Iran’s Revolutionary Guard reports two tankers on fire in Strait of Hormuz as talks continue
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported Friday that two oil tankers had caught fire while attempting to navigate unauthorized routes in the Strait of Hormuz, as Qatari mediators returned to Tehran to broker an agreement between Iran and the United States.
According to Iranian state media, the Guard claimed the tankers had switched off their navigation and positioning systems and were attempting to leave the strait through routes opposed by Tehran, with the support of the U.S. military. The vessels continued sailing despite repeated radio warnings before encountering trouble in what Iran described as unsafe areas. No details about the tankers' identities, flags, precise causes of the incidents or crew conditions were provided.
Separate attacks reported
In a separate incident whose possible connection to the Guard's claims remains unclear, the UKMTO reported that a small boat approached an oil Thursday evening and attached two explosive devices to its hull above the waterline. The devices detonated, sparking a fire in the engine room and temporarily disabling the vessel.
The fire had been extinguished, all crew members were safe and no environmental pollution had been reported.
The Financial Times identified the tanker as the Louise 1. The attack appeared to mark the first reported successful use of limpet mines against a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz since the U.S.-Iran war began in February 2026.
Separately, Oman's Maritime Security Center reported that the Royal Navy of Oman had evacuated 25 crew members from a Panama-flagged commercial vessel that came under attack and caught fire about 1.6 nautical miles off the coast of Musandam.
Conflicting claims
The Guard's latest statements followed claims Thursday that three tankers had struck naval mines along the strait's southern route, triggering explosions and fires. Iran's regular military also reported Thursday that another tanker had caught fire in the eastern Strait of Hormuz.
Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, reiterated that the Strait of Hormuz's main shipping lanes had been cleared of Iranian naval mines. He also claimed that Iran's navy had been destroyed and that Revolutionary Guard forces were no longer operating in the waterway.
CENTCOM rejected a claim by the Revolutionary Guard that it had taken control of an American MQM-170 Outlaw drone in the western Strait of Hormuz. Iranian sources, meanwhile, reported that an American unmanned surface vessel had been destroyed in the eastern Strait of Hormuz.
Diplomatic efforts continue
The growing number of maritime incidents comes amid a continuing dispute between Washington and Tehran over shipping routes through the strategic waterway. Iran has demanded vessels coordinate movements with Iranian authorities and use routes closer to the strait's northern shores.
CBS News reported signs of progress in diplomatic efforts, with Iran expected to respond to a revised proposal from Qatari mediators by the end of the week. The initiative aims to prevent a resumption of large-scale U.S. strikes against Iran, a possibility Trump has repeatedly raised.
The Associated Press reported that Washington had warned several regional allies about the possibility of renewed U.S. attacks on Iran and potential Iranian retaliation, although Trump had not made a final decision. Speaking to a Kansas City radio station, Trump said the war with Iran would end "soon" but did not specify whether through diplomacy or military action.
Related
