--- title: "Two Supertankers in a Day: Oil Crisis Unfolds in the Strait of Hormuz" description: "Two oil supertankers carrying about 2 million barrels each were blown up in the Strait of Hormuz within a day. The IRGC links the incidents to attempts to pass the zone without coordination with Tehran." date: 2026-10-18T07:08:54.309Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/strait-of-hormuz-two-supertankers-explosion tags: [strait-of-hormuz, iran, irgc, oil-tanker, naval-mine, oil-prices] author: "Alexander Buran" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Two Supertankers in a Day: Oil Crisis Unfolds in the Strait of Hormuz ![Burning oil supertanker in the Strait of Hormuz with thick black smoke](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/18/ormuzskij-proliv-dva-supertankera-vzryv/ormuzskij-proliv-dva-supertankera-vzryv-1.webp) ## Key Points - On October 17, two supertankers carrying about 2 million barrels of oil each were blown up in the Strait of Hormuz within a 24-hour period. - The IRGC claims both vessels attempted to pass the zone without coordination with Tehran and with transponders turned off. - The incidents occur against the backdrop of a restricted navigation zone introduced by the IRGC in September and an unresolved conflict with the US and Israel. - Disabling two large vessels threatens a sharp rise in global oil prices. In the Strait of Hormuz, the world's main oil artery, the situation is taking an extremely dangerous turn. On Saturday morning, October 17, another supertanker attempting to pass through the strait without coordination with Tehran and with its transponder turned off hit a sea mine and blew up. Footage released in connection with the incident shows a burning vessel with thick black smoke rising above the superstructure. ### Second Explosion in a Day According to official information from the press service of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the large vessel was carrying more than 2 million barrels of oil. The tanker sustained damage following an explosion that occurred on the morning of October 17; data on casualties and the vessel's flag state have not yet been disclosed. ### Night Fire on Another Vessel Just a few hours earlier, on the night of October 17, an explosion and severe fire were recorded on another supertanker in the Strait of Hormuz carrying a similar volume — about 2 million barrels of crude oil. It is reported that both vessels were attempting to cross the dangerous zone without official permission, having turned off their satellite tracking systems. ### Cause: Restricted Navigation Zone These incidents are a direct consequence of the protracted military-political confrontation in the region. In September, the IRGC officially announced the introduction of a special restricted navigation zone in the eastern part of the Strait of Hormuz and stated that all merchant vessels must pass through this area exclusively in coordination with Tehran. ### Background of Unresolved Conflict The strikes delivered by the US and Israel against targets in Iran on February 28 of this year, as well as Tehran's retaliatory attacks, created a new flashpoint of war in the region. Although a memorandum on the cessation of hostilities was signed in June, the parties subsequently exchanged strikes again, and the conflict remains unresolved. ### Risks to Global Oil Prices Considering that a significant portion of global oil exports is transported through the Strait of Hormuz, putting two large vessels out of action within a day could lead to a sharp surge in prices for "black gold" on global exchanges. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [В Ормузском проливе второй танкер с 2 миллионами баррелей нефти подорвался на морской мине – Zamin.uz, 17.10.2026](https://zamin.uz/ru/mir/224824-v-ormuzskom-prolive-vtoroy-tanker-s-2-millionami-barreley-nefti-podorvalsya-na-morskoy-mine.html) - Primary source: detonation of the second tanker on the morning of 17.10.2026, over 2 million barrels, night fire on another vessel, turned-off transponders, conflict context. - [КСИР заявил о подрыве второго супертанкера в Ормузском проливе](https://www.rbc.ru/rbcfreenews/6ad3856fc7d012aeaa871eaf) - IRGC naval forces reported the explosion of a supertanker on a mine; video of the explosion was shown. - [КСИР сообщил о подрыве второго за день нефтяного танкера в Ормузском проливе](https://www.rosbalt.ru/news/2026-10-17/ksir-soobschil-o-podryve-vtorogo-za-den-neftyanogo-tankera-v-ormuzskom-prolive-5709840) - The second tanker of Saturday hit a mine while attempting to pass the strait via a route uncoordinated with Iran. - [Второй танкер с нефтью подорвался за день на мине в Ормузском проливе](https://virtualbrest.ru/news194797.php) - The tanker did not coordinate its route with the Iranian side and turned off navigation systems; second detonation of the day. ## FAQ ### What happened in the Strait of Hormuz on October 17? Two incidents were recorded within a day: at night, an explosion and fire occurred on a supertanker carrying about 2 million barrels of crude oil, and in the morning, a second supertanker carrying over 2 million barrels of oil hit a sea mine. ### Why, according to the IRGC, did these vessels detonate? According to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, both vessels attempted to pass through the strait without coordination with Tehran and with satellite tracking systems turned off. ### What are the consequences for the oil market? A significant share of global oil exports passes through the Strait of Hormuz, so disabling two large vessels within a day could lead to a sharp spike in oil prices on world exchanges.