Hormuz, the strait that fell silent: Revolutionary Guards say two tankers and a tug are on fire

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on November 5 that two oil tankers and a tugboat caught fire in separate incidents in the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reports. According to the statement, the vessels used "unauthorised routes"; one tanker struck a mine south of the strait, and a tug assisting the second vessel also caught fire. The ships' names and flags were not released, and the claims have not been independently confirmed.

A day earlier the Guards claimed four tankers had struck mines and were still burning. The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency confirmed on November 3 that a tanker northeast of Oman was hit by two projectiles of unknown origin, with no injuries.

Five ships, then none

According to ship-tracking data, five merchant vessels crossed the strait on Saturday and none on Sunday, compared with a pre-war daily average of more than 130. Iran says the strait will reopen only when the US lifts its naval blockade.