Key facts
- Iran's Revolutionary Guards said two tankers struck naval mines and a third caught fire on November 5.
- UKMTO reported at least five vessels hit since Sunday, close to October's wartime record of 35.
- Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf accused Vance of letting Trump double down like a losing gambler.
- A White House adviser told Reuters some officials viewed Vance's post as a foreign policy break from Trump.
- Two sources told Reuters they believed Trump was still likely to order resumed hostilities.
- Qatar said on Tuesday the US and Iran were reviewing proposals to bridge their differences.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on November 5, 2026 that two tankers had struck naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz and a third had caught fire, the latest in a run of attacks on shipping that UK maritime security agency UKMTO said was close to a record pace. UKMTO reported at least five vessels had reported incidents since Sunday, around the same rate as October, when it said 35 vessels were hit, the most of any month of the war. UKMTO also reported a vessel struck by two unidentified projectiles late on Wednesday.
The attacks follow the US midterm elections, in which voters cost President Donald Trump's Republicans control of Congress. Vice President JD Vance said in a long social media post on Wednesday that the war was to blame for his party's defeat. Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Vance's opposite number at previous peace talks, replied on Thursday that Vance was letting Trump double down like a "losing gambler" by planning more US strikes, and said: "Skip the TED talk. Why not say this to your boss?"
Trump defended the decision to launch the war when asked about Vance's comments on Wednesday, saying it was important to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, a justification he has repeatedly cited. A White House adviser told Reuters that some officials and staff inside the White House viewed Vance's post as a foreign policy break from the president and a public recognition of the war's economic consequences. Two sources told Reuters they believed Trump was still likely to order resumed hostilities; one said: "He is planning to bomb Iran. Don't listen to what he's saying. He held off because of the midterms."
Oil prices have fallen in recent days as traders wagered that Trump may be less likely to restart the strikes he launched alongside Israel as "Operation Epic Fury" in February, the report said. Prices bounced back slightly on Thursday but were down more than $20 a barrel from last week.
Iranian officials have been meeting Qatari mediators since last week to discuss proposals to end the hostilities, with no announced breakthrough on the main issues: the future status of the strait, a US blockade on Iranian ports, sanctions on Iran and a resumption of talks over Tehran's nuclear program. Qatar said on Tuesday that the United States and Iran were committed to mediation efforts and were reviewing proposals, adding there had been developments in talks with both sides. A senior Iranian official said this week the two sides remain far apart.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said on Wednesday there should not be "even the slightest inclination towards submission" to the United States, which he said would remain hostile to Iran whichever party was in power.