Iran hits another tanker in Strait of Hormuz as Israeli airstrikes rattle Lebanon
The United Arab Emirates blamed Iran on Saturday for attacking an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz the previous day, extending a campaign of strikes that have effectively choked one of the world’s most vital energy waterways. The vessel belongs to the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, or ADNOC, the UAE’s state-owned oil giant. The attack struck the ship’s hull, and no injuries were reported.
The strike came as Israeli warplanes carried out two airstrikes in southern Lebanon that killed at least 11 people, according to Lebanon’s health ministry, drawing sharp condemnation from Lebanese leaders and deepening concerns that the fragile U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Hezbollah is coming apart.
Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint
Iran has imposed an effective blockade of the strait since hostilities with the United States began in February. It has repeatedly struck commercial vessels, demanded that ships seek permission before transiting, and floated the idea of charging tolls. Washington has rejected those demands, and President Trump has even suggested the U.S. could collect tolls itself.
Thursday night alone saw two reported drone strikes on tankers in the strait, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations. One vessel suffered minor damage; crew members were reported safe. The UAE foreign ministry called Friday’s incident a “hostile Iranian attack,” and Saudi Arabia issued a rare statement condemning Iran for targeting vessels linked to ADNOC.
Israeli strikes test Lebanese ceasefire
Israeli airstrikes early Saturday hit the villages of Ansar and Deir El Zahrani, about 35 miles north of the border. Lebanon’s health ministry said at least 11 people were killed, including women and children. Israeli officials said the strikes were aimed at Hezbollah infrastructure and a senior commander, Ali Samir Al-Haj Hassan, whom the military said was using his family as human shields at the time.
“Hezbollah is willing to do anything, including using its own civilians as human shields, to falsely accuse Israel of deliberately targeting civilians,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam rejected that framing. “The seven martyrs of the Israeli strike on the village of Ansar are not ‘military infrastructure,’” he said, adding that Israel must halt a very dangerous escalation. Hezbollah said the attacks would draw an “appropriate response” and called on Lebanon to walk away from talks with Washington, describing the negotiating path as humiliating.
The violence is a heavy blow to the trilateral agreement brokered by the U.S. in late June, under which Israel was to begin pulling back from border areas as Lebanon’s army moved in. Israel has made clear it has no intention of withdrawing soon, and Hezbollah has not disarmed. Saturday’s deaths were among the worst since that deal was struck.
Carrier deployment draws scrutiny
Separately, the U.S. Navy is sending additional counselors and social workers to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been deployed for nearly nine months — well beyond the standard six-month rotation. A Navy official said the extra mental-health staff would supplement resources already available to the crew around the clock.
President Trump dismissed the concerns Friday, saying the deployment was “not nearly long enough.” The USS George Washington is now expected to move into the Middle East to relieve the Lincoln. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao acknowledged the crew had been pushed hard but insisted they had “never broken,” calling the service members the “epitome of American strength.”
Gaza diplomacy moves on a separate track
Diplomatic efforts linked to Gaza continued over the weekend. Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law and envoy, is planning to travel to Israel and Egypt next week with Nickolay Mladenov, the head of the Board of Peace. Their aim is to revive a Gaza plan that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly rejected, particularly its provisions for an Israeli withdrawal tied to Hamas disarmament.
Hamas political chief Khalil al-Hayya was also expected in Cairo for talks with Egyptian officials, according to a Hamas source. The group said it remained committed to the deal and was waiting for mediators to press Netanyahu to follow through.
Environmental risk grows from tanker spill
There is also growing concern about the Russian tanker Caroline Bezengi, which was struck in June and ran aground on an island in the Strait of Hormuz. Oman’s state news agency said leaked oil now covers about 7.5 miles of coastline, and satellite tracking suggests the slick is moving into open water.
Environmental groups have compared the potential spill to the Exxon Valdez disaster. The tanker may have been carrying as much as 40 million gallons of oil, and monitoring groups estimate hundreds of thousands of gallons have already leaked. No one has claimed responsibility for the June strike.
Economic and regional fallout
The broader conflict continues to ripple through energy markets. Brent crude climbed above $88 a barrel Friday, up about $4 for the week. U.S. gasoline prices averaged $4.07 a gallon, according to AAA, well above the $3.16 of a year ago. House Speaker Mike Johnson said the economy would rebound once the war concludes, but officials have offered no public timetable.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels, also backed by Iran, attacked the Red Sea port of Mokha on Friday, killing six people, including two security personnel, according to Yemen’s internationally recognized government. The group also claimed a drone strike on a Saudi Aramco site in Najran. Analysts see the escalation as another sign that Iran is trying to raise the cost of the conflict for the United States and its Gulf partners.
Iran, meanwhile, mocked President Trump’s suggestion that the Strait of Hormuz could be declared U.S. territory. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi wrote on X that the strait “cannot be seized by tweet, nor by aircraft carrier.” Iran also called on the International Committee of the Red Cross to help secure the release of three pilots it says were captured by Qatari forces six months ago, after their jets went down during an attack on Al Udeid Air Base.
-CBS/AFP