Iran says tankers struck in Hormuz amid fears of new US attack

What the report says

Iranian authorities said on Thursday that at least five oil tankers and a tugboat were damaged or set on fire in separate incidents in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane between Iran and the Gulf. According to the account reported by Al Jazeera, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Iranian army said some vessels struck mines or were hit in unsafe waters east of the strait. The reported incidents come as tensions remain high over the war involving Iran, the United States and Israel.

Al Jazeera said the Strait of Hormuz has seen heavily restricted traffic since hostilities escalated earlier in the year. The waterway is especially important because it normally handles roughly one-fifth of global oil consumption. Iranian statements framed the shipping disruption as tied to the wider conflict, while also warning that maritime passage would remain risky while the war continues unresolved.

Separately, the British military said a tanker was struck by two projectiles off Qatar’s coast, about 50 nautical miles north of Madinat ash-Shamal, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency. UKMTO did not identify the vessel or say who was responsible. Al Jazeera also noted a recent case in which a Qatari LNG tanker was hit by unidentified objects, though no injuries or environmental damage were reported.

The report said the incidents add to growing concern over attacks on commercial shipping in the Gulf, where mediation efforts to restart talks have continued alongside warnings from Iranian officials about possible retaliation if the United States or Israel launch further strikes.