Iranian state media says 2 oil tankers hit mines in Hormuz

Iranian state media said two oil tankers caught fire after hitting naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a Times of India video report published Oct. 18.

Kpler figures cited in the report put Hormuz oil flows at 11.6 million barrels a day in the seven days to Oct. 13, about 68% of the pre-war baseline.

The report said Iranian state media accused crews of disabling location and radar equipment, then entering a passage not cleared by Tehran. The video's headline described the two ships as carrying 4 million barrels of crude oil; its text also said the vessels were carrying around 2 million barrels.

The Times of India report placed the episode against escalating attacks on commercial shipping and what it described as a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports.

U.S. Central Command chief Brad Cooper said 400 ships and 100 million barrels of oil had moved through the strait over the past week despite Iranian attacks, according to the report.

The Strait of Hormuz matters because energy cargoes crossing it link Gulf producers to buyers elsewhere. The Kpler flow estimate suggests trade has continued but at a lower level than before the war, based on the cited baseline.

The report did not provide vessel names, ownership, flag states, casualty figures, images verifying mine damage or confirmation from maritime authorities. It also did not say whether any rescue, salvage or naval escort operation was under way.

Source: video report, The Times of India, Oct. 18, 2026