Strait of Hormuz: Three Tankers Struck by Mines

Three oil tankers struck mines and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz over the past 24 hours, according to the Iranian state broadcaster. The report cited the Revolutionary Guard Corps, which stated that the vessels attempted to exit the waterway through a restricted route.

The Iranian navy claimed the tankers switched off their radar and navigation systems while ignoring warnings. The damaged vessels were subsequently abandoned off the southern coast of the strait. A British military monitor confirmed seeing a vessel on fire during transit but did not specify if it was one of the three cited by Iran.

The Associated Press could not immediately confirm the incident. The report did not identify the specific tankers or provide details on casualties. Tensions in the region remain high as observers watch for potential resumption of U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran.

Separately, the U.S. military denied Iran's claim that it captured an American surveillance drone near the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state television reported that the Revolutionary Guard detected and identified an MQM-170 Outlaw drone. The report stated that an electronic warfare operation allowed Iran to take over control systems and land the drone in Iranian territory.

U.S. Central Command called the report false. Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for the Central Command, said in an email that the Revolutionary Guard has repeatedly lied out of desperation in recent weeks and months. He did not provide further details on the specific drone. Iran made a similar claim in 2011 regarding an RQ-170 Sentinel, which U.S. officials said malfunctioned.

In Israel, the public awaits final election results expected to be announced Thursday evening. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party 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 won the 61-seat majority needed to control parliament, leaving the path to governance unclear. Netanyahu seized on a new request by the elections committee to the Shin Bet intelligence service to investigate alleged interference by foreign entities. The request did not reference Arab-led parties, but Netanyahu and Likud argued that no party should cooperate with them.

In Yemen, the Houthi-run Health Ministry said a strike killed 12 people and critically wounded three others in the besieged city of Taiz. The ministry blamed Saudi Arabia for the attack, which hit two homes belonging to the same family on Thursday. The Associated Press could not independently verify the report.

A separate strike hit a paint factory in Taiz province late Wednesday, according to a Houthi-run human rights body. 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, Yemen's National Human Rights Authority said.

In Gaza, an Israeli strike on a civilian vehicle killed two people and wounded another in central Gaza on Thursday. Health officials at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital reported the casualties. Israel's military did not respond to a request for comment. More than 1,550 Palestinians have died in Israeli strikes since the ceasefire began in October 2025, according to the territory's Health Ministry.