The Iranian Navy and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that on 14 November 2026, three oil tankers struck sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, after which fires broke out on board the vessels. The incidents occurred against a backdrop of restrictions on international shipping and the ongoing military standoff between Iran and the US.
- Iran has claimed that three oil tankers were blown up by sea mines.
- According to Tehran, fires broke out on all three vessels.
- The names of the tankers and details of the crews’ condition have not been disclosed.
- At least 25 sailors have been killed in the region since the start of the war.
What is known about the bombing of the oil tankers
According to Iranian state media, the first tanker struck a sea mine in the eastern part of the Strait of Hormuz on the morning of 14 November. Two further incidents occurred in the evening of the same day.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claims that two vessels attempted to pass through the strait along a route that the Iranian side considers prohibited.
The Iranian authorities continue to require shipowners to obtain permission to transit the strategic waterway. At the same time attacks on tankers are continuing despite diplomatic efforts to bring the war to an end.
The UN has reported the deaths of 25 seafarers
According to the International Maritime Organisation, more than 130 attacks on merchant ships have been recorded in the region since the start of the armed conflict on 28 February 2026. At least 25 seafarers have died, whilst others were injured or went missing.
During a meeting of the UN Security Council on 13 November, representatives of the organisation called for the restoration of safe international shipping and an end to attacks on civilian vessels.
A reduction in oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz
Before the war began, due to Strait of Hormuz They transported around one-fifth of the world’s total volume of crude oil and petroleum products.
According to estimates by the US Energy Information Administration, in the second quarter of 2026, the volume of oil transported through the strait fell to 4.9 million barrels per day, compared with 21.6 million at the end of 2025.
