TEHRAN, November 6 (Aalimi Nation) – Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Friday that two more oil tankers caught fire after striking naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, while a maritime security agency separately reported an explosion aboard a tanker off Oman. None of the Iranian claims had been independently confirmed.
What the Guards said
In a statement carried by Iranian state media, the Guards said two "violating" oil tankers hit mines while trying to cross by routes Tehran called unauthorised. They said one vessel was east of the strait and the other within it. The statement said both ships had switched off their navigation and identification systems and were trying to leave with United States military support, and that they caught fire and were stopped.
The Guards' claim followed reports on Thursday, again attributed to Iran's Guards and army navy, that five oil tankers and a tugboat had caught fire in separate incidents. According to those statements, a large tanker struck a mine on Wednesday night on an unauthorised route south of the strait, and a supertanker caught fire while leaving a route in the eastern part of the strait. A tugboat that approached to help fight one blaze was also said to have caught fire.
Earlier this week, the Guards had said four tankers were destroyed after hitting mines and that two other vessels were seized. The totals given in the various statements do not clearly match, and it is unclear whether they overlap.
The report from off Oman
The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said a tanker's master reported an explosion at the port-side waterline, about 16 nautical miles east of Khasab in Oman. The agency said the tanker remained under its own power and was continuing its voyage, and that all crew were safe and accounted for. It did not state a cause.
Accounts differ on timing: one says the blast occurred on Thursday and that the notice was issued on Friday after a delayed report. Whether this incident is linked to the Guards' claims has not been established. The tanker was not named.
Claims not verified
Maritime officials have not confirmed any of the incidents described by Iran, and no casualties were reported in the Iranian statements. The Guards also accused Washington of encouraging ships to pass through a mined route, an Iranian assertion.
Background and diplomacy
The strait normally carries about one-fifth of global oil consumption. Since the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran began on February 28, Tehran has tried to restrict traffic through the waterway. A ceasefire was reached in April, but fighting between Washington and Tehran resumed in July.
The United States has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports and has helped escort tankers through the strait. US Central Command said last month that it had helped Gulf countries export 1.5 billion barrels of oil through the strait since the summer, and has recently said all mines have been cleared from the waterway.
Separately, US President Donald Trump held a phone call on Friday with Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, which was publicised on social media. Sheikh Tamim urged continued talks and diplomatic solutions to prevent further escalation in the region. Iran has also sent a nuclear proposal to Washington through Qatari mediation, and the United States has said it is reviewing it.
