Oil Tanker Explodes on Sea Mine in Strait of Hormuz, Iran Warns of War Expansion
The incident occurred after the US temporarily suspended attacks on Iran, with a meeting between Netanyahu and Trump ahead.
The incident occurred after the US temporarily suspended attacks on Iran, with a meeting between Netanyahu and Trump ahead.
An oil tanker struck a sea mine and exploded in the Strait of Hormuz on July 26, 2026, after deviating from the shipping route designated by Iran, according to semi-official Iranian news agencies Tasnim and Mehr and the online portal Defapress, as reported by SouthFront EN.
According to Iranian media, Iranian authorities had previously warned that ships leaving the approved route would do so at their own risk. Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intercepted six vessels attempting to transit the strait outside the established order, reports Slavyangrad.
The incident occurred as the United States suspended airstrikes on Iran for the second consecutive night, after nearly two weeks of nightly strikes. As Axios reported on July 25, President Donald Trump ordered the military to halt strikes to give diplomacy a chance.
Iranian military spokesman Mohammad Akraminia confirmed on July 26 that Iranian forces had also halted retaliatory operations, emphasizing that this was a direct consequence of the US decision.
"Since our strategy was essentially retaliation, we have also stopped our retaliatory operations," Akraminia said, as reported by SouthFront EN.
However, Akraminia warned that the war could escalate if the US continues attacks on Iran.
"I believe that if the Americans again fall for the deception of the Zionists, or act in accordance with them, and insist on continuing the war, especially through airstrikes, it will expand geographically," he stated.
He added that the scope of Iranian operations has now encompassed the entire region, from US bases in Jordan to countries along the Persian Gulf, and that the war has already expanded to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the entrance to the Red Sea.
"We are ready for every option and scenario that seems likely," he conveyed.
Against the backdrop of the temporary lull, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is preparing for a meeting with Trump in the US. According to a report by Israel's Channel 12, as relayed by SouthFront EN, Netanyahu and his team plan to present Trump with fresh intelligence on Iran's efforts to rebuild its military and nuclear program under the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.
Israeli officials believe Iran is rapidly advancing toward nuclear weapons and are seeking to convince Washington to continue military pressure. Given Netanyahu's history of pushing Trump toward escalation, a return to conflict seems more than likely, while Iran, as the Strait of Hormuz incident shows, keeps its finger on the trigger.
