Three oil tankers catch fire in the Strait of Hormuz
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on La Presse de Tunisie
Three oil tankers caught fire on Sunday in the Strait of Hormuz after explosions were reported by Iran's Revolutionary Guards. Iranian forces accused them of sailing in a prohibited lane amid conflict and high tensions around the maritime route, according to the Revolutionary Guards.
Three oil tankers caught fire on Sunday 8 November 2026 in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Revolutionary Guards, Iran's armed force. In a statement published on their Sepah News website, they said the vessels had been hit by explosions while sailing in an area considered by Tehran to be off-limits without authorisation. Iranian news agency Irna said earlier that two of the vessels had struck naval mines.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the organisation responsible for monitoring maritime traffic security, also reported that a tanker had been hit by an unidentified projectile while transiting the strait. All members of its crew were safe and no environmental impact had been reported, according to the organisation. UKMTO called on vessels operating in the area to exercise caution and asked them to report any suspicious activity. State media in the United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, announced the rescue of 22 people aboard a vessel on fire.
The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic passage for global hydrocarbon trade. Before the outbreak of the Middle East war in late February 2026, around one-fifth of the world's hydrocarbons passed through it. Iran claims control of the maritime route and its forces have regularly reported incidents involving vessels travelling through it without their authorisation, particularly along the Omani coast.
The United States has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports and escorts tankers off the Omani coast. Washington says it has largely cleared mines from the maritime passage. The new fires are part of a series of incidents in the strait, following those that affected five tankers and a tugboat on 5 November 2026, according to the Revolutionary Guards.
