Updated: September 14, 2026
An oil tanker reportedly caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after colliding with a mine, according to Iran's Revolutionary Guard. The tanker, identified as the El Gaia, was navigating a southern route through the strait, which Iran claims to have mined, when it detonated a mine, the state broadcaster Irib reported, citing the Revolutionary Guard. The entire ship allegedly went up in flames after the mine explosion.
The Revolutionary Guard's naval leadership stated, "The Strait of Hormuz is closed and remains under our control." They had previously warned against using the southern route. Iran's navy has mined this southern passage, declaring only a northern route along the coast safe and imposing transit fees.
The US military has refuted Iran's account. The US Central Command (Centcom), responsible for the region, stated that the El Gaia was previously hit by an Iranian missile last month. Over the weekend, Iran allegedly attacked the ship again with a drone off the coast of Oman. Centcom reported that the currently disabled tanker is being towed by a regional partner.
The Strait of Hormuz has become a focal point of conflict between Tehran and Washington in the Iran-US war. Before the conflict, approximately one-fifth of global oil supply passed through the strait, alongside exports of liquefied gas and fertilizers from Gulf states. A planned foreign ministers' meeting of Gulf states in Oman regarding the Strait of Hormuz, scheduled for Monday, was abruptly canceled.
US Prevents Iranian Nuclear Chief's Participation in IAEA Conference
The United States has blocked the participation of Iranian Nuclear Chief Mohammad Eslami in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference in Vienna, sparking protests from Tehran. The US government vetoed an exemption from UN sanctions that would have allowed Eslami to travel. Iran denounced this as a "political act" undermining the organization's work.
Austria, as the host country, had reportedly requested an exception, which was denied following US objections. A US diplomat confirmed the objection, stating that Eslami's attendance would have turned the conference into a "propaganda stage" and compromised the IAEA's credibility.
Houthi Claim Responsibility for New Attacks on Saudi Arabia
The Houthi militia in Yemen has again claimed responsibility for attacks on neighboring Saudi Arabia. According to Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sari, they targeted weapon depots, runways, and hangars with dozens of rockets and drones at the Khamis Mushait airbase in southern Saudi Arabia. This action was reportedly in retaliation for over 300 Saudi airstrikes in Yemen in recent days.
Saudi Arabia, which has been fighting the militia alongside the internationally recognized government and leading a military coalition in Yemen for over a decade, has not yet commented. The Houthis overran northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, in 2014 and now control significant territories. Their latest offensive has pushed further south towards the crucial Bab al-Mandab strait. According to Houthi circles and Yemeni government sources, the militia also seized the strategically located islands of Majun (also known as Perim) and Hanisch.
It remains unclear whether the Houthis can hold the newly captured areas on the west coast and around the port city of Mokha for an extended period. They have been subjected to heavy bombing, according to a spokesperson for a Yemeni militia allied with the government. This offensive is considered a "disaster" for the Houthis and may signal their end in Yemen. "There is now an opportunity to wear them down," stated Atheel al-Sakadi of the so-called Giant Brigades.
The Houthi offensive has escalated the civil war in Yemen. Simultaneously, the Houthis can now attack commercial ships in the Bab al-Mandab strait more effectively than in earlier attacks in the region since 2023. However, the militia has stated its intention to ensure the safety of shipping there, with the exception of Saudi vessels, for which they have declared a "blockade."
Maritime Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz Significantly Decreases
Preliminary data indicates a substantial decline in maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Over the weekend, the number of daily transits dropped to a single-digit figure, compared to a ten-day average of 14. These figures do not include vessels navigating the strait with their transponders switched off.
Attacks in the Middle East Sharply Drive Up Oil Prices
Oil prices have surged by over three dollars following renewed attacks in Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf. Brent crude from the North Sea, for November delivery, rose by $3.62 to $108.23 per barrel. WTI crude prices increased by $3.15 to $103.20 per barrel. A key factor contributing to this rise is a drone attack on Saudi Arabia's significant East-West oil pipeline, whose operation has been temporarily suspended as a precaution, according to the Saudi Ministry of Energy. The 1,200-kilometer pipeline had been transporting four to five million barrels daily in recent months, accounting for approximately four to five percent of global oil supply. It allows Saudi Arabia to bypass the Strait of Hormuz shipping route.
Oman's Foreign Minister: Meeting on the Strait of Hormuz Postponed
The foreign ministers' meeting of Gulf states in Oman, scheduled for this Monday, has been postponed, according to Muscat. "In the interest of consensus, the regional meeting planned for tomorrow in Salalah has been postponed," stated Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi on X. Reports indicated that Iran and Oman were initially expected to present an agreement on the stalled conflict over the Strait of Hormuz during the meeting.
Al-Busaidi affirmed their continued commitment to "dialogue that promotes stability and lasting cooperation" in the region but provided no further details on the reasons or a new date for the gathering. An Iranian Foreign Ministry representative confirmed that Tehran and Muscat agreed to postpone the summit due to a joint decision and "at the request of some regional countries," as reported by the Iranian news agency Fars.
Bahrain, an island nation that experienced significant Iranian missile attacks during the war, had already announced its boycott of the meeting prior to the postponement. Other Gulf states were reportedly invited merely to be informed of the agreement's details, according to the Iranian news agency.
Well-connected journalist Barak Ravid reported on X, citing a high-ranking representative from one of the Gulf states, that Saudi Arabia had submitted amendments to the Omani-Iranian proposal concerning the Strait of Hormuz. Riyadh reportedly expressed concerns that the proposed wording "could effectively establish a new status quo in the strait that would be unacceptable to Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf states." The well-informed web portal amwaj also reported prior tensions among the invited nations, with the United Arab Emirates intending to send only a secretary of state instead of their foreign minister.
Iran Offers Potential Opening of the Strait of Hormuz
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has indicated a possible reopening of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, according to the news agency Isna. Pezeshkian, however, links this step to an end of the US naval blockade and military actions by the US military.
Pezeshkian's remarks were made during an interview with the Indian television channel India Today, as reported by Isna. The full text of the interview is expected to be released later by the Iranian presidential office.
According to Pezeshkian, Oman and Iran are set to sign an agreement on new shipping routes in the strait in the Omani capital of Muscat on Monday. Both countries are littoral states of the Strait of Hormuz. Pezeshkian indicated that the foreign ministers of the Arab Gulf states bordering the Persian Gulf would also attend the signing ceremony. The agreement is then to be submitted to the International Maritime Organization.
Pezeshkian is currently participating in the BRICS summit in India. BRICS is an acronym for the initial members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia are also members.
