Multiple Oil Tankers Hit Mines and Catch Fire East of Strait of Hormuz as Iran Escalates Shipping Attacks

A series of tanker incidents struck the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, November 5, as Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed that multiple oil tankers had collided with naval mines and caught fire east of the strait. Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported an escalating number of vessels ablaze in the area, with the IRGC accusing the ships of navigating what it has declared an illegal shipping lane promoted by the United States.

Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations confirmed that a tanker transiting the southern route out of the strait was struck by two unidentified projectiles around 7:30 p.m. local time, with no injuries or environmental damage reported immediately. Iran has been targeting vessels along that southern route, which Washington has promoted as an alternative passage.

The attacks on Thursday come amid a broader deterioration of maritime security around the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of the Iran conflict in early 2026. The IRGC has declared the strait unsafe and closed to vessels transiting without coordination with Tehran. Data from the tanker-tracking firm Kpler showed crude oil and condensate flows through the strait, Red Sea, and Gulf of Oman fell to roughly 16.1 million barrels per day in October from 17.09 million bpd in September, a drop of approximately 1 million bpd. The strait normally carries about one-fifth of global oil consumption, making continued disruptions a significant threat to global energy markets.