Hormuz tensions mount following dhow sinking
Shafaq News- Hormuz
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported on Thursday that a vessel caught fire near Oman's Khasab, with regional authorities identifying it as a traditional dhow that subsequently sank after a maritime security incident.
UKMTO WARNING 185-26 UPDATE 001 Click here to view the full warning ⤵️ https://t.co/YOTf90h4Re #MaritimeSecurity #MarSec https://t.co/KFxSJ0dHPp
— UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) October 29, 2026
Earlier on Thursday, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy claimed that three oil tankers had struck naval mines and caught fire over the previous 24 hours while attempting to cross an unauthorized route through the Strait of Hormuz.
The IRGC said the vessels had ignored navigation warnings and were subsequently abandoned along the strait's southern shores. It did not identify the tankers or provide details about their crews.
Separately, Iran's Navy reported that a tanker had caught fire after allegedly striking a mine east of the strait while navigating a restricted area without coordination.
The accounts have not established whether the incident near Khasab involved any of the tankers mentioned by the Iranian military.
On Wednesday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces had cleared internationally recognized shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz of naval mines, rejecting Iranian reports that commercial vessels had struck mines.
Meanwhile, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported on Thursday that Tehran had received a message from US Vice President JD Vance but had yet to respond. According to The Wall Street Journal, Vance contacted Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei through Qatari intermediaries in an effort to revive negotiations.
Axios reported that Washington wanted the negotiations to address Iran's nuclear program, while Tehran continued to insist that the United States meet its conditions for ending the conflict. President Donald Trump, however, said the message primarily concerned efforts to facilitate medical supplies for Iran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran remained in contact with mediators over proposals to implement its seven-day framework for ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
