At least two people were killed and 11 injured in a US attack on Iran’s Shalamcheh border crossing with Iraq on Thursday, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA. Additional US strikes were reported in Bushehr and Andimeshk. This escalation comes amid heightened tensions between the US and Iran.
In the US, the House of Representatives narrowly passed a large defence policy bill on Wednesday. Democrats raised concerns over the bill’s high cost, the Iran war, and a provision strengthening Pentagon ties with Israel.
Yemen’s Houthi group claimed missile and drone attacks on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea. The group had declared a maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia amid the US-Iran conflict. Saudi state media confirmed one vessel, the Encelia, was hit, but all crew members were safe.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported that one of three oil tankers caught fire after a blast while passing through a mined route south of the Strait of Hormuz. The other two tankers turned back.
The US Department of State urged American citizens to exercise caution and heightened vigilance due to the escalating conflict. It warned of possible flight cancellations, travel disruptions, and potential targeting of US facilities worldwide.
These developments mark a significant increase in regional hostilities, with multiple incidents occurring across the Middle East.