Two Fishing Boats Targeted In Drone Attack Off Iran Coast; Fishermen Go Missing

September 15, 2026

Tehran: Two fishing boats were targeted in a drone attack off Iran’s southern coast on Monday night, leaving a number of fishermen missing, according to a report by Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency.

The attack took place off the coast of the southern port city of Kargan and near Larak Island, Ahmad Nafisi, deputy governor of Hormozgan province for political and security affairs, was quoted as saying.

Search and rescue operations have been launched to locate the missing fishermen. Nafisi said further details would be announced after an investigation.

Search And Rescue Operation Underway

Authorities have launched search and rescue efforts following the reported drone attack on the two fishing boats. Officials have not yet released further details about the number of fishermen missing or the circumstances surrounding the attack.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions around the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

Oil Tanker Catches Fire After Hitting Naval Mines

Earlier, the Navy of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said a super oil tanker attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz through a “forbidden” route south of the waterway exploded and caught fire after hitting naval mines.

According to the IRGC’s official news outlet, Sepah News, efforts to contain the fire on the tanker, identified as “EL GAIA”, were unsuccessful and the entire vessel was engulfed in flames.

The IRGC Navy said warnings had been issued about the risks of using the “illegal” route and stressed that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and under the control of Iran’s naval forces.

Iran Warns Maritime Service Providers

Meanwhile, Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), which is responsible for maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, warned insurance companies and classification societies against providing services to vessels on its updated list of “violating” ships.

In a post on X, the PGSA warned insurance companies, protection and indemnity (P&I) clubs and classification societies to refrain from providing services to the listed vessels to avoid consequences arising from dealing with them.

The latest incidents come amid continued tensions surrounding maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.