Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed Friday that three oil tankers exploded and caught fire while traveling through an unauthorized route in the Strait of Hormuz. It said one was a supertanker carrying more than 2 million barrels of oil that struck a naval mine.
The Iranian authorities did not identify the supertanker or provide details about its crew, and the AP could not independently verify the account.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels near Mecca, Islam's holiest city. The Houthis denied targeting Mecca.
Here is the latest news from the Middle East on Friday. Read our full coverage here.
Iran says supertanker struck mine and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed Friday that a supertanker carrying more than 2 million barrels of oil struck a naval mine, exploded and caught fire while using an unauthorized route in the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media reported.
The Guard said it was the third oil tanker to explode and catch fire Friday after attempting to use unauthorized routes through the strait.
Iran has repeatedly warned vessels against passing through the strait without Tehran’s permission.
It has claimed responsibility for attacks on ships which it accused of using unauthorized routes and said others struck mines laid early in the war. The Guard’s navy said last month that vessels attempting to pass through the strait without authorization would face “destruction.” Tehran has asserted control over much of the waterway since the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28.
The U.S. military denies the naval mines claims, saying that all internationally recognized, primary transit routes through the critical waterway have been cleared of sea mines by U.S. forces.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said Friday that the supertanker had been abandoned at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz and remained on fire.
The report did not identify the vessel or provide details about its crew. The AP could not independently verify those claims.
Earlier Friday, the Guard’s navy said two other tankers caught fire after striking mines in the strait, Iranian state TV reported. They claimed the vessels had switched off their navigation and positioning systems, attempting to leave through unauthorized routes with U.S. military support and ignored repeated radio warnings.
The British military reported earlier Friday that a tanker caught fire after a small boat attached two explosive devices to its hull while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz, temporarily disabling the vessel. It is unclear if the incident is related to the fires that Iran claimed.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said the explosives were attached above the waterline, triggering blasts that caused a fire in the engine room.
UKMTO did not identify the tanker, which was sailing about 25 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman, or say who was responsible for the attack. The agency said the crew was safe and there was no environmental impact. The fire had been extinguished and the vessel was continuing to its next port of call, it added.
Oman’s Maritime Security Center, meanwhile, said the country had evacuated 25 crew members from a vessel. It is unclear if that incident is related to the fires described by the Iranian and British authorities. Oman said the Panama-flagged tanker was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, 1.6 nautical miles off the coast of Musandam Governorate, and caught fire.
Saudi Arabia says drone launched by Houthis intercepted near Mecca
The Saudi-led coalition said Friday it intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
A coalition spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, said the drone was intercepted in the region surrounding Mecca, Islam’s holiest city and a destination for millions of Muslim pilgrims each year.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree denied carrying out any operations targeting Mecca, saying in a statement that the group’s military operations are aimed at Saudi oil facilities and military bases.
Saudi Arabia has previously reported intercepting missiles and drones headed toward Mecca and Medina. The Houthis have repeatedly denied targeting either city.
Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday for talks with Iranian officials
Iranian state media said Friday that Qatari mediators have returned to Iran for talks with officials, in the latest diplomatic push to try to broker an end to the war with the United States and Israel.
The IRNA state news agency said the Qatari delegation was headed by the country’s foreign minister and senior adviser to the prime minister. IRNA said they were meeting with senior Iranian officials but did not specify who.
The visit follows outreach from U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who sent a letter in recent days to Maj. Gen. Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. Tehran on Thursday acknowledged receipt of the letter but said it had not responded and did not detail its contents.
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested the letter was not about peace negotiations but instead about possibly allowing humanitarian aid.
Diplomats say U.S. officials have told Middle East countries and regional allies to be prepared for potential renewed military action against Iran after next week’s midterm elections in the United States.
Rescue teams search for missing after Syria flash floods
Civil defense teams were searching for missing people in eastern Syria on Friday after deadly flash floods swept through several areas.
At least five people, including four children, were killed by the floods in rural areas of Raqqa and Deir el-Zour provinces, the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management reported Thursday.
Civil defense teams have rescued dozens of people trapped by rising waters or stranded in their vehicles, the state-run SANA news agency reported, while hundreds of families were evacuated from camps for internally displaced people in northern Syria.
Palestinians in Gaza have little hope that Israel’s election will improve lives
Palestinians in Gaza weren't holding out hope that Israel's elections would improve their dire humanitarian situation, as near-daily Israeli strikes continue despite a ceasefire.
“Suffering in Gaza will remain exactly as it is. Nothing will change for us, whether it is Netanyahu or Eisenkot,” said Ziad Abed, a resident of Maghazi in central Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his chief rival Gadi Eisenkot failed to secure a parliamentary majority in this week's election. Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats, Eisenkot’s 48 and Arab-led parties 19, leaving coalition negotiations ahead.
Arab-led parties secured their largest-ever number of seats in Israel’s parliament, raising hopes among some that they could influence the next government, though it is unclear whether either of the main parties would work with them.
“If such an alliance were to be formed, it could lead to progress,” said Yazan Hamad, a man displaced from northern Gaza.
This report will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.
