Tanker hit in Gulf, Iran reports mine strikes
Shafaq News- London/ Tehran
A tanker came under attack while sailing through the Arabian Gulf toward the Strait of Hormuz, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Sunday, while Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that two other tankers had struck naval mines in the strategic gateway.
UKMTO disclosed that it had received information about the attack from Indian shipping authorities. All crew members were reported safe.
The extent of the damage to the tanker and any potential environmental impact remained unclear.
UKMTO WARNING 205-26 Click here to view the full product.⤵️ https://t.co/xTmMCPLvP8 #MaritimeSecurity #MarSec https://t.co/L8OJtLGSsc
— UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) November 15, 2026
Separately, the IRGC said two oil tankers had struck naval mines while attempting to cross an unauthorized route south of Hormuz, allegedly with covert US military support after switching off their identification and positioning systems.
In a statement carried by Iranian media, the IRGC indicated that one of the tankers, a supertanker carrying more than 2 million barrels of crude oil, had sunk in the southern Gulf, while the second was left burning.
🔴 IRGC Navy: 🔺 Violating supertanker carrying over 2 million barrels of oil sank after massive explosion 🔺Tankers trying to pass with navigation systems disabled and US military support caught fire after hitting mines https://t.co/XzlJXTnnqi
— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) November 15, 2026
Earlier today, the state-run IRNA news agency reported that five oil tankers had struck naval mines and caught fire in the waterway over the previous 48 hours. Two of the vessels were hit in the southern part of the Strait, near Oman's coast, while the remaining three struck mines in its central and eastern sections.
