US Central Command Denies Iranian Claim That Tanker Struck Mine in Strait of Hormuz

The competing narratives now matter as much as the physical damage: a mine claim implies a drifting hazard that would force insurers and shipowners to reprice transit risk across the strait, while the missile-and-drone account points to a state actor with sustained targeting intent. The discrepancy itself is the signal — when attribution is contested, the market's ability to price the waterway degrades faster than the underlying threat changes. Whether regional partners keep assisting the tow, and whether the two accounts converge, is the open question.