Iran Announces 7 Tankers Hit in Strait of Hormuz, Washington Denies Account

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that seven oil tankers were hit in the Strait of Hormuz, stating that two supertankers sailing without authorization struck mines and exploded on Saturday, October 24, 2026, according to reports by the Associated Press and EnergyNow. The statement noted that the two tankers together were carrying over 4.5 million barrels.

The United States rejected the Iranian account. U.S. Central Command stated that the strait remained open and that approximately 95% of ships crossed it, while U.S. President Donald Trump described the claims as fabricated, according to the same source.

These developments come amid rising security risks in Gulf shipping lanes, prompting transport and insurance companies to reassess their routes and costs. Energy traders are watching for any sign of supply disruption, as continued tension could raise transport and insurance costs for tankers.

Attention is now focused on future announcements from Washington and Tehran regarding the incident, as well as the actual volume of traffic through the strait in the coming hours. This will determine whether the incident will impact oil flows or remain limited in scope.

What do these terms mean?

Strait of Hormuz: A narrow waterway between Iran and the Sultanate of Oman, through which a large percentage of the world's oil and gas exports pass.

Supertankers: Massive ships designed to transport large quantities of crude oil, whose capacity is used as a benchmark to measure the impact of any shipping disruption.

Naval mines: Explosive devices placed in the water to collide with or damage ships, used to disrupt navigation in waterways.