Iran says naval mines destroyed four tankers in Strait of Hormuz

Four oil tankers were destroyed by naval sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Wednesday, claiming the vessels hit mines on a prohibited route. Two tankers were still burning and two more were seized. The IRGC said the tankers were attempting to cross a southern route it had closed, with the claim coming a day after US military strikes on Iran. The BBC has not independently verified the report, which coincided with US midterm elections that saw Republicans lose ground. Iran's top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the election results showed Americans rejected war, warning the US would face a "nightmare" if it ignored public will. President Donald Trump acknowledged the conflict's role in Republican losses but said it would end "when I say it ends." Talks to end the war, triggered by US-Israeli strikes in February, remain stalled.