Al Jazeera

By Kristina Harazim, Ali Mustafa and Noor Kareem

    Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says its navy struck a US “Saildrone-type” unmanned vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, “thwarting its aggressive mission”.

    The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre says it has received a report that projectiles hit two vessels off the coast of Oman.

Strait of Hormuz vessel transits drop to seven amid regional tensions

    Preliminary ship-tracking data shows vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz falling to seven on Thursday compared with 11 the previous day, remaining well below the 10-day average of 15, Reuters reports.

    Citing preliminary figures, Reuters said that two vessels exited the waterway while five entered.

    The data remained initial and subject to updates, as certain vessels navigated the passage with their transponders switched off, meaning they were excluded from the official counts.

Satellite images reveal oil slicks near Strait of Hormuz

    An image from the European Copernicus programme taken on Wednesday shows brownish streaks on the surface of the water some 20 kilometres (12.4 miles) off the Iranian coast, to the east of the Strait of Hormuz.

    Another Copernicus image of the same location taken on Thursday shows winding streaks of a similar length.

    The AFP news agency, which analysed the satellite images with the help of experts, said these streaks are oil slicks near the Strait of Hormuz, following US strikes on oil tankers suspected of links to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Israeli forces abduct young man in southwestern Syria

    Israeli occupation forces have abducted a young man during their incursion into the town of Al-Hamidiya in the suburbs of Quneitra, southwestern Syria, according to the state television.

Brent crude hits $108 a barrel amid escalating Middle East shipping disruptions

    Oil prices are continuing their upward trajectory, with Brent crude futures gaining $1.05 as of 00:45 GMT, or 1 percent, to reach $108.68 a barrel.

    US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude went up 95 cents, also 1 percent, to trade at $103.45.

    The gains came as both major benchmarks are on track to end the week at over $100 a barrel for the first time since mid-May, according to the Reuters news agency, in the wake of increasing attacks along key shipping routes in the Middle East fueling fears of a prolonged disruption to supplies.

    Both benchmarks rose over 6% on Thursday.

ANALYSIS

    Henry Ensher told Al Jazeera that the Iran-backed group wants to at least threaten the important trade route for its own purposes and as a consequence of its alliance with Tehran. He said he was “surprised that this hasn’t happened” before.

    “It may well be that the Iranians and the Houthis were just building their capabilities before they made their move,” he said.

Israeli air attacks hit southern Lebanese towns as heavy explosions rock Khiam and Nabatieh

    Israeli warplanes have launched air attacks on the town of al-Mansouri and its surrounding areas towards the town of Majdal Zoun, south of the city of Tyre, Lebanon’s National News Agency reports.

    The NNA also reported an Israeli air strike in the vicinity of the town of Qantara in the country’s southeast. Israel also struck the town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa, the NNA said.

    Powerful explosions were also reported east of Khiam and at the Ali al-Taher ridge near Nabatieh al-Fawqa, with the latter being one of the biggest explosions recorded since the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon in March, according to the NNA.

    Israel claimed it destroyed tunnels used by Hezbollah in the Ali al-Taher ridge.

What’s been happening in the occupied West Bank

    Israeli forces and settlers continued a campaign of arrests, raids, and demolitions across the occupied West Bank on Thursday, according to the Wafa news agency.

    Here are some of the reported incidents:

    Israeli forces detained at least seven Palestinians in Bethlehem, including journalists Sabri Jibril and Rami Issam al-Amour.

    Israeli forces detained 10 Palestinians in Nablus, including nine from the village of Burqa, after raiding several houses across the governorate and storming Faisal Street in the city centre.

    At least five Palestinians were detained in Hebron, where Israeli forces also raided the city centre.

    In Tulkarem, Israeli forces used live ammunition while raiding homes in the Kharioush buildings and the town of Baqet al-Sharqiya north of the city, detaining several Palestinians, including Qusay Nidal al-Masoud.

    Troops detained at least two Palestinians in Tubas after raiding their homes in the town of Beitunia, west of Ramallah.

    Israeli forces used earthmovers to demolish Muhammad Shaher Awaina’s house in the village of Battir, west of Bethlehem.

    Israeli settler attacks were also reported in Tubas, Tulkarem and elsewhere in the occupied West Bank.

US senator slams Trump over Iran war timeline and lack of strategy

    Democratic Senator Ed Markey has criticised Trump in a post on X.

    “Trump claims that his illegal and unwinnable Iran war will end right after the midterm elections,” he said. “He’s lying.”

    “His own advisors know better. This war of choice will drag on until Trump leaves office unless Congress cuts off funding,” he added.

    “We cannot wait two more years to end this disaster.”

Trump administration ’empowering’ Saudi Arabia, Yemen to deal with conflict

By Mike Hanna

Reporting from Wahington DC, US

    An administration official has spoken to Al Jazeera, saying the administration is in continuous dialogue with the governments of Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

    However, the official went on to say that the US role is in terms of empowering the governments of these countries to deal with the situation, to restore stability to the region.

    So, from what that official is saying, it does appear that the US is taking very much a standoff position. It’s willing to advise, it’s willing to hold dialogue, but it does not appear to be willing to commit any resources.

    Its focus remains the crisis with Iran and the deployment of forces there, despite the fact that yet another strait is being threatened by an ally of Iran.

    Another area of conflict opening up along the Yemeni coast – that would be a huge problem for this administration as it nears these midterm elections.

    Publicly, the administration says it is not worried. President Trump says he is not worried. He says American citizens will be content with the fact that Iran cannot get a nuclear bomb, as the president puts it, but that may be misleading, because the population of the United States, or many within that population, may well show their anger with the Trump administration in those midterm elections.

Oil hits highest price since May amid supply disruption concerns

    Brent crude closed at $107.63 per barrel on Thursday, up 6.3 percent amid concerns over global energy supply disruptions after the Houthis captured the strategic port city of Mocha in Yemen, and over reports of more vessels being targeted in the Strait of Hormuz.