TEHRAN, October 30, 2026 — Four oil tankers caught fire after striking sea mines in or near the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s armed forces said on Thursday, challenging the United States military’s claim that key shipping routes through the world’s most important oil chokepoint have been cleared.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said three tankers exploded and caught fire over the previous 24 hours while attempting to pass through what Tehran calls an “unauthorised” southern route through the strait. Iran’s army later reported a fourth tanker had caught fire east of the strait after hitting mines while operating in what it described as a restricted and dangerous area.
The incidents came a day after US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it had cleared key routes through the waterway, setting up a public dispute over the safety of a passage that normally carries about a fifth of global oil consumption.
IRGC says vessels ignored warnings
According to the IRGC statement, the three tankers that struck mines on the southern route had switched off their radar and navigation systems and disregarded warnings from the IRGC navy. The Guards warned the route is mined and that vessel owners and crews bear responsibility for transiting it.
IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebi challenged the American claim directly, writing on X: “Prove your Hormuz mine-clearing claim with independent evidence, not statements!”
It was not immediately clear when the explosions occurred, which flags the tankers were flying, or whether any crew were injured. The three-tanker mine-strike claim has not been independently verified, and the Associated Press reported that it could not confirm Iran’s account.
UKMTO reports separate incidents
Britain’s maritime agency, United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), separately reported a vessel on fire about 25 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman, inside the strait. UKMTO later said the fire was extinguished and the crew were safe.
UKMTO also documented two other incidents: a dhow that caught fire and sank following a maritime security incident, and a tanker struck by an unknown projectile while transiting the strait. In a separate report, UKMTO said a tanker was hit by an unidentified projectile at around 1600 GMT on Thursday, with no crew injuries reported.
Iran considers ships using the southern corridor near the Omani coast unauthorised, a position that is Tehran’s own, not an independently established determination.
Oil markets on edge
The mine reports added to mounting supply fears in energy markets. Brent crude rose to $115.74 a barrel in early Friday trade, on course for a nearly 14 percent gain in October, while US West Texas Intermediate climbed to $102.72, as Houthi attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure and the Hormuz incidents kept the risk premium elevated.
Since the outbreak of war on February 28, Iran has severely restricted traffic through the strait, and a string of mine and projectile incidents in recent weeks has kept insurers and Gulf exporters on alert. With Tehran and Washington now openly disputing whether the lanes are safe, shipping firms face a difficult choice between the routes each side declares open.
Sources: IRGC statement via Iranian state media; UKMTO incident reports; CENTCOM statements; Malay Mail, Gulf News, New Indian Express, Mathrubhumi, Dawn (October 30, 2026).
