Iran said on Wednesday that a cargo ship sank after striking a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz, as tensions continued to escalate across the Middle East amid reports of attacks on commercial shipping, Saudi oil facilities and Gaza.
Meanwhile, a senior Iranian official said the country must remain prepared for war even as it negotiates with the United States. In Gaza, an Israeli strike killed a woman, according to hospital officials.
Iran Says Cargo Ship Sank After Hitting Naval Mine
A cargo ship sank after striking a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps navy said, marking the first time Iran has reported a ship sinking after hitting a mine during the war.
Meanwhile, shipping officials said two Singapore-registered cargo vessels were struck by “unknown projectiles” while passing through the strait on Tuesday and Wednesday. One vessel sank, while the other reached safety.
All crew members were evacuated from the vessel that sank, and no injuries were reported in either incident, Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority said.
The authority condemned the attacks as unprovoked and unjustifiable, saying they violated international law.
However, it remained unclear whether the Singapore-registered vessel that sank was the same ship Iran said had struck a naval mine.
Iranian officials provided few details about the incident, including the fate of the crew. State television quoted a statement from the Revolutionary Guard saying the ship was travelling along what it described as an illegal and dangerous route when it struck the mine on Wednesday morning.
The broadcast showed an unidentified ship tilted in the water and emitting a thick plume of smoke. It said the vessel was carrying 2,500 containers. The images could not be independently verified.
Iran has repeatedly warned ships against passing through the strait without its approval. The US military has been guiding vessels through the waterway along a route closer to Oman’s coast.
Houthi Strike Hits Saudi Oil Giant Aramco’s Headquarters
The headquarters of Saudi state-owned oil company Aramco was hit in an overnight Houthi strike, damaging offices used by its chief executive and other senior officials, two regional officials said.
The attack highlighted the Iran-backed rebels’ continued ability to strike high-profile targets.
There were no casualties, the officials said. The attack damaged the top three floors of a building used by senior executives in Dhahran. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly.
Earlier on Wednesday, residents reported fresh explosions in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, with suspicion again falling on Houthi rebels in neighbouring Yemen.
Smoke rising in recent days from some of Saudi Arabia’s most sensitive facilities has unsettled the region and global oil markets, while raising further questions about US President Donald Trump’s position. Trump has said he is assessing whether the United States should join Saudi strikes against the Houthis.
Iran Must Prepare for War Despite US Talks: Qalibaf
Iran must remain prepared for war even as it negotiates with the United States, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said on Wednesday.
In a televised speech, Qalibaf said Iran’s main concern was preventing another US attack. He warned that signing an agreement with Washington would not guarantee that the United States would honour its commitments.
“They break their promises,” Qalibaf said.
He argued that Iran must therefore be ready to fight “against a bullying enemy” and said the country must “truly fight courageously on the battlefield”.
“That is when we will have achieved sustainable deterrence,” he said.
“America must be punished. America must change its behavior. It must understand that it has to come to terms with the Iranian people,” he added.
Israeli Strike Kills Woman in Gaza City
An Israeli strike on an apartment in Gaza City killed a woman early Wednesday, officials at Shifa Hospital said.
Israel’s military said it had targeted a Hamas militant but was still assessing the outcome of the strike. It provided no further details.
More than a year after a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect, Israel continues to launch near-daily deadly strikes on the Palestinian enclave.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 1,490 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war began.
The ministry’s figures are generally considered reliable by UN agencies and independent experts. Although the ministry does not distinguish between civilians and militants among those killed, it says women and children account for nearly half of the deaths.