Iran Reports Tanker Fire After Mine Strike in Strait of Hormuz
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An oil tanker caught fire after striking a naval mine in a restricted zone in the eastern Strait of Hormuz, Iran's Navy reported on November 11, 2026. According to Iranian state media, the vessel had entered the area before the impact. Separately, the UKMTO (United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations) issued a warning confirming it had received a report of an incident involving a tanker in the same waterway.
Details still unconfirmed
Neither Iran's military nor the UKMTO identified the vessel involved or provided details on possible casualties, the extent of the damage, or any potential environmental impact. It also remained unclear whether the tanker mentioned by Iran was the same vessel referenced by the UKMTO, as the alleged mine strike was not independently confirmed.
Other attacks in the area
On November 10, one day earlier, the Liberian-flagged VLCC Fujairah Energy was struck by a projectile while sailing through the Persian Gulf between Al Ruwais and Dubai, according to India's Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, with four crew members injured, including an Indian seafarer who suffered minor wounds. That same day, ADNOC Logistics & Services confirmed that one of its vessels was damaged following an attack in United Arab Emirates territorial waters in the Arabian Gulf. These incidents followed an earlier attack, on November 7, against the Liberian-flagged tanker Tarif while it was crossing the Strait of Hormuz.
Later accounts
Two days later, on November 13, Iran's Revolutionary Guard reported that a vessel carrying liquefied natural gas struck a naval mine and suffered an explosion in the Strait of Hormuz on a Friday, while using what they described as an unauthorized and dangerous route. Iranian media had also reported that the previous Thursday four tankers were hit by explosions in the same waterway after entering areas Iran considers restricted.
Escalating attacks
According to data from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy cited by Baird Maritime, at least 10 vessels were struck in the first ten days of November, after 37 attacks were recorded in October, the highest monthly figure since the conflict began in late February. Days later, on November 14, Iran's Navy again reported that a tanker caught fire on a Saturday morning after striking a naval mine in the eastern Strait of Hormuz, a report that Reuters could not independently verify, amid the restrictions Iran has imposed on vessels seeking to pass through the waterway.
