Iran reports tankers hit in Strait of Hormuz while Israel awaits election results

Three oil tankers are on fire after striking mines in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian officials.

The Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that the vessels hit explosives over the past 24 hours while trying to leave the waterway through a restricted route. Iran’s navy reported that the ships turned off their radar and navigation systems and ignored warnings before being abandoned off the southern coast. The state broadcaster did not name the tankers or list any casualties. The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations Center confirmed it saw a burning vessel in the strait on Thursday but could not verify the crew's status or if the ship was one of the three claimed by Iran.

Washington rejected Tehran's separate claim that it captured a U.S. surveillance drone. Iranian state television said the Revolutionary Guard seized an MQM-170 Outlaw drone during an electronic warfare operation. Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, called the report false. He noted that the Iranian military has made similar claims in the past, such as in 2011 when it said it downed an RQ-170 Sentinel drone. U.S. officials later said that aircraft had malfunctioned.

In Israel, voters await final results expected to be released Thursday evening. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party argued that Arab-led parties stole the election. They seized on a request by the elections committee for the Shin Bet intelligence service to investigate alleged foreign interference. The request did not name specific parties, but Netanyahu said no party should govern with Arab-led groups. Final counts are expected to show Netanyahu’s bloc losing its majority. No single party has won the 61 seats needed to control the Knesset.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels said a Saudi strike killed 12 people in the city of Taiz. The Houthi-run Health Ministry said the attack hit two homes belonging to the same family, critically wounding three others, including women and children. A separate strike late Wednesday hit a paint factory, causing a fire that could release toxic gases into the soil and groundwater. The U.S. military said it has not verified these reports.

In Gaza, an Israeli strike on a civilian vehicle killed two people and wounded one in the central territory on Thursday. Health officials at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital confirmed the casualties. More than 1,550 Palestinians have died since a ceasefire began in October 2025, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

A senior Iranian security official told Fars news agency that Tehran received a message from U.S. Vice President JD Vance. The letter was delivered to Major General Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. Iran has not responded to the communication. Diplomats said U.S. officials have warned regional allies to prepare for potential renewed military action against Iran after next week’s U.S. midterm elections.