IRGC claims tanker mined in Hormuz; US says Iranian missile struck vessel

Iran's IRGC claims the Panama-flagged tanker El Gaia struck a sea mine and exploded in the Strait of Hormuz, while the US military rejects this, asserting an Iranian missile struck the vessel. The incident marks a direct escalation in the strait, a critical chokepoint for global oil transit, with conflicting accounts heightening uncertainty. The attack, if confirmed as a missile strike, would represent a significant escalation by Iran against commercial shipping.