Iran said three tankers caught fire after hitting mines in the Strait of Hormuz on Nov. 14, while a separate Reuters report said President Donald Trump might delay renewed strikes on Iran if Tehran and Yemen’s Houthis avoid further provocations.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said two tankers were hit while using a route that Tehran considers unauthorized. The country’s regular navy separately said a third tanker hit a mine east of the strait. Iranian statements did not name the vessels or say which countries they were registered in.
The claims have not been independently confirmed. The United States says it has cleared the waterway’s main shipping routes of mines. This highlights the conflicting accounts about the incidents.
Tehran has restricted passage through the strategic strait. Washington has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports. Reuters cited three people familiar with the discussions.
Reuters said Trump had raised the possibility of holding off on attacks in meetings with national security advisers and after intelligence briefings. The report said he had made no final decision. Saudi and Turkish leaders had urged restraint.
Israeli officials continued pressing for renewed military action. Reports of the tanker incidents add to tensions over control of a vital shipping route. The chance of further US strikes remains uncertain.