Tanker Hit By Projectiles Near Qatar
British military reports damage to a vessel in the Persian Gulf as Iranian state media claims mines sank three ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
By Wyatt Cooper ·
A tanker took hits from two projectiles off the coast of Qatar on Wednesday, according to the British military. The strike occurred north of the city of Madinat ash Shamal in the Persian Gulf. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center said the crew's status is unconfirmed and the extent of the damage is unknown. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and the organization did not identify the specific vessel.
The trade operations center noted last month that accurate reporting on maritime attacks has become difficult. It stated that many ships are refusing to report incidents. This development comes as tensions remain high in the region following the war that began in February.
Iranian state television reported on Thursday that two oil tankers and a towboat struck mines in the Strait of Hormuz. The report said the vessels caught fire after the impact. Officials did not provide details on casualties or the flags of the ships. The claim has not been independently verified. The report quoted the Revolutionary Guard as saying it also seized two U.S. drones in the airspace over the strait.
Oman and Iran discussed ways to resume navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi spoke by phone with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The Omani ministry stated that both sides confirmed the importance of reaching understandings to ensure the safety of maritime passages.
In Jordan, a security officer was killed near the Sri Lankan Embassy in Amman on Thursday. Jordanian authorities described the incident as a terrorist act. The assailant attacked the officer with a sharp object and attempted to seize a weapon. A second officer intervened, and both the attacker and the second officer were injured. The Public Security Directorate said the assailant was arrested.
South Korea proposed expanding the operational area of its anti-piracy naval unit near Somalia. The expansion would include waters south of Oman. Defense Ministry spokesperson Chung Binna said the move is due to increased pirate activity linked to Middle East conflicts. She stated that South Korea would not directly participate in military operations to ensure freedom of navigation unless allowable circumstances were created, such as an end to the war.
In Gaza, three Palestinians were killed in separate areas on Thursday. Israeli gunfire killed a boy in Bureij, according to Awda Hospital. A woman was fatally shot in Khan Younis, according to Nasser Hospital. An Israeli airstrike in Deir al-Balah killed one person. The Israeli military said it was aware of the Deir al-Balah strike. In Yemen, the Houthi-run Ministry of Health reported that seven people were killed and six injured in two Saudi airstrikes. The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted a cruise missile over Medina.
