Iran claims three vessels catch fire in Strait of Hormuz, captures two US drones

TWO oil tankers and a tugboat caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after attempting to pass through what Iran described as an unauthorised shipping route, while Iranian forces claimed to have captured two US military drones intact.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement carried by semi-official Fars news agency that a large oil tanker struck a mine and caught fire last night while navigating the southern passage of the strategic waterway.

Ajazeera reported on Thursday that a second supertanker caught fire while exiting the eastern section of the strait, while a tugboat deployed to extinguish the blaze subsequently caught fire, it said.

The IRGC also claimed that its naval electronic warfare units had taken control of two US LUCAS drones, forcing them to land safely before seizing them intact.

It blamed Washington's insistence on directing vessels through mined channels for increasing financial and insurance costs for American taxpayers and regional allies.

The developments come amid continued tensions over maritime security and freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical international shipping route for global energy supplies. -November 5, 2026