Four tankers catch fire in Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said on Friday that four oil tankers, including one carrying more than 2 million barrels of oil, hit mines and caught fire while traveling through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said on Friday that a supertanker carrying more than 2 million barrels of oil struck a naval mine and caught fire while using an unauthorized route in the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media reported. The Guard said it was the fourth oil tanker to suffer an explosion Friday after attempting to use unauthorized routes through the strait.

Iran has repeatedly warned vessels against passing through the strait without Tehran’s permission. It has claimed responsibility for attacks on ships and said last month that vessels attempting to pass through the strait without authorization would face "destruction.” Tehran has asserted control over much of the waterway since the US and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28.

Earlier on Friday, the Guard’s navy said three other tankers caught fire after striking mines in the strait, Iranian state TV reported. It claimed the vessels had switched off their navigation and positioning systems and ignored repeated radio warnings. Iran’s report did not identify the vessels or provide details about the crews. The Associated Press could not verify those claims.

Meanwhile, Oman said it had evacuated 25 crew members from a Panama-flagged tanker that was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, 1.6 nautical miles off the coast of Musandam Governorate, catching fire. It is unclear whether that incident is related to the fires described by Iran.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center also reported Friday that a vessel was struck by an "unknown projectile” south of Lavan, an island just off mainland Iran near Shidvar. The organization, part of the British military that monitors maritime safety, said the crew was safe.

Iranian state media said Friday that Qatari mediators have returned to Iran for talks with officials, in the latest diplomatic push to try to broker an end to the war with the US and Israel. The IRNA state news agency said the Qatari delegation was headed by the country’s foreign minister and senior adviser to the prime minister. It said they were meeting with senior Iranian officials but did not specify who.

The visit follows outreach from US Vice President JD Vance, who sent a letter in recent days to Maj. Gen. Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. Tehran on Thursday acknowledged receipt of the letter but said it had not responded and did not detail its contents.

US President Donald Trump suggested the letter was not about peace negotiations but instead about possibly allowing humanitarian aid.

Diplomats say US officials have told Middle East countries and regional allies to be prepared for potential renewed military action against Iran after next week’s midterm elections in the United States.

Associated Press