Iran’s IRGC Strikes Three Tankers in Strait of Hormuz, Warns of Destruction

Three tankers were struck in the Strait of Hormuz between September 16 and 18, 2026. Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed at least one of the attacks, saying the tanker had tried to pass through the waterway illegally.

The Togo-flagged product tanker Trend was hit by a projectile on September 16, catching fire near Khasab, Oman. The crew put the fire out. The IRGC said the Trend had made an "illegal attempt" to transit the Strait and had been "set ablaze and stopped." Iran's Guard stated it "continues to maintain control over the waterway."

Two more tankers were struck by unknown projectiles in the days that followed, both catching fire. Both fires were extinguished. No injuries or casualties were reported across all three incidents. UKMTO issued a separate advisory for each attack, confirming crews were safe and there was no environmental damage.

The Guard also warned that any tanker attempting to pass "without authorization" would face "destruction."

Crossings through the Strait had fallen to just four on September 16, the same day as the first attack. The Strait handles a large share of the world's seaborne oil, and commercial traffic had already dropped sharply before these strikes. Two days before the first attack, US forces destroyed two IRGC fast-attack units that had tried to seize a Navy saildrone near the Strait.