Strait of Hormuz sees tanker attacks and drone dispute

The Strait of Hormuz experienced renewed maritime tension on Thursday after Iran reported that three oil tankers struck naval mines and caught fire. The Iranian state broadcaster, citing the Revolutionary Guard Corps, said the incidents occurred over the preceding 24 hours as the vessels attempted to leave the waterway via an unauthorized route. The report did not identify the specific ships or provide a count of casualties. The Associated Press was unable to independently verify the claims immediately.

Iranian naval officials stated that the tankers had switched off their radar and navigation systems while ignoring warnings. They claimed the damaged vessels were abandoned off the southern coast of the strait. A British military monitor, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center, confirmed that a vessel observed another ship on fire while transiting the area. The center reported uncertainty regarding the crew's status and the extent of the damage, noting it was unclear if the burning vessel was one of the three cited by Tehran.

The maritime incidents occurred alongside a dispute over an American surveillance drone. Iranian state television reported that the Revolutionary Guard seized an MQM-170 Outlaw drone through an electronic warfare operation near the strait. The broadcast stated the drone was landed intact in Iranian territory but did not specify when it was captured. U.S. Central Command rejected the account, with spokesman Tim Hawkins calling the report false in an email. Hawkins added that the group has repeatedly lied in recent weeks and months.

In Israel, residents awaited final election results expected on Thursday evening. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party amplified allegations that Arab-led parties had stolen the election. Current projections suggest Netanyahu's bloc lost its parliamentary majority. It remains uncertain who will govern because no single party secured the 61 seats required to control the Knesset. Netanyahu highlighted a request by the elections committee for the Shin Bet intelligence service to investigate alleged interference by foreign entities, a request that did not specifically name Arab-led parties.

In Yemen, the Houthi-run Health Ministry said a Saudi strike killed 12 people in the besieged city of Taiz. The ministry reported that three others were critically wounded, including women and children, when the strike hit two homes belonging to the same family on Thursday. The Associated Press could not independently verify the toll. Taiz province has been a contested front line split between the Houthis and government forces, seeing renewed fighting in recent weeks.

A separate Houthi human rights body reported that a strike on a paint factory late Wednesday could release toxins. The attack, which the body attributed to government forces, caused a large fire. Yemen's National Human Rights Authority warned that toxic gases could contaminate nearby soil and groundwater.

In central Gaza, health officials at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital said an Israeli strike on a civilian vehicle killed two people and wounded another on Thursday. The Israeli military did not respond to a request for comment. The death toll in Gaza continues to rise more than a year after a ceasefire began in October 2025. The territory's Health Ministry, part of the Hamas-run government, reported that more than 1,550 Palestinians have died since that agreement. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its records.