The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps stated that three tankers struck mines along an unauthorized southern route after deactivating their navigation and radar equipment, while a fourth ship ignited in a restricted zone further east. Maritime monitoring group UKMTO separately documented that a vessel near Khasab, Oman, caught fire after a small boat attached two explosive devices to its hull, though the crew safely extinguished the blaze. The agency additionally recorded a sunken dhow and a tanker hit by an unidentified projectile during earlier transit attempts. These incidents contradict declarations from U.S. Central Command indicating that primary navigational lanes had been swept clea…
Key points
Commercial vessels navigating unapproved routes in the Strait of Hormuz face severe risks…: Commercial vessels navigating unapproved routes in the Strait of Hormuz face severe risks from active naval minefields.
Iranian military officials openly disputed claims by U.S. Central Command that primary sh…: Iranian military officials openly disputed claims by U.S. Central Command that primary shipping lanes through the waterway were cleared of mines.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps announced that its electronic warfare division cap…: The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps announced that its electronic warfare division captured an American MQM-170 reconnaissance drone in the western strait.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
It was not immediately clear when the incidents occurred or which flags the tankers were flying.
TEHRAN: Four tankers caught fire after hitting mines while attempting to navigate the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's armed forces said on Thursday (Oct 29), a day after the US military said it cleared key routes through the waterway.
"Over the past 24 hours, three violating oil tankers exploded and caught fire after striking mines while attempting to pass through the unauthorised southern route of the Strait of Hormuz," Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said in a statement.
Another tanker had caught fire east of the strait, after hitting mines while "operating in a restricted and dangerous area", Iran's army reported later on Thursday.
The initial three vessels had "switched off all their radar and navigation systems" and disregarded warnings from the IRGC navy, the statement said.
It was not immediately clear when the incidents occurred or which flags the tankers were flying.
British maritime agency UKMTO, meanwhile, said late on Thursday it had received a report of a vessel on fire about 25…
Disciplinary officials reached a unanimous verdict confirming that Leinster's veteran prop did not violate sportsmanship rules during a recent provincial derby. The dismissal eliminates the threat of a suspension ahead of a demanding international autumn schedule. As a result, the national squad will have its experienced front-row anchor fully available for next month's top-tier international fixtures.
Regional tensions remain high as opposing factions trade conflicting accounts regarding an alleged aerial attack. Spokesperson Yahya Saree maintained that the movement conducted zero operations aimed at Saudi territory during the timeframe in question. The dispute highlights ongoing volatility between the warring parties despite competing narratives over the incident.
President Ahmed al-Sharaa's administration is facing mounting public discontent as aggressive austerity measures, aimed at rehabilitating Syria's war-torn economy, trigger widespread unaffordability for essential goods. The elimination of vital state subsidies has pushed household budgets to the brink, sparking direct civil resistance against the new government's fiscal policies. With international humanitarian assistance shrinking, millions of residents are finding everyday survival increasingly untenable.