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News · WorldIran says three oil tankers are on fire after hitting mines near the Strait of Hormuz
The Revolutionary Guards say the ships used a route Iran considers forbidden. No one has yet confirmed which ships they are, and the United States insists the main routes are clear of mines.
Translated from the original Spanish article. Read in Spanish
News published on October 29, 2026. The situation may have changed since then.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards announced on Thursday, October 29, 2026 that three oil tankers exploded and caught fire after hitting mines while trying to cross the Strait of Hormuz.
What Iran says
According to its statement, the ships were sailing along the southern route, near the coast of Oman, which Iran considers unauthorized. It claims they switched off their radars and navigation systems and ignored its warnings.
Iran has not named the ships, their flags or exactly when it happened. It has not reported any injuries or deaths either.
What has been confirmed
The British maritime agency UKMTO reported a ship on fire about 9 nautical miles north of Khasab, in Oman. It is not known whether it is one of the three Iran mentions, or how its crew is doing.
The same agency reported another tanker hit by a projectile as it left the southern route, with no injuries.
About one fifth of the oil and gas the world consumes normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
The fight over the mines
The announcement came one day after the United States military said it had cleared the main routes of mines. A Revolutionary Guards spokesman demanded independent evidence.
The United States maintains a blockade of Iranian ports and escorts tankers through the strait. President Donald Trump had previously accused Iran of making up attacks on ships.
A very violent month
Since the war began on February 28, Iran has heavily restricted traffic through Hormuz. According to the Washington Institute think tank, October is already the month with the most Iranian attacks on commercial ships: 28.
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Sources (in Spanish)
- Comunicado de la Guardia Revolucionaria, rutas, bloqueo y cuota del petróleo mundial: Asharq Al-Awsat (29 de octubre de 2026).
- Barco en llamas cerca de Jasab y petrolero alcanzado por un proyectil (UKMTO): CBS News (29 de octubre de 2026).
- Barcos sin identificar, palabras de Trump y 28 ataques en octubre (Washington Institute): National Security Journal (29 de octubre de 2026).
Photos are from Wikimedia Commons under free licenses; the author and license are shown under each image.
