📰 2 sources 10 articles · 5 Nov 2026, 16:16 → 7 days ago

Fires on two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz: conflicting accounts of mines and a missile

The Iranian Army Navy and then the Revolutionary Guard announced fires on two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz after they struck naval mines, with the Guard accusing the US military of supporting an unauthorized crossing. A day later, a British maritime authority reported an explosion aboard a tanker and mentioned an incident near Khasab in Oman, while Greek company Velos announced a sailor was killed in the targeting of one of its tankers and said it was likely hit by an unidentified missile.

📍 Where things stand: The circumstances of the two incidents remain unresolved: the Revolutionary Guard speaks of naval mines and two violating tankers, while Greek company Velos says a sailor was killed in the targeting of one of its tankers and considers it likely hit by an unidentified missile, alongside British reports of an explosion and an incident near Khasab.

⏱️ Timeline

5 Nov 2026, 16:16 The Iranian Army Navy announced fires on two oil tankers it described as violating, after they struck naval mines east of the Strait of Hormuz, with no immediate details on damage, casualties or the tankers' identity.
6 Nov 2026, 09:30 Iran's Revolutionary Guard announced a fire on two oil tankers while they were crossing the Strait of Hormuz, without details on the cause, damage or injuries.
6 Nov 2026, 09:41 The Revolutionary Guard announced it targeted two tankers it described as violating in the Strait of Hormuz, without further details on the incident.
6 Nov 2026, 13:37 The Revolutionary Guard said in a statement that the two oil tankers caught fire and stopped moving inside the Strait of Hormuz after hitting naval mines, and accused the US military of supporting their attempt to cross unauthorized routes. It said the first incident occurred in the eastern part of the strait, while the second tanker was trying to cross an unauthorized route after their navigation and identification systems were closed.
6 Nov 2026, 14:17 A British maritime authority announced an explosion aboard a tanker while it was crossing the Strait of Hormuz, with no immediate details on the cause or damage.
6 Nov 2026, 14:23 A British maritime authority mentioned a report of a new incident 16 nautical miles off Khasab in Oman, with no information yet on the cause, damage or casualties.
6 Nov 2026, 15:28 The Greek company Velos announced that a sailor was killed in the targeting of one of its tankers in the Strait of Hormuz yesterday, without further details on the nature of the targeting or the responsible party.
6 Nov 2026, 15:29 The Greek company operating the damaged tanker said it was likely hit by an unidentified missile, without further details on the location or damage.

Timeline written by AI from the sources below; updated as new reports arrive.

⚠️ Sources disagree

Cause of the tanker damage

The two tankers struck naval mines, causing a fire and stopping them according to Lebanon Debate
The tanker was likely hit by an unidentified missile according to MTV Lebanon

Figures as each outlet reported them at the time. We do not judge which is correct; numbers often change as events develop.

lebanon debateMTV LebanonLebanon Debate