Iran said Sunday that its forces targeted an unmanned U.S. military vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, signaling a fresh flare-up between Tehran and Washington after several weeks of relative quiet in the vital Gulf waterway.
In a separate escalation, Lebanese officials said Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon killed four people and wounded at least 20 others, among them children, near a volatile zone that has repeatedly drawn fire amid the conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
Here are the latest developments from across the Middle East. Full coverage is available here.
Iran claims strike on U.S. boat in new Strait of Hormuz confrontation
Iranian state media reported that the U.S. vessel had been attempting to move into a restricted area of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important shipping corridors.
U.S. Central Command, which directs American military operations across the Middle East, did not verify Iran’s account and did not respond to a request for comment. The claim came a day after U.S. officials said American forces struck Iranian oil tankers in response to Tehran firing ballistic missiles at Navy warships.
The renewed exchanges began last week following nearly a month without major reported attacks.
The conflict started with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28. Although a ceasefire agreement was announced in June, sporadic fighting has continued, with both sides seeking to apply military and economic pressure as diplomatic talks have broken down.
Israeli strikes kill 4 in Lebanon and level a vacant hospital
Israeli strikes killed at least four people in southern Lebanon on Sunday, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said.
Strikes on the Lebanese village of Arabsalim killed two, the ministry said. Another two were killed in the city of Nabatiyeh, near a strategic hill that Israel said Thursday was under its control.
At least 20 others were wounded in the Sunday strikes, the ministry said, among them three children and five women. The strikes also leveled a hospital that was not in use and was empty, the city rescue services told The Associated Press.
The Israeli military said its latest strikes came in response to a drone attack launched earlier Sunday by Hezbollah on Israeli troops in southern Lebanon. It did not respond when asked about the hospital.
Since a ceasefire went into effect between Israel and Hezbollah more than two months ago, fighting has subsided in much of Lebanon but low-level skirmishes and Israeli strikes continue. —— This report will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.
