Two Oil Tankers and a Tugboat Catch Fire in the Strait of Hormuz After Mine Strike, Iran Says

Two oil tankers and a tugboat have caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important shipping routes, after one of the tankers struck a naval mine, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Thursday, 5 November 2026.

The fires are the latest in a series of attacks on shipping in and around the narrow waterway, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil passes. They come a day after the IRGC said four more tankers had been destroyed by mines in the same area, and hours after Iran said it had seized two commercial vessels in the strait.

The claims come from Iran’s military and have not been independently verified. The United States has previously disputed similar Iranian claims about mine strikes on tankers. No casualties have been reported in the latest incidents, and the IRGC gave no details about the extent of the damage to the vessels.

Here is what we know so far, what is still unclear, and why the Strait of Hormuz matters so much to the whole world.

What happened overnight

According to the IRGC, the fires broke out in two separate incidents overnight, after the vessels tried to use routes through the strait that Iran had not authorised.

In the first incident, a large oil tanker struck a mine while trying to pass through a channel south of the strait, caught fire and stopped, the IRGC said in a statement carried by Iranian news agency Fars and reported by Reuters and Al Jazeera.

In the second incident, a supertanker caught fire as it was leaving the same route in the eastern part of the waterway. A tugboat that moved in to help put out the flames was itself engulfed in fire, the IRGC said.

The IRGC said its naval forces “continue to powerfully control the management of the Strait of Hormuz” and warned that ships passing through without its permission were doing so at their own risk.

Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that the tanker which hit the mine had switched off its identification and navigation systems before the explosion. Iran has made the same claim about other vessels it says were mined in recent days — that they were sailing without their tracking systems on. That claim has not been verified independently.

Iran also says it captured two US drones

In the same statement, the IRGC said its naval electronic warfare unit had taken control of two American drones and landed them safely.

The drones were described as “Lucas”-type aircraft — LUCAS stands for Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System, a type of low-cost attack drone. The IRGC said its forces forced the drones to land and seized them intact.

The United States has not confirmed that any of its drones were captured. As with the tanker fires, the claim comes only from Iran’s side so far, and no independent evidence has been published.

A second day of fires — and a gunboat attack

Thursday’s fires were not the first this week. On Wednesday, 4 November, the IRGC said four oil tankers had been destroyed after striking naval mines while using a prohibited route south of the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian force said the four tankers remained ablaze and that two other vessels had been seized.

Separately, the British military’s UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre reported that a container vessel came under fire near Oman on Wednesday. According to UKMTO, the ship’s captain reported that an IRGC vessel approached before shots were fired, causing heavy damage to the ship’s bridge. No fires or environmental damage were reported, no crew members were hurt, and all crew were said to be safe.

A British maritime security firm, Vanguard Tech, said the container vessel was sailing under a Liberian flag and had been told it had permission to pass through the strait. Iran’s Tasnim news agency, however, said the vessel had ignored warnings from Iranian forces.

UKMTO also reported another incident on Wednesday night: a tanker was struck by two unidentified projectiles about 50 nautical miles north of Qatar, at 11:20 p.m. UTC on 4 November. It is not clear whether that attack is connected to the vessels the IRGC was referring to.

On Thursday, Al Jazeera reported that Iran had captured two foreign commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and moved them to the Iranian coast. The IRGC said the vessels had broken maritime rules and entered the waterway without coordination with Iranian authorities. The capture came hours after US President Donald Trump said he would extend a ceasefire with Tehran.

A pattern going back weeks

The incidents fit a pattern that has been building for weeks. On 29 October, the IRGC said three tankers had struck mines and caught fire in the strait, again saying the ships had switched off their radar and navigation systems. US Central Command has repeatedly rejected earlier Iranian claims of mine strikes in the strait as inaccurate.

Iran has tightened its control over the strait since earlier this year, saying that vessels linked to Israel and the United States may not pass safely, and that ships must have its permission and coordination to use the waterway.

Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Tehran, Tohid Asadi, said the IRGC’s position was that “any passage of ships, vessels or oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz should be with the permission and coordination of the IRGC.”

The incidents come against the backdrop of the war between the United States and Iran, which has now lasted more than 250 days. A ceasefire agreed in June collapsed months later, and mediation efforts are continuing. Qatar has stepped up its mediation, and Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, visited Tehran this week alongside Saudi and Turkish officials as part of efforts to revive a ceasefire.

President Trump has said the United States currently has no plans for military action, but an Iranian official has admitted that the two sides “still remain far apart.”

Why the Strait of Hormuz matters so much

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow stretch of water between Iran and Oman, connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the open sea. It is the only sea route out of the Gulf, which means almost all of the oil exported by Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Iran itself must pass through it.

Roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply travels through the strait. That is why any threat to shipping there immediately worries governments and markets around the world. If tankers cannot pass safely, oil supplies tighten, fuel prices rise, and the cost of everything that depends on transport — from food to manufactured goods — can go up.

For ordinary people, the connection is simple: when oil becomes more expensive or harder to move, petrol and diesel prices rise, and so do the prices of many everyday goods.

That is also why the strait has been at the centre of tensions for decades. Whoever controls it, or can threaten it, holds real power over the world’s energy supply. Iran has repeatedly warned that it could close the strait if it chose to. So far it has not done so — instead, it has tried to control which ships may pass, and punished those it says break its rules.

Oil prices were already falling

The latest fires come at a moment when oil prices had been falling sharply. On Wednesday, after the US midterm elections, Brent crude — the benchmark that sets the price of most of the world’s oil — fell almost 9 percent to settle at about $94.62 a barrel, its third straight daily drop. US crude fell more than 8 percent to about $88.12 a barrel.

Markets had been hoping that the election result — in which the Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress — would speed up efforts to end the war with Iran, easing fears about oil supplies. The fires in the strait are a reminder of how quickly that picture can change.

It is too early to say what the incidents will mean for oil prices in the coming days. What is clear is that traders, governments and shipping companies will be watching the strait very closely. The cost of insuring ships that pass through the area has already risen sharply during the war, and the IRGC itself has accused the US government of pushing up insurance costs by encouraging vessels to use the mined route.

What we still do not know

Several important questions remain unanswered:

Were there any casualties? The IRGC gave no information about casualties in Thursday’s incidents, and no other source has reported any. The crews’ fate is unknown.

How badly were the ships damaged? The IRGC said the tankers caught fire, but gave no details about the extent of the damage, whether the fires were brought under control, or whether any oil had spilled into the sea.

Which ships were involved? The names, flags and owners of the tankers and the tugboat have not been confirmed. Some reports described one vessel as a Panama-flagged crude carrier, but that has not been confirmed by an official source.

Were the mines Iranian? The IRGC says the tankers hit mines while using an unauthorised route. It has not said who laid the mines, and no independent source has confirmed the cause of the fires.

What about the drones? The US has not confirmed that any of its drones were captured, and no images or other evidence have been published.

What happens next? It is unclear whether shipping through the strait will be disrupted, whether more vessels will be targeted, or whether the incidents will affect the ceasefire talks.

These gaps matter. In a war, claims from one side are often impossible to check quickly, and both sides have reasons to present events in the best light for themselves. The honest position is that the fires happened — the IRGC, Reuters, Al Jazeera and others all report them — but the full picture, including who is responsible and how serious the damage is, is still emerging.

What happens next

Several things will be watched closely in the coming days.

First, shipping companies and insurers will decide whether it is still safe — and affordable — to send tankers through the strait. If more ships are attacked, some may choose longer, more expensive routes, or refuse to sail at all.

Second, the United States and its allies will have to decide how to respond. The US has warships in the region, and it has previously rejected Iranian claims about mine strikes. Any confirmed attack on commercial shipping could raise pressure for a military response, even as ceasefire talks continue.

Third, the mediation efforts will continue. Qatar, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are all involved in trying to revive a ceasefire. Whether the latest incidents help or hurt those efforts is unclear — attacks on shipping could harden positions on both sides, or they could push negotiators to move faster.

And fourth, oil markets will react. If the strait stays open and the fires turn out to be limited, prices may steady. If attacks continue, or if shipping is disrupted, prices could rise again — with consequences for fuel and food costs around the world.

For now, the Strait of Hormuz — a stretch of water most people never think about — is once again at the centre of world events. What happens there in the next few days could affect the price of petrol, the course of the war, and the chances of a ceasefire.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the Strait of Hormuz on 5 November 2026?

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said two oil tankers and a tugboat caught fire in separate incidents overnight. One tanker struck a mine while using a route south of the strait that Iran had not authorised. A supertanker caught fire in the eastern part of the waterway, and a tugboat that came to help also caught fire.

How much of the world’s oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz?

About a fifth of the world’s oil supply travels through the strait, according to Al Jazeera. It is the only sea route out of the Persian Gulf, so almost all oil exported by the Gulf states must pass through it.

Were there any casualties?

No casualties have been reported. The IRGC gave no details about casualties or the extent of the damage to the vessels, and no other source has reported deaths or injuries.

What did Iran say about US drones?

The IRGC said its naval electronic warfare unit took control of two American LUCAS-type drones and landed them safely, seizing them intact. The United States has not confirmed this.

Have there been other attacks on ships this week?

Yes. On Wednesday, 4 November, the IRGC said four oil tankers were destroyed by mines in the strait. The British maritime agency UKMTO also reported that a container vessel was fired on by an Iranian gunboat near Oman, and that a tanker was hit by two projectiles north of Qatar.

Why does this matter for oil prices?

The strait is a vital route for global oil supplies. Any threat to shipping there can push oil prices up, which raises the cost of petrol, diesel and many everyday goods. Brent crude had fallen to about $94.62 a barrel on 4 November, but fresh attacks raise new fears about supplies.

Is the Strait of Hormuz closed?

No. Ships are still passing through the strait, but Iran says vessels must have its permission and coordination. Shipping companies and insurers are watching the situation closely.

Sources

• Reuters, “Iran’s IRGC says two tankers and tugboat caught fire in Strait of Hormuz”, 5 November 2026: https://ktwb.com/2026/11/04/irans-irgc-says-two-tankers-and-tugboat-caught-fire-in-strait-of-hormuz/
• Al Jazeera, as reported by LaPresse, “Iran, Revolutionary Guards: ‘Two oil tankers and one tugboat on fire in the Strait of Hormuz'”, 5 November 2026: https://lapresse.us/world/2026/11/05/iran-revolutionary-guards-two-oil-tankers-and-one-tugboat-on-fire-in-the-strait-of-hormuz/
• Tasnim News Agency, “Two Oil Tankers, A Tugboat Catch Fire after Passing through Hormuz Strait Illegally: IRGC”, 5 November 2026: https://tasnimnews.ir/en/news/2026/11/05/3740900/two-oil-tankers-a-tugboat-catch-fire-after-passing-through-hormuz-strait-illegally-irgc
• AnewZ, “Oil tanker hits mine as fires erupt in Strait of Hormuz”, 5 November 2026: https://anewz.tv/world/world-news/26314/oil-tanker-hits-mine-as-fires-erupt-in-strait-of-hormuz/news
• Al Jazeera, “Iran captures two vessels in Strait of Hormuz after ship comes under fire”, 5 November 2026: https://aljazeeranews-3fuh52rgrl.edgeone.app/news/2026/4/22/iranian-gunboat-fires-on-container-ship-off-oman-coast
• JFeed, “Iran Says Tanker Hit Mine, Caught Fire Near Hormuz”, 5 November 2026: https://www.jfeed.com/news/iran-tanker-mine-strait-of-hormuz-fire
• Findivoza, “Democrats Win Both Chambers in 2026 US Midterm Elections in Major Blow to Trump”, 5 November 2026: https://findivoza.com/democrats-win-both-chambers-in-2026-us-midterm-elections-in-major-blow-to-trump/
• Findivoza, “Oil Prices Plunge as Brent Crude Falls Below $95 After US Midterm Elections”, 5 November 2026: https://findivoza.com/oil-prices-plunge-as-brent-crude-falls-below-95-after-us-midterm-elections/

This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.