Strait of Hormuz: Tankers hit by mines and explosives as Saudi Arabia fends off drone
Iran reports three vessel incidents in the waterway while Qatari mediators resume talks in Tehran.
By Andrew Kovalenko ·
Three oil tankers caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday amid a surge in maritime attacks.
The conflict in the region has intensified since the U.S. and Israel launched a war against Iran on Feb. 28. Tehran has asserted control over much of the waterway during this period. The Revolutionary Guard has warned vessels against passing without permission. It claims responsibility for attacks on ships using unauthorized routes. The U.S. military disputes the presence of naval mines in primary transit routes.
Iranian state media reported that a supertanker carrying more than 2 million barrels of oil struck a naval mine. The vessel exploded and caught fire while using an unauthorized route. The Revolutionary Guard stated the supertanker was abandoned at the strait entrance and remained on fire. The report did not identify the vessel or provide details about its crew. Earlier in the day, the Guard's navy said two other tankers caught fire after striking mines. These vessels allegedly switched off navigation systems and ignored radio warnings. A British military report detailed a separate incident where a small boat attached explosive devices to a tanker's hull. The blasts caused a fire in the engine room. The tanker was sailing about 25 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman. The crew was safe and the fire was extinguished. Oman's Maritime Security Center said it evacuated 25 crew members from a Panama-flagged tanker that was attacked 1.6 nautical miles off the coast of Musandam Governorate.
Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels near Mecca. Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, a coalition spokesperson, confirmed the drone was destroyed in the region surrounding the holy city. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree denied targeting Mecca. He stated that the group's operations aim at Saudi oil facilities and military bases. The United Nations reported that displaced people in Yemen have surpassed 281,000 between Aug. 1 and Oct. 25. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs documented 263 civilian casualties, including 67 deaths, as of Oct. 27. Children account for 97 of these casualties. Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday for talks with Iranian officials. The delegation was headed by Qatar's foreign minister. This visit follows a letter from U.S. Vice President JD Vance to Maj. Gen. Mohsen Rezaei. Tehran acknowledged receipt of the letter but has not responded. In Sudan, four drones from the Rapid Support Forces struck military positions and an electrical substation in Shendi. The attack destroyed transformers and caused a citywide power outage.
