Iran blames mines for three tanker fires in Strait of Hormuz
US forces deny capturing a drone, while Israel awaits election results and Yemeni rebels report heavy casualties from Saudi strikes.
By Allison Rojas ·
Three oil tankers are on fire in the Strait of Hormuz after striking mines, according to Iranian state media. The vessels attempted to exit the waterway through a restricted route over the past 24 hours, the Revolutionary Guard Corps reported via the state broadcaster. The tankers had switched off their radar and navigation systems and ignored warnings before being abandoned off the southern coast. No casualties were confirmed, and the specific ships were not identified.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center confirmed seeing a vessel on fire while transiting the strait on Thursday. The center said it did not know the status of the crew or the extent of the damage. It was unclear if that burning ship was one of the three cited by Iran. Tensions in the region remain high as concerns grow that U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran could resume.
The U.S. military rejected Iran's claim that it captured an American surveillance drone near the strait. Iranian state television reported that the Revolutionary Guard detected an MQM-170 Outlaw drone and took control of it in an electronic warfare operation. U.S. Central Command called the report false. Spokesman Tim Hawkins stated that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard has repeatedly lied in recent weeks and months. He did not provide further details. Iran made a similar claim in 2011 regarding an RQ-170 Sentinel drone, which U.S. officials said malfunctioned.
In Israel, final election results are expected to be announced Thursday evening. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party have amplified allegations that Arab-led parties stole the election. Final results are expected to confirm that Netanyahu's bloc has lost its majority in the Knesset. No party has won the 61 seats needed to control the government. Netanyahu is using a request from the elections committee for the Shin Bet to investigate foreign interference to argue against cooperation with Arab-led parties, despite the request not naming them.
In Yemen, the Houthi-run Health Ministry said a Saudi strike killed 12 people and critically wounded three others in the city of Taiz. The ministry said the strike hit two homes belonging to the same family on Thursday. Women and children were among the dead. The Associated Press could not independently verify the report. Taiz province has seen renewed fighting and airstrikes in recent weeks as the front line between Houthi and government forces.
A separate Houthi-run human rights body reported that a strike hit a paint factory in Taiz late Wednesday. The group blamed government forces for the attack. The strike caused a large fire that could release toxic gases and contaminate nearby soil and groundwater, according to Yemen's National Human Rights Authority.
An Israeli strike on a civilian vehicle in central Gaza killed two people and wounded one on Thursday, according to health officials at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. The Israeli military did not respond to a request for comment. More than 1,550 Palestinians have died since the ceasefire began in October 2025, according to the territory's Health Ministry. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and fighters.
A senior Iranian security official said his government received a message from U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Thursday. The semi-official Fars news agency reported the message was sent to Major General Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. Iran has not yet responded. Diplomats say U.S. officials have advised regional allies to prepare for potential renewed military action after next week's midterm elections.
