Iran Claims Tankers Hit in Hormuz Amid Escalating Tensions and Fears of US Retaliation

At least five oil tankers have sustained damage in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian forces. They emphasized that maritime traffic will remain at risk as long as the conflict involving the United States and Israel against Iran persists. Since the commencement of hostilities against Iran in late February, Tehran has imposed significant restrictions on passage through this vital waterway, which typically handles approximately one-fifth of the world's oil supply.

"Last night, a large oil tanker attempting to navigate the illegal passage south of the Strait of Hormuz caught fire after striking a mine and was immobilized," reported Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to the Fars news agency on Thursday. The IRGC further stated, "Another supertanker was halted by a massive fire while departing the eastern Strait of Hormuz. A tugboat that approached the supertanker to combat the blaze also ignited."

Subsequently, the Iranian army announced that three additional tankers were struck by naval mines and subsequently caught fire. "Early this morning, a violating oil tanker, navigating through an unsafe area east of the Strait of Hormuz, caught fire and came to a halt after hitting a naval mine," the army reported, as cited by the official IRNA news agency. "Today around noon, two more oil tankers struck naval mines and caught fire in the unsafe waters east of the Strait of Hormuz," read another army statement carried by IRNA.

In a separate incident, the British military confirmed that a tanker was struck by two projectiles off the coast of Qatar. The vessel was hit approximately 50 nautical miles (about 93 kilometers) north of Madinat ash-Shamal, Qatar, on Wednesday at 23:20 GMT, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency on Thursday. UKMTO did not disclose the identity of the tanker or its flag state. No group has yet claimed responsibility for this attack.

Last week, a Qatari tanker, the liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier Al Mayeda, was hit by "unidentified objects" while sailing in the Gulf on October 30, according to Qatar Gas Transport Company (Nakilat). The company reported that no crew members were injured and there was no environmental impact, adding that the vessel remained safe and operational while the damage was being assessed.

Attacks on tankers in the Gulf are occurring at a pace nearing record levels. A report from UKMTO last month indicated that accurately reporting the total number of attacks has become challenging, as most ships now refrain from reporting such incidents. Qatar has intensified its mediation efforts in recent days to facilitate the resumption of talks aimed at ending the war. A spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on Tuesday that both parties were reviewing proposals put forth by mediators, with ongoing discussions.

Meanwhile, unnamed Pentagon officials and military commanders informed The New York Times on Wednesday that thousands of US air and naval forces, stationed on over a dozen ships and at bases across the Middle East and within the US, are prepared to recommence major combat operations against Iran under orders from President Donald Trump. However, Iranian government and military leaders have issued warnings of severe repercussions should the US or Israel pursue further military action. On Wednesday, Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei asserted that there should be "not even the slightest inclination towards submission" to the US, which he characterized as remaining hostile towards Iran regardless of the ruling political party in power. Brigadier General Mohammad Karami, commander of the IRGC Ground Force, stated on Wednesday that the continuation of "hostile and brutal actions by Iran’s enemies" would result in "further Iranian victories and greater national pride," while accelerating the expulsion of foreign powers from the region and the collapse of Israel.