Iran claims it struck an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz

Iran claims it struck an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz Iran said it struck the Togo-flagged oil tanker Trend amid what it described as an “illegal attempt” to transit the Strait of Hormuz, according to the state broadcaster citing the Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Associated Press could not immediately corroborate the report. The Guard’s navy warned that vessels attempting to transit the strait without authorization would face “destruction,” the broadcaster said. Tehran has asserted control over the waterway since the U.S. and Israel launched the offensive on Feb. 28. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported a “security incident” overnight involving a vessel 16 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman, which lies on the opposite side of the strait. The vessel was safe and no environmental interaction was reported, the service said. It was not clear whether the UKMTO report referred to the attack claimed by Iran. U.S. forces have been escorting some commercial ships through the strait off Oman as the threat of Iranian attacks continues. More attacks reported in the strait Separately, the UKMTO said a tanker in the strait was hit by an “unknown projectile,” causing a fire that was later extinguished. The crew was reported safe, with no immediate indication of environmental damage, it said. The AP could not independently verify the incident, and there was no contemporaneous claim from Iran. The service also noted another tanker was struck Wednesday by an “unknown projectile” while transiting out of the strait, with the crew reported safe. It was not clear why the report emerged later. Tehran rally vows support for Iran Hundreds of thousands of Iranians filled the streets of Tehran in the biggest rally since the conflict began in February, pledging to take up arms as “Janfaday-e Iran,” or those “who sacrifice their lives for Iran.” Iran’s authorities have sought to rally the populace and emphasize national unity, even as the economy deteriorates under a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and new U.S. sanctions intended to increase Tehran’s economic pain. Some participants trampled flags of the United States and Israel. Others chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.” Houthi supporters gather in Yemen Hundreds of people rallied in northern areas of Yemen in support of the Houthis and to protest Saudi Arabia’s accusation that the rebels targeted Islam’s holiest site, Mecca. Houthi‑controlled Al‑Masirah TV showed protesters carrying images of the Kaaba, a landmark in Mecca, alongside Yemeni, Iranian, Lebanese and Palestinian flags. A speaker reiterated the Houthis’ stance toward Saudi Arabia, which backs Yemen’s internationally recognized government. The Saudis said they intercepted a Houthi drone aimed at Mecca earlier this week. The Houthi campaign has denied responsibility. The Houthis are fighting Saudi‑backed Yemeni forces, a struggle that has recently fueled the displacement of more than 100,000 people. South Korea says it might expand naval presence in the region South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said his government is considering expanding the operations of a naval unit deployed in the Gulf of Aden off the coasts of Yemen and Somalia to protect his country’s vessels and oil shipping routes. But he stressed that South Korea would not take action that would draw it into the U.S.-Iran conflict, pushing back against recent pressure from the Trump administration. South Korea has deployed the anti‑piracy Cheonghae Unit for years. The growing threat from Iranian‑backed Houthis in Yemen to shipping in the region has alarmed countries and markets, even though the rebels have said they are only targeting the assets of neighboring Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter. “There will be no troop deployment that involves or intervenes in the war,” Lee said. Threat level remains high in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait A UKMTO update said there have been no recent attacks on shipping in the Red Sea since Houthi rebels seized strategic islands at the southern end of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The service noted increased Houthi control of parts of Yemen’s western coast and described the threat level for the southern Red Sea as “substantial.” However, it said the latest recorded attacks, including near misses, occurred on Aug. 24, although northbound and southbound transits of the strait are down. In the Strait of Hormuz, UKMTO said U.S.-facilitated vessel transits off Oman averaged 24 a time over the past week. Overall, traffic remains about 90% lower than before the war.