Three Tankers Catch Fire in Strait of Hormuz Amid Ongoing Iran-US Peace Talks

POLICY WIRE — Tehran, Iran — The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced on Friday that three separate oil tankers experienced hazardous incidents while navigating areas Tehran deems unauthorized within the Strait of Hormuz. These events occurred across both the eastern and western sectors of the waterway, with all vessels eventually halted in the southern waters of the strait.

Iranian state media cited Guard claims that the tankers deactivated their navigation and positioning equipment. Tehran alleges the ships were attempting to exit the strait via prohibited routes, while allegedly receiving assistance from the United States military.

The Guard noted that the vessels maintained their course despite receiving multiple radio warnings before facing trouble in regions they characterized as dangerous. However, official reports did not provide the names of the tankers, their countries of registration, the specific cause of the fires, or the medical status of the personnel on board.

These maritime tensions surfaced just as Qatari mediators arrived in Tehran on Friday to resume diplomatic efforts aimed at an agreement between Iran and the United States.

In a separate development with no clear link to the Guard’s recent claims, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a small craft approached an oil tanker on Thursday evening. The craft reportedly attached two explosive devices to the ship’s hull above the waterline.

The resulting explosion caused a fire in the engine room, which took the vessel out of commission temporarily. The Financial Times identified the affected ship as the Louise 1, which was located approximately 25 nautical miles (46 kilometers) northeast of Khasab, Oman.

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The UKMTO confirmed the fire was successfully extinguished and that all crew members remained unharmed, with no environmental damage reported. The Louise 1 has since continued its journey to its intended port.

This attack represents the first documented successful use of limpet mines against a ship in the Strait of Hormuz since the escalation of the U.S.-Iran conflict in February 2026.

Oman’s Maritime Security Center reported that the Royal Navy evacuated 25 crew members from a Panama-flagged vessel that caught fire roughly 1.6 nautical miles off the coast of Musandam. While the crew received medical attention, the center did not identify the ship or those responsible, nor confirmed if this event linked to other reported attacks.

The Guard’s statements followed claims from October 29 suggesting three tankers had struck mines along the southern route. Agence France-Presse noted that Iranian officials claimed another tanker ignited in the eastern strait, though it remains uncertain if the vessels mentioned on Friday are the same as those reported on Thursday.

Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, asserted that the primary shipping lanes in the strait have been cleared of mines. He stated that the Iranian navy was destroyed and that Guard forces are no longer active in the waterway, noting U.S. forces remain in the region to ensure open passage.

Iranian sources also claimed Friday that an American unmanned surface vehicle was destroyed in the eastern strait, a claim the U.S. military has neither confirmed nor denied. The rising frequency of maritime incidents highlights the ongoing friction between Washington and Tehran over shipping lanes.

Tehran demands that vessels coordinate with its authorities and utilize paths closer to the northern shores, while ships seeking to avoid Iranian oversight opt for the southern route. CBS News, citing a source familiar with the talks, indicated Iran may respond to a revised Qatari proposal by the end of the week.

The diplomatic mission seeks to prevent a return to large-scale U.S. strikes, a possibility President Donald Trump has frequently mentioned. Axios reported that mediators are seeking consensus on nuclear facility inspections and sanctions relief, though disagreements remain regarding the formal opening of negotiations.

The Associated Press noted that Washington warned regional allies of potential renewed U.S. attacks and subsequent Iranian retaliation. Speaking to a Kansas City station on Friday, Trump stated the war with Iran would end soon, though he did not clarify if the resolution would come through diplomacy or military force.

The U.S. president reiterated that his primary goal is ensuring Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon. These remarks come despite the lack of a finalized agreement on the terms ending the conflict, with military action remaining a viable option.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)