A tanker was struck by projectiles off the coast of Qatar in the Persian Gulf, the British military said Thursday, while Iranian state television reported that two tankers and a towboat had hit mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
Here is the latest news from the Middle East on Thursday. Read our full coverage here.
Tanker struck in Persian Gulf
A tanker was struck by two projectiles off Qatar's coast in the Persian Gulf on Wednesday, the British military said, adding that the status of the crew was unconfirmed and the damage was unknown.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center said the attack took place north of Qatar’s city of Madinat ash Shamal. It did not identify the tanker and there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
The organization said last month that it was struggling to accurately report the true number of attacks because most ships were refusing to report them.
South Korea’s military proposes expanding anti-piracy mission
South Korea 's military proposed expanding the operational area of an anti-piracy naval unit deployed near Somalia to include waters south of Oman, saying conflicts in the Middle East have led to increased pirate activity.
Defense Ministry spokesperson Chung Binna said Thursday that the possible expansion would not involve South Korea in the U.S. war with Iran. She stressed that South Korea would not directly participate in military operations to ensure freedom of navigation near the Strait of Hormuz unless “allowable circumstances” were created, including an end to the war or an agreement to stop the fighting.
Iranian state TV says 3 ships have struck naval mines
Iran's state TV said Thursday that two oil tankers and a towboat caught fire after striking mines in the Strait of Hormuz. It did not provide details about possible casualties or the vessels' flags. The claim could not be independently verified.
Quoting a statement by the Revolutionary Guard, the report said the Guard also seized two U.S. drones in the airspace over the strait. The Guard routinely makes similar statements about targeting vessels as well as damaging oil tankers in the strait.
Tehran closed the strait after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in February, launching the war.
Assailant kills security officer in Jordanian capital
An assailant attacked and killed a security officer near the Sri Lankan Embassy in Jordan’s capital, Amman, on Thursday, in what Jordanian authorities described as a terrorist act.
Jordan’s Public Security Directorate said a member of its forces was assaulted with a sharp object and died “in a cowardly terrorist attack.” It said a preliminary investigation indicated the attacker had been “planning to commit the terrorist act against the officers of the General Security Directorate.”
Jordan’s state-run Al-Mamlaka TV reported that the assailant, who was arrested, attempted to seize a weapon from the security officer. A second security officer intervened, and both the assailant and the second officer sustained injuries, Al-Mamlaka said.
Foreign ministers of Iran, Oman discuss Strait of Hormuz
The foreign ministers of Iran and Oman have discussed ways to resume navigation through the Strait of Hormuz that lies between the two nations, Oman’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi spoke by phone with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, and confirmed the importance of reaching understandings ensuring the safety of maritime passages, the ministry said.
The two had met in Tehran in August to discuss a framework for managing ship traffic in the strait.
Houthis say Saudi airstrikes killed 7
The Houthi-run Ministry of Health in Yemen reported, without providing evidence, that seven people were killed and six were injured in two Saudi airstrikes on Thursday. The Saudi Ministry of Information did not immediately comment.
Anees Al-Asbahy, spokesperson of the Houthi-run ministry, said the first raid targeted a farm in Saada, northwestern Yemen. A second airstrike came as paramedics arrived, he said.
Separately, the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis said it intercepted and destroyed a cruise missile over the province of Medina. The military spokesperson for the Iran-backed Houthis, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, denied the claim and said their operations only target Saudi oil facilities and military bases. The Associated Press couldn’t independently verify these claims.
Israel's President Herzog holds meetings for coalition government
Israeli President Isaac Herzog held a second day of meetings Thursday with political parties to hear their recommendations on who should receive the first opportunity to form a coalition government.
The president chooses who gets the first chance to form a government — most likely current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or his main rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot.
The ultra-Orthodox party United Torah Judaism refrained from making a recommendation during the faction’s meeting with Herzog Thursday, likely tipping the scales in favor of Eisenkot.
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This report will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.
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