Iran reports two oil tankers hit mines in Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing tensions

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported that two oil tankers attempting to leave the Strait of Hormuz struck naval mines and caught fire, according to CBS News. The IRGC stated the vessels were traveling via an unauthorized route and were under protection of U.S. military fighter jets.

These incidents are part of a series of daily claims by Iranian forces about attacks on commercial vessels in and around the strategic waterway. The IRGC has accused ships of trying to transit the strait without its approval, while the U.S. military insists the southern shipping lanes remain safe and open.

The U.S. military has also struck tankers it accuses of violating its blockade of Iranian ports. Recently, the U.K. navy's Maritime Trade Operations center reported a tanker was hit by a projectile in the strait.

Insurer Allianz Trade estimated that the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict will cost Gulf countries over $200 billion in physical damage, mostly to energy infrastructure, with total economic losses potentially reaching nearly four times that amount by 2030. The report highlighted significant damage to energy facilities in Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain, as well as impacts on tourism and real estate sectors.

The conflict has led to daily attacks on Gulf countries hosting U.S. forces, particularly in the early weeks of the war, as Iran retaliated against U.S. and Israeli actions. Allianz Trade projects the cumulative economic cost to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries could reach $790 billion through 2030, representing a 5.9 percent GDP gap relative to pre-war trends.