US forces disable cargo ship in Gulf of Oman, enforce Iran blockade
CENTCOM says the St Kitts-flagged M/V Huda was hit after leaving an Iranian port, while Iran's Revolutionary Guards report two tankers burning after striking mines.
The US military said it disabled a cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman on Saturday after its crew ignored repeated warnings and tried to violate a naval blockade of Iran. The United Arab Emirates said 22 people were rescued from a cargo vessel in the gulf early on Sunday.
US Central Command said an American aircraft fired precision munitions at the stern of a St Kitts-flagged ship, disabling it after forces told the crew to leave targeted areas of the vessel. In a statement carried by Euronews, the command named the ship as the M/V Huda and said it had visited an Iranian port before attempting to leave regional waters. It said US forces would continue to "strictly enforce" the blockade against Iran.
The UKMTO maritime agency said late on Saturday it had received a report of an incident involving a bulk carrier and military forces about 18 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan, on the east coast of the UAE.
According to CENTCOM, US forces have redirected 147 commercial vessels that complied with the blockade since July and disabled five merchant ships that refused. The command also said it had destroyed 10 Iranian commercial oil tankers belonging to what it called the Revolutionary Guards' shadow network.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards navy gave a separate account of the danger in the waterway. It said two oil tankers, one east of the Strait of Hormuz and one inside the strait, had exploded and were burning after hitting mines while trying to transit by an unauthorised route with their navigation and positioning systems switched off. The Guards accused the CENTCOM commander of "fantasy" and warned that any vessel cooperating with the US military and entering the unauthorised area would "inevitably hit a mine".
Tensions over the Strait of Hormuz have risen again in recent days following the US midterm elections. Explosions were reported on Qeshm Island on Friday night, and the Tasnim news agency said two missiles had struck the area. President Donald Trump confirmed that US forces had targeted an Iranian air defence system. Iranian news agencies reported further explosions on Saturday night in Qeshm, Sirik, Jask and Bandar Abbas.
How the reports differ
The Associated Press and WSLS reported the episode as a US firing on a commercial vessel that attempted to breach the blockade, while Reuters and The Hindu described the same military statement as the disabling of a cargo vessel, without the breach framing in their headlines. Euronews alone named the ship as the St Kitts-flagged M/V Huda, placed the incident about 18 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan using the UKMTO advisory, and reported the UAE National Guard's rescue of 22 people. Euronews also carried CENTCOM's figures on 147 redirected vessels, five merchant ships disabled and 10 tankers destroyed, and the Revolutionary Guards' separate account of two tankers burning after hitting mines in and near the Strait of Hormuz, none of which appeared in the other reports.
Watch
Iran proposes two-day plan to reopen Strait of Hormuz
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Washington must first release frozen funds and lift a naval blockade, as an Iranian delegation meets mediators in Qatar.
Iran says forces stronger as missiles hit Qeshm Island
Army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia says the Strait of Hormuz stays shut until Washington meets Tehran's demands, as the US offers $20m for nuclear information.
US offers $20m reward for information on Iran nuclear programme
CENTCOM says the Rewards for Justice programme will pay up to $20 million and consider relocation for details on Iranian facilities, equipment and scientists.
Iran sends nuclear proposal to US through Qatar, official says
A senior Iranian official told Reuters the proposal went via Doha, as Tehran says the Strait of Hormuz reopens only on seven conditions.
Syria denies sending troops to Yemen despite deployment reports
Yemeni officials told AFP that up to 3,000 Syrian soldiers are heading to Yemen and some are already there; Damascus says no forces have been sent "at this time".
UNICEF reports tripled attacks on water systems in conflict zones
The agency counted more than 135 incidents in 15 countries in 2025, against fewer than 45 in eight countries in 2021, and says funding covers a quarter of the need.
Israel's Joint List to recommend Eisenkot form government
The announcement follows a similar recommendation from Mansour Abbas's United Arab List, Haaretz reports.
Iran unveils Tehran billboard vowing to kill Trump
The display over Enghelab Square shows the US president behind bars, as crowds call for revenge for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in February strikes.