's maritime restrictions by imposing a naval blockade on Iranian ports and increasing efforts to safeguard international shipping. American military forces have been assisting tankers and merchant vessels travelling through the strategically vital waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world's most important energy chokepoints, normally carrying around one-fifth of global oil shipments. Any disruption to maritime traffic there has the potential to affect energy markets and international trade flows.

The latest Iranian claim also follows recent statements from the US military that all naval mines in the strait had been cleared, highlighting the sharply differing narratives surrounding security conditions in the waterway.

US Central Command has been actively escorting vessels through Hormuz and recently stated that it had helped Gulf states export 1.5 billion barrels of oil through the passage since the summer, underscoring the waterway's continuing importance to regional energy exports.

On Tuesday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported that three additional oil tankers had caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz, further raising concerns over navigational safety and the risk of escalation in an already volatile region.

The latest tanker blaze is likely to intensify scrutiny of shipping security measures in the Gulf as both Iran and the United States continue competing efforts to control and protect maritime traffic through one of the world's busiest and most strategically important sea lanes.

Agencies