Iran stated on Saturday that Qatar is holding three of its pilots who have been missing since March, escalating regional tensions. The announcement came as Iran-backed Houthi forces again struck a port in Yemen.
In southern Lebanon, nine people were killed in Israeli airstrikes, marking some of the deadliest incidents since a fragile truce between Israel and Hezbollah took effect on June 20. The Iranian Armed Forces General Staff's Missing Persons Committee reported that Qatar's armed forces apprehended and are holding the three pilots, whose jets were downed earlier this year. Tehran had previously stated it had no information regarding their fate. The statement also alleged that Qatar violated the pilots' rights by preventing contact with their families and Iranian officials overseeing their cases, despite diplomatic efforts.
Qatar has not yet responded to the allegations.
Separately, the United Arab Emirates accused Iran of attacking a vessel owned by Abu Dhabi's state-owned oil and gas company, ADNOC, in the Strait of Hormuz. The attack occurred Friday evening, with no injuries reported. This marks the third such incident targeting an ADNOC-operated vessel in the critical waterway within the past week. The UAE urged Iran to cease "unprovoked strikes."
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported that a bulk carrier was struck in its hull by an unknown projectile on Friday, though it remains unclear if this was the same vessel.
Iran asserted control over the Strait of Hormuz after conflict began on February 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes. Prior to this, approximately one-fifth of the world's traded oil and natural gas passed through this waterway. Talks between the U.S. and Iran have stalled, while Iran is engaged in discussions with Oman regarding the management of the strait, which lies between the two nations and was once considered an international waterway.
Escalation in Southern Lebanon and Yemen
Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon resulted in the deaths of at least nine individuals on Saturday. Lebanon's Health Ministry and state news agency confirmed that one strike hit a home on the outskirts of Ansar village, killing seven people, including three children, and injuring two. A second strike in Deir al-Zahrani killed two people and wounded nine.
Israel's military stated it targeted a Hezbollah battalion commander and other militants at a headquarters in southern Lebanon in retaliation for the group's actions against Israeli soldiers. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office reported that three Israeli soldiers sustained serious injuries.
Both the military and Netanyahu's office claimed the commander's family was present during the strike, asserting that the family members were not the intended targets but were used as human shields by the commander. This marks one of the deadliest days since the Lebanese government and Israel agreed on a "framework agreement" for an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon in exchange for Hezbollah's disarmament, a proposal the militant group has not directly engaged with.
In Yemen, Houthi forces attacked the Red Sea port of Mokha, which is under the control of the internationally recognized government. The port director reported that three people, including two marines, were killed in the Friday evening attack. A military spokesperson stated that the Houthis fired six ballistic missiles. This attack is the latest in a series on government-held areas and neighboring Saudi Arabia, contributing to an escalation that threatens to reignite civil war in Yemen. Analysts suggest this escalation reflects Iran's increased pressure on the United States and its regional allies.