U.S. denies Iran seized drone as three tankers burn in Strait of Hormuz
Iran's navy blames mines for the fires, while Israeli leaders argue over election interference and Yemeni officials report new casualties.
By Nadia Singh ·
The U.S. military rejected Iran's assertion that it captured an American surveillance drone near the Strait of Hormuz. This denial came the same day Iranian authorities reported that three oil tankers struck mines and caught fire.
Iranian state television cited the Revolutionary Guard Corps in reporting that the drones and ships were involved in separate incidents over the past 24 hours. The navy stated that the three tankers turned off their radar and navigation systems while attempting to leave the waterway through a restricted route. It said the vessels were abandoned off the southern coast after the explosions. The Associated Press could not immediately confirm the number of casualties or identify the specific ships.
A separate report from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center noted that a vessel transiting the strait spotted another ship on fire. That organization did not know the status of the crew or the extent of the damage. It was not clear if that burning ship was one of the three mentioned by Iranian officials.
U.S. Central Command addressed the drone claim directly. Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for the command, said the report was false. He stated that the Revolutionary Guard has repeatedly lied out of desperation in recent weeks and months. Iranian officials said they used an electronic warfare operation to take control of the MQM-170 Outlaw drone and land it in Iranian territory. They did not specify when the drone was seized.
In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party intensified claims that Arab-led parties stole the upcoming election. Final results are expected Thursday evening. Netanyahu cited a request from the elections committee for the Shin Bet intelligence service to investigate foreign interference. The request did not name specific parties, but Netanyahu argued that no coalition should work with Arab-led groups. Current projections indicate his bloc has lost its majority in the Knesset, and no party has the 61 seats needed to form a government alone.
Yemeni officials reported that a Saudi strike killed 12 people and critically wounded three others in Taiz. The Houthi-run Health Ministry said the attack hit two homes belonging to the same family on Thursday. It also reported that a separate strike on a paint factory late Wednesday caused a large fire. The National Human Rights Authority warned that toxic gases could contaminate nearby soil and groundwater. AP could not independently verify either report.
In Gaza, an Israeli strike on a civilian vehicle in central Gaza killed two people and wounded one on Thursday. Health officials at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital received the casualties. The territory's Health Ministry said more than 1,550 Palestinians have died since the ceasefire began in October 2025.
A senior Iranian security official said the government received a message from U.S. Vice President JD Vance. The report from Fars news agency said the letter was sent to Major General Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. Iran has not yet responded to the letter. Diploms said U.S. officials have advised regional allies to prepare for potential renewed military action after next week's U.S. midterm elections.
