Iran claims two oil tankers on fire after hitting mines in Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed on Tuesday that two oil tankers caught fire and were halted after striking mines laid by IRGC naval forces on an unauthorised southern route through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a statement carried by IRNA and Mehr.

The IRGC warned: “Passing through the mined and illegal route will result in nothing but the burning of the offenders’ assets, and that if such actions by the US regime continue, oil companies will have to pay a much heavier price.”

The names, flags and ownership of the two tankers have not been disclosed, and the extent of any damage or casualties is unclear. None of the claims has been independently verified: Pakistan Matters notes that UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and other maritime monitors have not confirmed the reported explosions. Roya News reported that Iranian authorities said each tanker was carrying about two million barrels of crude — a figure attributed to Iran, not verified.

Brent crude climbed above $111 per barrel in early trading, its highest level in five months, as traders priced in shipping-security fears, Pakistan Matters and Al Jazeera’s liveblog report.

The same IRGC statement also claimed the downing of a US MQ-9 drone over the strait — already covered in our 2026-10-20-1255 story. The claims land amid the continuing US–Iran confrontation that began with US and Israeli airstrikes against Iran on 28 February 2026, after which Tehran retaliated and effectively closed the strait to most commercial traffic.