TEHRAN Oct 18, 2026 – Two oil supertankers, each carrying about two million barrels of crude oil, caught fire after striking naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz while attempting to transit on unauthorized routes, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy announced on Saturday.
According to statements carried by Iran’s official IRNA news agency and the IRGC’s Sepah News outlet, the first vessel struck a mine, triggering an explosion and a “fierce fire.” A second tanker later hit a mine and was “engulfed in a massive blaze,” leaving it immobilized. Both ships had switched off their positioning and radar systems in an attempt to evade detection and used routes not authorized by Iran. The IRGC claimed one of the tankers was attempting the crossing “with US support.”
No independent confirmation of the incidents has been reported, and Iranian authorities have not identified the vessels, their flags, owners, or the origin of their cargoes. Iranian media released video purportedly showing a tanker on fire at night.
The incidents occur against the backdrop of Iran’s asserted control over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint that carried roughly one-fifth of global seaborne oil trade before the US-Israeli war on Iran began in late February 2026. Since then, Tehran has required ships to seek prior authorization to transit and has warned that vessels deactivating navigation systems will be treated as “hostile.” The United States has imposed its own naval counter-blockade targeting Iranian oil exports in response.
The latest reports follow a series of recent attacks and incidents involving commercial shipping in and around the strait, including the sinking of cargo vessels earlier in the week. Disruptions have sharply reduced oil flows through the waterway compared with pre-conflict levels, contributing to higher global energy prices and inflation pressures.
IRGC naval commander Rear Admiral Ali Azmaei had previously stated that forces monitor the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz continuously and would respond decisively to vessels violating regulations.
The developments underscore ongoing risks to commercial shipping and global energy supply amid the protracted conflict. No immediate US or other international responses to the specific IRGC claims had been reported at the time of the announcements.
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