News blog about the war in the Middle East
Iranian media: Oil tanker explodes in the Strait of Hormuz
Updated on July 26, 2026 – 3:11 p.mReading time: 29 minutes
An oil tanker is said to have exploded in the Strait of Hormuz. The conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis is intensifying. All developments in the news blog.
Iranian media: Oil tanker explodes in the Strait of Hormuz
In the Strait of Hormuz According to Iranian media reports, an oil tanker exploded. The tanker deviated from a prescribed route and hit a sea mine, reported the news agencies Defapress and Tasnim, which are close to the military and the Revolutionary Guards. The tanker had previously switched off its radar system. No further information was provided.
The Strait of Hormuz plays a key role in global energy trade. The Iran requires merchant ships to follow a designated passage and claims control of the strait for itself.
Revolutionary Guards stop ships in the Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say they have stopped six merchant ships from passing through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. The Guards said they were asserting control over a 240,000 square kilometer area in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Tasnim agency, which is affiliated with them. This area corresponds to around two thirds of the German national territory.
No ship could pass without complying with Iranian regulations, it said. Attempts by the US military to change the course of ships would be met with “a decisive response and warning shots.” As a result, the affected ships were forced to turn back.
According to English-language state broadcaster PressTV, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Ismail Baghai said there was no change in the traffic situation in the Strait of Hormuz. The spokesman referred to bilateral discussions with representatives of Oman, whose territorial waters include part of the international shipping route. The dispute over transit rights on a key oil, gas and fertilizer route is seen as a key trigger for the latest escalation in the military conflict between the USA and Iran.
After US pause in attacks: Iran also claims to have stopped attacks
After two nights without US attacks, Iran says it has also stopped its attacks on targets in the region. “Since our strategy was essentially based on retaliation, we also stopped our retaliatory measures,” army spokesman Mohammed Akraminia said on Sunday. The US is in a “difficult and unstable” situation and is probably looking for “a new strategy,” he added.
US President Donald Trump had declared on Friday that he was considering new, more massive attacks on Iran. Washington However, I am currently speaking with Tehran, which is becoming “more serious every day” in the negotiations.
The New York Times, on the other hand, reported that there was great concern within the US government about the dwindling stocks of military material. This primarily concerns equipment from the Gulf states to defend against Iranian attacks, such as Patriot interceptor missiles. Also the broadcaster CNN reported that the US had “put the attacks on hold” for this reason.
