Iran Says Five Oil Tankers and a Tugboat Caught Fire in Strait of Hormuz
Iranian forces said on November 5, 2026 that five oil tankers and a tugboat had caught fire in several incidents in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Al Jazeera. The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow sea passage at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, and it normally carries about one-fifth of global oil consumption.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) told the Fars news agency that a large oil tanker trying to pass through the passage south of the strait had struck a mine, caught fire and been brought to a halt. A naval mine is an explosive device placed in the water. The IRGC also said another supertanker was halted by a massive fire as it exited the eastern side of the strait, and that a tugboat which approached to put out the fire also caught fire.
The Iranian army, speaking through the state news agency IRNA, gave a separate account of the day's events. It said a tanker in what it described as an unsafe area east of the strait caught fire and stopped after striking a naval mine early on November 5. It also said that around noon, two more oil tankers struck mines and caught fire in waters east of the strait.
Separately, the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) said a tanker was struck by two projectiles about 50 nautical miles (about 93 kilometres) north of Qatar's Madinat ash-Shamal at 23:20 GMT on November 4. UKMTO did not identify the tanker or the flag it was sailing under.
Qatar Gas Transport Company, known as Nakilat, said on October 30 that its liquefied natural gas carrier Al Mayeda had been hit by unidentified objects while sailing in the Gulf. The company said there were no crew injuries and no environmental impact.
The incidents follow a run of similar reports in recent weeks. On November 2, IRNA reported that the IRGC Navy said 11 oil tankers it described as offending had caught fire in the strait within nine days, starting October 25. On October 22, Associated Press reported that Iran's state television said seven oil tankers had been struck by attacks or had hit naval mines in the strait.
Earlier, in September, Reuters reported that the United States had sunk five Iranian oil tankers, and that Iran had then said it attacked 10 ships near the strait.
