Iran Reports Four Oil Tankers Hit by Mines Near Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported Wednesday that four oil tankers were destroyed by naval mines south of the Strait of Hormuz, with two additional vessels seized, as regional maritime attacks escalate. The tankers remain ablaze following the incidents in an area Iran has declared prohibited for navigation. Middle East seaborne oil exports fell to 17.1 million barrels per day in October, down from 18.9 million in September, according to Vortexa data. Tanker-tracking services caution figures may be revised upward as shipment details emerge. Vessels increasingly disable transponders to avoid detection, forcing reliance on satellite imagery, while flows remain above spring lows despite heightened security risks.