Mines or Missiles? Tanker Ablaze, Two Sailors Missing in Strait of Hormuz

📡 BBC World Service · 1 min read ·
Two sailors are missing after an oil tanker caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz, Oman says. The tanker, named El Gaia, was attacked on Tuesday, according to Omani officials. The cause of the fire is disputed. Iran says the ship struck mines. The United States says a missile hit the tanker first, followed by a drone strike. The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman. About one-fifth of the world's oil passes through it, making it one of the most important shipping routes on Earth. Search efforts for the two missing sailors are ongoing.