Iranian military claims 2 oil tankers collided with mines east of Hormuz

Iran’s military said two oil tankers struck mines and caught fire around noon on the 5th east of the Strait of Hormuz, with IRIB reporting that Tehran cited the vessels’ entry into a restricted zone without prior coordination and in disregard of maritime warnings as a contributing cause. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said a tanker transiting the southern route hit a mine and burned overnight, while a separate very large crude carrier and a tugboat assisting firefighting were also ablaze on the eastern route. No vessel identifying details were disclosed, leaving it unclear whether the ships named across the statements overlap. The incident matters because it threatens traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for a large share of global seaborne crude, and could raise freight and insurance costs. Watch for confirmation of the vessels involved, any escalation in tanker transits or rerouting, and whether the strikes lift crude prices and risk premiums.