Iran war live: Iranian media reports ‘massive explosions’ in Hormuz Strait

BREAKING: Iranian media report 'massive explosions' in the southern Strait of Hormuz, with Fars citing unnamed military sources that tankers using 'unauthorised' routes may have struck sea mines.

Massive explosions in the Strait of Hormuz, that's the report out of Iranian media tonight.

Fars news agency is citing unnamed military sources who say tankers using what they call unauthorised routes may have struck sea mines in the southern part of the strait. No word yet on casualties, no word on which vessels, no independent confirmation. But the location alone tells you how serious this is. A fifth of the world's oil moves through that waterway, and the phrase sea mines does not belong anywhere near it.

The timing is hard to ignore. This lands just hours after President Trump said Washington was having productive discussions with Iran, and pledged not to attack the country before the November 3 midterms. One side talks de-escalation, and the same night, tankers are reportedly hitting mines.

If these reports hold, commercial shipping through Hormuz just became a gamble, and every oil trader on earth is awake right now.

This is Liu Yang, reporting for HIT.