Iran's Revolutionary Guards say tankers hit mines in Strait of Hormuz

Summary

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said in a statement shared by state media that oil tankers exploded and caught fire after hitting sea mines while attempting to cross an unauthorised route south of the Strait of Hormuz over the past 24 hours. According to the Guards, the vessels had switched off their radar and navigation systems and ignored warnings from the Guards' navy, which said they had been abandoned on the southern shores of the strait. Outlets differ on the number of tankers: Middle East Eye reports three, while NDTV and The Hindu report four. All of these accounts rely on the Guards' statement.

Timeline

1. Middle East Eye

   29 Oct 2026, 09:48 UTCSource ↗

   Middle East Eye, citing a Revolutionary Guards statement shared by state media, reports that three oil tankers exploded and caught fire after hitting sea mines while attempting to cross an unauthorised route south of the Strait of Hormuz over the past 24 hours.

2. NDTV

   29 Oct 2026, 16:13 UTCSource ↗

   NDTV reports, in its headline, that four oil tankers caught fire after hitting mines in Hormuz, and says the Revolutionary Guards said the vessels had disregarded their warnings.

3. The Hindu

   29 Oct 2026, 16:32 UTCSource ↗

   The Hindu reports, in its headline, that Iran says four tankers caught fire after hitting mines in Hormuz, and that the vessels had switched off all their radar and navigation systems and disregarded warnings from the IRGC navy.