Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Saturday that two oil tankers, each carrying about two million barrels of crude, caught fire after hitting naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz. The narrow waterway links the Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and runs between Iran to the north and Oman and the United Arab Emirates to the south. According to Iranian state media, the first vessel was hit by an explosion and a "fierce fire", while the second was engulfed "in a massive blaze". The names of the ships, the origin of their cargo and the condition of their crews were not made public.

The IRGC said the tankers had switched off their positioning and radar systems and tried to use a route Iran had not authorised. It also claimed one vessel was crossing "with US support" while the other was left immobilised. Its navy said the Strait "is closed". The account has not been independently confirmed: the US military and the UK maritime agency UKMTO, which monitors shipping in the region, had said nothing about the reported mine strikes. Iranian agency Fars published a video that appeared to show a burning vessel, but it is unclear where it was filmed. UKMTO did report two separate incidents off Jubail, a Saudi city on the Gulf coast, where a tanker was hit by an unknown projectile and another vessel was attacked with a grenade fired from a small boat. Crews were reported safe in both cases.

The incidents come against the backdrop of the war that began in late February with US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Tehran has since demanded that ships obtain its permission to pass through the Strait, which before the war carried roughly a fifth to a quarter of the world's oil. The United States has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports and oil exports. Attacks have surged in recent weeks; six vessels were hit on a single day last Sunday, the most since the war started, according to maritime monitors. Kpler data showed oil flows falling from nearly 20.8 million barrels on October 8 to 2.9 million on October 11. Al Jazeera Arabic counted at least 10 ships targeted in a week.

The two sides give conflicting accounts. Iran's army accuses US forces of pushing ships into the southern passage and says Washington bears responsibility for what happens there. US Central Command says more than 400 vessels crossed the Strait during the week and that the blockade has halted Iran's crude exports over the past month. Its commander, Admiral Brad Cooper, said: "The Strait of Hormuz is controlled by the United States and our regional partners, not Iran. It remains open for business."

Diplomacy remains stalled. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has offered to reopen the Strait within seven days if Tehran's conditions are met, including an end to what it calls aggression, guarantees against its repetition, and a lifting of the blockade. President Donald Trump has ruled out using nuclear weapons or sending ground troops, and said he expects a deal after the US midterm elections on November 3. The disruption has pushed up global energy prices and inflation, which is why developments in the Strait matter far beyond the region.