Iran’s claim that two tankers were destroyed by mines in the Strait of Hormuz marks a significant escalation from strikes and blockade enforcement to direct sabotage of vessels attempting the transit, and it will likely be read by oil markets as confirmation that safe passage through the strait can no longer be assumed. A minefield claim, on top of the naval blockade both sides have already been enforcing, raises the prospect of underwriters pulling back cover or demanding sharply higher war-risk premiums for the route, which could choke off transits even for vessels willing to run the gauntlet. Given the strait’s roughly one-fifth share of global oil trade and inventories already described as historically tight, confirmation or further incidents of this kind would likely extend the rally that has already pushed Brent above $90, with the risk skewed toward further upside until safe passage is restored or verifiably clarified.
Earlier:
- UKMTO have received information from a verified source that a vessel is on fire, Strait of Hormuz
- Brent tops $90 as US, Iran attacks intensify across Middle East – where we’re at
Summary:
- Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said two oil tankers attempting to transit the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz overnight detonated mines and were destroyed, according to Tasnim
- The IRGC said the vessels were prevented from proceeding after hitting what it described as an Iranian minefield
- The IRGC declared “this is our land” and warned that the route will not be safe for petrochemical products or any oil and gas transit as long as US actions in the region continue
- The statement extends Iran’s prior warnings that it targets vessels it says violate its rules for navigating the strait, alongside the US naval blockade already being enforced on Iranian ports
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said two oil tankers attempting to transit the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz overnight struck mines and were destroyed, according to Tasnim, marking a sharp escalation in the confrontation over shipping through the critical waterway. The IRGC said the tankers detonated within an Iranian minefield and were prevented from completing the crossing.
In a statement carried by Tasnim, the Revolutionary Guards declared “this is our land” and warned that the strait will not be safe for petrochemical products, or for any oil and gas cargo, for as long as US actions in the region continue. The IRGC repeated the warning in near-identical terms across separate statements, framing the closure of safe passage as a direct response to continued American operations rather than an isolated incident.
The claim follows days of rising tension around the strait, during which both the US and Iran have increasingly targeted shipping traffic. The US has said it is enforcing a naval blockade on Iranian ports, while Iran has said it is targeting vessels it believes violate its own rules for navigating the strait, which typically carries about one fifth of global oil trade. Vessel transit numbers had already fallen sharply over the weekend, with LSEG data showing just four ships crossing on Sunday, down from eight the day before.
If confirmed, the presence of an active minefield would represent a materially more dangerous environment for shipping than blockade enforcement alone, since mines pose a persistent and difficult to police threat to any vessel attempting the transit regardless of flag or cargo. That risk comes against a backdrop of oil prices already surging on the conflict, with Brent crude having climbed above $90 a barrel amid the broader escalation between the US and Iran. Shipowners, insurers and charterers are likely to treat the claim with urgency, given the potential for a minefield to deter transits far more effectively than the blockade measures announced by either side so far.
This article was written by Eamonn Sheridan at investinglive.com.