IRGC says four tankers struck mines after using "unauthorised" Strait of Hormuz routes

STRAIT OF HORMUZ — Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said four tankers struck naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz after using "unauthorised" routes, according to Al Jazeera English's live coverage of the Iran war on 30 October 2026.

The claim comes from the IRGC as relayed by Al Jazeera. The material available does not include independent confirmation of the incidents. It also does not say whether any of the vessels were damaged, whether anyone was hurt, or whether any cargo was spilled.

What the IRGC says

According to Al Jazeera's summary, the IRGC said the four tankers struck mines after taking routes through the strait that it described as unauthorised. The wording suggests the IRGC is linking the incidents to the choice of shipping lanes. The sources do not explain which routes it means, or who authorised or restricted them.

What is not confirmed

The sources do not name the four tankers. They do not give their flags, owners, operators or cargoes. They do not say when or where in the strait the incidents took place.

No statement from the ships' operators, from shipping authorities or from other governments appears in the material. Nor does any account say who laid the mines. The IRGC's description of the routes as "unauthorised" has not been independently verified.

Because only one party's claim is reported, the incidents should be treated as an assertion by the IRGC. They are not established fact until confirmed by other sources.

Separate report on a drone over Makkah region

A separate post on the Al Arabiya Telegram channel on 30 October said the Saudi-led coalition had intercepted and destroyed a drone over the Makkah region. In the post, the channel attributed the launch to the Houthi militia. The post is an unverified social media item. The material available does not show whether the coalition or any other official body has issued a fuller statement.

The post does not say where the drone came down, whether there was damage, or what the target was. It also does not link the incident to the reported mine strikes in the Strait of Hormuz. The two items are reported here because both were published on the same day. The sources do not connect them.

Background

Al Jazeera is covering the conflict in a live blog titled "Iran war live". The material provided gives no further background on the course of the war, on shipping rules in the Strait of Hormuz, or on earlier incidents involving mines. This report therefore does not describe them.

Further detail is expected to depend on statements from the IRGC, the vessels' operators and maritime authorities. None of these was included in the material reviewed.