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2026-10-31 Syria-Lebanon-Iran
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Limpet Mines Used today in the Strait of Hormuz for the first time since 2019, Irqn claims 3 tqnkers hit Friday
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[gCaptain] A tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz was attacked by a small boat that attached two explosive devices to its hull, triggering an engine room fire and temporarily disabling the vessel, according to a verified report from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
The October 29 attack marks a significant escalation in the conflict, introducing a new threat to commercial shipping already facing repeated missile and drone strikes in and around the strategic waterway.
According to UKMTO Warning 187-26, the incident occurred approximately 25 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman, as the tanker was transiting outbound from the strait.
A small boat approached the tanker’s port side and attached two explosive devices above the waterline. The resulting explosions sparked a fire in the engine room and temporarily disabled the ship.
UKMTO confirmed Friday that the crew was safe, the fire had been extinguished and there was no environmental impact. The tanker has since resumed its voyage.
Maritime security sources identified the weapons as limpet mines, explosives attached directly to a vessel’s hull. The attack represents the first reported successful use of the tactic against merchant shipping in the waterway since the war began in February.
Martin Kelly, Head of Advisory at EOS Risk Group, identified the vessel as the LOUISE 1 and said the attack marked another step in Iran’s evolving campaign against commercial shipping.
He said the last time Iran used limpet mines against merchant shipping was in May 2019 when they attacked four vessels anchored off Fujairah and subsequent attacks on the tankers KOKUKA COURAGEOUS and FRONT ALTAIR in the Gulf of Oman the following month.
The return of limpet mines adds another layer to the threat facing ships navigating the strait.
Kelly warned that the implications could be particularly serious for vessels waiting at anchor, where explosives could potentially be placed below the waterline without being detected by the crew.
“A limpet mine below the waterline will cause significant damage and water ingress,” he said.
MULTIPLE ATTACKS REPORTED AS IRAN CLAIMS THREE TANKERS HIT
In a separate UKMTO warning, a company security officer reported that another tanker had been struck by an unidentified projectile while completing an outbound transit of the strait at approximately 1600 UTC. No crew injuries or environmental impact were reported.
Earlier Thursday, UKMTO also reported a vessel on fire approximately nine nautical miles north of Khasab. Regional authorities subsequently identified the vessel as a dhow that had been involved in a maritime security incident.
The dhow caught fire, listed and sank. Its crew was safely evacuated, according to UKMTO.
The incident follows an earlier U.S. military operation in which American forces reportedly destroyed a dhow suspected of providing intelligence to Iran. However, no connection between that operation and Thursday’s sinking has been established.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy claimed Friday that three oil tankers had caught fire and exploded while attempting to transit routes it described as unauthorized.
According to Iranian state media cited by Reuters, the IRGC claimed one tanker carrying approximately 2 million barrels of crude oil had struck a mine. Reuters said it could not independently verify the claims.
Iran has repeatedly described attacks against ships using routes outside its control as mine strikes, but independent evidence supporting its broader claims of sea mines has remained limited.
ATTACKS CONCENTRATED ALONG SOUTHERN TRANSIT ROUTE
The latest incidents come as the United States continues coordinating commercial vessel movements through the Strait of Hormuz, including a southern route intended to keep shipping moving despite Iranian threats.
The route has increasingly become a focus of attacks. According to UKMTO’s October 30 weekly maritime security overview, 59 of 81 reported projectile strikes since July 6 occurred along the southern route.
The report also highlighted the difficulty of establishing a complete picture of attacks across the region.
“UKMTO reports only incidents verified through primary sources; additional incidents are known but cannot be independently verified,” the agency said.
Since the conflict began on February 28, UKMTO has recorded 145 Iran-U.S. conflict-related incidents across its reporting area, including 88 incidents involving vessels in the Strait of Hormuz through October 28.
Despite the continuing threat, commercial traffic has been recovering gradually. UKMTO reported 122 outbound and 155 inbound transits over its latest seven-day reporting period, up from 114 outbound and 127 inbound the previous week.
However, combined traffic remains approximately 70% below pre-conflict levels. UKMTO also noted that around 80% of transits reported by U.S. Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping involve energy carriers.
IRGC says two oil tankers halted, caught fire in Strait of Hormuz
[Rudaw] Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Friday that two US-assisted oil tankers caught fire and were brought to a halt in the Strait of Hormuz after ignoring navigation warnings, as a British maritime monitor reported an increase in shipping traffic through the strategic waterway despite continued security threats.
The IRGC Navy said the two "offending oil tankers" - one in the eastern part of the strait and the other in the western section - had attempted to pass through an "unauthorized route" while heading out of the waterway.
According to the IRGC, both vessels had switched off their navigation and positioning systems and were attempting to leave the strait with the support of the US military.
"Following several radio warnings and their disregard, these two oil tankers entered an unsafe zone, suffered an incident, and were brought to a halt off the southern coasts of the Strait of Hormuz," the IRGC said.
The incident comes amid a surge in maritime confrontations in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for global energy supplies, as the regional war that erupted in late February continues to disrupt commercial shipping.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a British maritime security monitor, said on Friday that it had recorded 88 incidents in the strait since the conflict began.
Despite the security risks, shipping traffic has shown signs of recovery, with UKMTO reporting 122 outbound and 155 inbound vessel transits this week, compared with 114 outbound and 127 inbound the previous week.
However, overall traffic remains approximately 70 percent below pre-war levels.
More at the link
Earlier Friday morning, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) commander Adm. Brad Cooper said the waterway was cleared of sea mines. He was not addressing the limpet mine claim.
He stated on X that after “we sank Iran’s navy earlier this year, we also successfully cleared the strait’s internationally recognized primary transit routes of Iranian sea mines, and today U.S. forces remain highly vigilant and present to ensure that all primary transit routes in the Strait of Hormuz remain free and clear.”
“This week we reached a significant milestone, having now assisted Gulf partners in exporting more than 1.5 billion barrels of crude oil since summer,” Cooper added.
Recalling a recent flight over the Strait of Hormuz, Cooper noted that he “saw our U.S. assets in the air and on the water, including a squadron of advanced sea drones that were on patrol supporting a defensive layer. Here’s what I didn’t see: I didn’t see the IRGC out there at all.”
Also known as uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), the sea drones are part of an increasingly uncrewed armada of air, land and sea assets that are supporting the safe corridor through the Strait.
The USV type shown in the following video, a Saronic Corsair, made history twice in the battle against Iran. In July, the USVs were used as a strike weapon in combat for the first time by the U.S. A month earlier, a Saronic Corsair USV rescued the crew of a U.S. Army AH-64 Apache that crashed in the Gulf of Oman after it was downed by Iran.
About which Oregon Dave commented:
Don't you think it's about time we put a stop to this foolishness? Come on Don, we didn't elect you to just be a political hack! Let's finish the job!
Finally, Skidmark gives us the Fox News liveblog, so check it out from time to time today. |
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Posted by Dopey Photch2701 2026-10-31 00:00||
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