Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and army said on Thursday, November 5, 2026, that five oil tankers and a tugboat caught fire in separate Strait of Hormuz incidents, but maritime authorities had not confirmed the reported fires.
The IRGC said one tanker hit a mine while trying to cross a southern route that it said was not allowed. The Guard said a second, very large oil tanker caught fire farther east as it left the route. A tugboat that went to the second vessel to put out the fire also caught fire, according to the Guard.
Iran’s army later reported that three more tankers hit mines and caught fire east of the strait. That brought the total in Iranian accounts to five tankers. The vessels were not identified.
Available reports did not say what happened to their crews or how much damage occurred. Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency reported that a tanker was hit by two unidentified projectiles about 50 nautical miles north of Qatar. The crew’s condition and any damage remained unconfirmed.
That report describes a separate incident. It does not independently verify Iran’s claims about fires in the strait. The reports come as commercial ships continue to face security risks in this important waterway.