FIVE oil tankers and a tugboat have caught fire in separate incidents in the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran's military blaming the vessels for attempting to navigate restricted or unsafe shipping routes.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Navy reported the incidents on Thursday, claiming the vessels had ignored maritime warnings and entered prohibited waters without prior coordination.
In the latest incident, two additional oil tankers struck naval mines and caught fire around midday on Thursday in an unsafe area east of the strait, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported, citing the Iranian Navy.
Tasmin News Agency cited the Navy saying the vessels had disregarded maritime warnings before entering the restricted area.
The report did not identify the vessels, disclose their nationalities or provide details of the extent of the damage.
Earlier on Thursday, another oil tanker struck a naval mine while passing through an unsafe zone east of the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran's official IRNA news agency, citing the Navy.
"The tanker, which was operating in violation of the restrictions, caught fire and was forced to stop," the Navy said.
It added that the vessel, like other tankers hit by naval mines and set ablaze in recent days, had switched off its identification and navigation systems.
Separately, the IRGC said a large oil tanker struck a mine on Wednesday night while attempting to use an unauthorised route south of the strait.
The vessel caught fire and was forced to halt, it said.
In another incident, a separate tanker caught fire after straying from the designated shipping route in the eastern part of the strait, while a tugboat approaching to help extinguish the blaze also caught fire, according to the IRGC.
The force further claimed that its naval electronic warfare units had taken control of two aircraft identified as Lucas, which it accused of intruding into the area.
It maintained that Iranian naval forces continued to exercise control over the Strait of Hormuz.
The IRGC also accused the United States of encouraging vessels to violate restrictions and navigate through mined shipping lanes.
It warned that the resulting damage would expose US taxpayers and regional allies to mounting insurance costs.
The force cautioned that attempts to breach navigation restrictions in the strategic waterway would result in greater financial losses and political setbacks for Washington. - November 6, 2026
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