Three tankers hit by mines in Strait of Hormuz

Three oil tankers exploded and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, according to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. One of the vessels, a supertanker, was carrying more than two million barrels of oil when it struck a naval mine. The Guard stated that the ships were traveling through unauthorized routes.

The strait is a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies. Since the United States and Israel launched a war on February 28, Iran has asserted control over much of the waterway. Tehran has warned vessels against passing without permission, claiming that unauthorized ships face destruction. The U.S. military disputes the mine claims, stating that its forces have cleared all primary transit routes of sea mines.

Earlier on Friday, the Guard’s navy reported that two other tankers hit mines and ignited. The group claimed these vessels had turned off their navigation systems and ignored radio warnings. Iranian state media did not identify the ships or provide details about the crews. The Associated Press was unable to verify the specific claims regarding the number of vessels or the cause of the fires.

Oman’s Maritime Security Center reported evacuating 25 crew members from a Panama-flagged tanker that caught fire 1.6 nautical miles off the coast of Musandam Governorate. It is unclear if this incident is connected to the three tankers described by Iranian authorities.

In a separate development, Saudi Arabia announced it intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels near Mecca. Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, a coalition spokesperson, said the drone was destroyed in the region surrounding the holy city. Yahya Saree, a Houthi military spokesperson, denied targeting Mecca. He stated the group’s operations focus on Saudi oil facilities and military bases.

The United Nations reported that the number of displaced people in Yemen has surpassed 281,000. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, known as OCHA, noted that most civilians fled fighting in Taiz and along the West Coast. OCHA documented 263 civilian casualties as of October 27, including 67 deaths. Children accounted for 97 of those casualties.

Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday to hold talks with Iranian officials. The delegation was led by the Qatari foreign minister. This diplomatic effort follows a letter from U.S. Vice President JD Vance to Maj. Gen. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. Iran acknowledged receipt of the letter on Thursday but has not responded. President Donald Trump suggested the letter concerned humanitarian aid rather than peace negotiations.

Israeli forces demolished two homes in Hebron on Friday. The properties belonged to Palestinian gunmen who attacked soldiers at Judea Junction last week, killing two Israeli soldiers and wounding three others. The U.N. said more than 3,000 people were displaced by the operation. U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk described the measures as punitive and called for displaced residents to be allowed home.