Three Tankers Hit Mines in Hormuz

Oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have faced renewed disruption as Iran reports multiple vessels struck by naval mines. The state broadcaster cited the Revolutionary Guard Corps, stating that three tankers exploded and caught fire over the past 24 hours. The incident occurred while the vessels attempted to exit the waterway via a route not authorized by Iranian authorities.

The Iranian navy asserted that the affected tankers disabled their radar and navigation systems and ignored prior warnings. The damaged vessels were abandoned off the southern coast of the strait. The initial report did not identify the specific ships or provide casualty figures. The Associated Press has not yet independently confirmed the Iranian account, which emerges as regional tensions rise over the potential resumption of U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.

British military monitors observed a separate vessel on fire while transiting the strait on Thursday. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center reported that the status of that crew and the extent of the damage remained unknown. It was unclear if that burning ship was among the three referenced by the Iranian Guard. Despite the recent surge in incidents, Lloyd’s List Intelligence indicates that tankers continue to move oil through the strait under U.S. military protection.

In Israel, the public awaits final election results expected as early as Thursday evening. Current projections suggest that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies, or the opposing coalition including Arab-led parties, may not secure the 61-seat majority required to form a government. The head of the Central Elections Committee requested that the Shin Bet intelligence service investigate allegations of foreign interference. A letter dated Wednesday cited funding by foreign entities against the Israeli interest, without providing specific details. Israeli law requires the certification of results by Nov. 4.

Netanyahu used the Shin Bet review to argue against cooperation with Arab-led parties, a stance not explicitly mentioned in the committee’s letter. Local media projected 53 seats for Netanyahu’s bloc, 48 for opposition parties, and 19 for Arab-led groups. President Mahmoud Abbas stated on Thursday during a visit to Cyprus that he would be ready to resume peace talks once a new Israeli government forms.

In Yemen, the Houthi-run Health Ministry said a strike on Thursday killed 12 people and critically wounded three others, including women and children, in Taiz. The ministry attributed the attack to Saudi Arabia, noting it hit two homes belonging to the same family. The Associated Press could not independently verify these figures. The province has seen renewed fighting and airstrikes in recent weeks as a contested front line.

A separate strike hit a paint factory in the region late Wednesday, according to a Houthi-run human rights body. Yemen’s National Human Rights Authority stated that the resulting fire could release toxic gases and contaminate nearby soil and groundwater. In central Gaza, Israeli forces struck a civilian vehicle on Thursday, killing two people and wounding a third, according to health officials at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. More than 1,550 Palestinians have been killed in the enclave since the ceasefire began in October 2025.