Iran Reports Three Tanker Explosions in Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that three oil tankers exploded and caught fire after striking naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz. The announcement, relayed through the state broadcaster, stated that the incidents occurred over the previous 24 hours as the vessels attempted to exit the waterway via an unauthorized route. The report did not specify the names of the ships or provide casualty figures. The Associated Press could not immediately confirm the details of the explosions.

The Iranian navy said the tankers deactivated their radar and navigation systems while ignoring warnings. Authorities stated the damaged vessels were abandoned off the southern coast of the strait. Iran maintains that ships must communicate with its authorities and follow designated paths, with the Guard asserting that other routes are mined. A British military monitor reported seeing a vessel on fire while transiting the strait on Thursday. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center said it did not know the status of the crew or the extent of the damage, and it remained unclear if that specific ship was one of the three cited by the Guard.

Tensions in the region remain high due to concerns that U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran may resume. Despite the recent increase in attacks, Maritime data company Lloyd’s List Intelligence reports that tankers continue to transport oil through the strait under U.S. military protection.

In Israel, citizens are awaiting final election results that could be released as early as Thursday evening. Current projections suggest that neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc nor the opposition parties, including Arab-led groups, will secure the 61-seat majority required to form a government. Local media estimated Netanyahu’s bloc holds 53 seats, opposition parties hold 48, and Arab-led parties hold 19. Netanyahu used the uncertainty to argue that no party should cooperate with Arab-led groups, a stance not explicitly mentioned in the official communications.

Allegations of foreign election interference have added to the uncertainty. The head of the Central Elections Committee asked the Shin Bet intelligence service to investigate these claims and present findings within a week. A letter dated Wednesday cited alleged funding by foreign entities against Israeli interests without providing specifics. It was not clear who initiated the allegations. Israeli law requires that election results be certified by Nov. 4. President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday that he would be ready to resume peace talks with Israel once a new government is formed.

In Yemen, the Houthi-run Health Ministry stated that a Saudi strike killed 12 people and critically wounded three others, including women and children, in the city of Taiz. The ministry blamed the attack, which hit two homes belonging to the same family, on Saudi Arabia. The Associated Press could not independently verify the report. The province in southwestern Yemen has been a contested front line between the Houthis and government forces, seeing renewed fighting and airstrikes in recent weeks.

A separate Houthi-run human rights body reported that another strike hit a paint factory late Wednesday. The group blamed government forces for the attack, which caused a large fire. Yemen’s National Human Rights Authority said the strike could release toxic gases and contaminate nearby soil and groundwater.

In central Gaza, Israeli health officials at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital reported that a strike on a civilian vehicle killed two people and wounded another on Thursday. Israel’s military did not respond to a request for comment. The death toll in Gaza has continued to rise more than a year after a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began in October 2025. The territory’s Health Ministry, which maintains detailed records and is viewed as generally reliable by U.N. agencies, said Israeli strikes have killed more than 1,550 Palestinians since the ceasefire started. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and fighters.