Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called a security meeting at the Israeli Defense Ministry's Kiria complex in Tel Aviv. The meeting will discuss the situation around Iran, the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, The Times of Israel reported, citing an Israeli official.
The meeting will be attended by Defense Minister Israel Katz and senior security officials. The meeting comes amid Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and growing concerns about an escalation of the conflict between the United States and Iran.
Iran issues warning to ships
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy warned that any vessels in the Strait of Hormuz that turn off their navigation and identification systems will be considered hostile.
A statement from the Iranian Navy was quoted by The Associated Press. The statement added that in such cases, the ships would be subjected to “decisive punishment“.
The Iranian side also claims that since October 10, three tankers that violated the rules established by Tehran for passing through the strait have exploded after hitting sea mines and caught fire. The claim has not been independently confirmed.
New tanker incident near Oman
Meanwhile, the British Maritime Trade Coordination Center reported an incident with a tanker as it exited the Strait of Hormuz. According to the UKMTO, the ship was hit by an unknown projectile on the port side, which caused a fire. The crew is safe, but the assessment of the damage and possible environmental impact is not yet known, Reuters reported.
Another UKMTO alert indicates an incident near an anchorage near the city of Sohar, on the coast of Oman. Details of the incident, damage to the vessel and the condition of the crew were not announced.
On October 10 and 11, UKMTO reported that two tankers were attacked as they exited the strait. One vessel caught fire and the other was damaged. According to the British center, no one was injured.
Sources: timesofisrael.com, gmanetwork.com, apnews.com