Two limpet mines disable tanker in Hormuz; Brent jumps 2.4% to $117.64
Key Facts
Two limpet mines attached to a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz caused an engine-room fire and temporarily disabled it, in an incident that maritime security sources said occurred on Thursday, October 29, 2026, near the Omani coast. Reuters reported that the tanker was the Panama-flagged Louise 1, citing assessments by three maritime security sources. The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said the crew was safe, the fire had been extinguished and there was no environmental impact. The vessel continued sailing to its next port, Reuters reported, citing the agency. The incident occurred 25 nautical miles, or 46 kilometers, northeast of Khasab, according to the agency. The attack raised concerns about commercial vessels being approached by small boats in one of the region’s busy shipping lanes.
Reuters said the strike was the first known successful use of limpet mines in the region since the U.S.-Iran war began in February 2026. It followed a separate attempt in September in which the devices did not explode, according to the report. That account places the incident within a recent period of maritime tensions, but differs from Al-Monitor’s description of the broader historical timeline. The outlet said the last reported successful use of the weapon in regional waters was in June 2019, during a series of attacks on commercial tankers. Iran’s government denied responsibility for the 2019 attacks, according to Al-Monitor. Marisks said limpet mines were first used in the region in 2017, and were later used against tankers in the Strait of Hormuz in subsequent years.
Marisks said the security concern was that a small boat could approach a tanker underway, place explosives and withdraw. The group described this possibility as a "major security concern," pointing to congestion in the strait’s shipping lanes. Separately on Friday, the Associated Press said Iran’s Revolutionary Guard announced that four tankers had been hit by mines and caught fire while transiting the strait. The announcement said one of the tankers was carrying more than 2 million barrels, but the news agency said it could not verify the claims. AP also reported that Oman said it had evacuated 25 crew members from a Panama-flagged tanker that came under attack and caught fire 1.6 nautical miles off the coast of Musandam Governorate. It was unclear whether that incident was connected to the fires Iran described.
AP reported separately that a vessel was struck by an unknown projectile south of Lavan Island, saying its crew was safe. Al-Monitor, meanwhile, said the U.S. military, which had been escorting commercial vessels through the strait and providing aerial surveillance, did not confirm the attack on Louise 1. The reports highlight the multiple incidents and statements circulating about shipping in Hormuz during the same period, with some accounts remaining unverified. EL7 coverage on October 8 examined the expansion of tanker attacks beyond the strait, followed on October 30 by reports related to Louise 1, tanker attacks and mines. Available sources did not independently confirm the identity of those behind the attack on the tanker.
In energy markets, the December Brent contract ended Friday’s session, its final day of trading, up 2.4% at $117.64 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate rose 2.08% to $104.12. Reuters attributed the gains to concerns about escalation and supply risks highlighted by the attack. For the month, Brent rose 13.6% in October, while WTI gained 15.2%, according to Reuters. On the diplomatic front, an official briefed on the talks told the news agency that Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday as part of coordinated efforts to reach an agreement between the United States and Iran.