Two oil supertankers carrying a combined total of more than 4.5 million barrels of crude were abandoned by their crews after striking naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said on Saturday, 24 October 2026. The Hormuz tankers incident is the latest flashpoint in one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes.
According to the IRGC Navy’s Public Relations Office, the incident occurred when the two vessels attempted to navigate an unauthorised southern route in the strategic waterway. Upon striking the mines, the engine rooms of both tankers suffered severe explosions and intense fires, the statement said.
Crews flee burning vessels
The IRGC said the explosions completely disabled the vessels and forced them to halt, prompting crews to abandon ship and flee. No independent confirmation of casualties or the vessels’ current status was immediately available, according to the egazette report of the incident.
The vessels were not named in the IRGC statement, and the exact location was not specified beyond the southern part of the strait, officials said. International maritime law does not grant Iran recognised authority to restrict routes through the strait, which is governed by transit passage rules.
The incident adds to concerns over the security of the strait, through which about one-fifth of global oil consumption passed before the current conflict, according to earlier Reuters reporting.
Warnings over unauthorised routes
The IRGC has repeatedly warned that the waterway is heavily mined and that vessels switching off tracking systems or taking unauthorised routes will face disaster, officials said. Tehran declared the strait closed to unauthorised traffic after the United States’ alleged violation of the Islamabad memorandum in July, according to Press TV.
Earlier in October, the IRGC reported similar mine strikes on tankers, and maritime officials reported other attacks near the strait, according to MarineLink and Reuters. Those earlier incidents also lacked independent confirmation at the time.
Shipping operators and insurers were watching the strait closely on Saturday, officials said, as any prolonged disruption could affect oil prices and transit schedules. Authorities urged vessels to follow recognised transit procedures and to report incidents promptly.
Maritime authorities said they were seeking independent confirmation of the vessels’ identities, cargoes and crew safety, and they warned ship operators in the Gulf to maintain tracking systems, follow recognised transit corridors, and to report any suspicious objects or explosions to regional maritime security centres immediately.
