A cargo ship has sunk after hitting a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps navy said Wednesday. It was the first time Iran has reported a ship sinking after hitting a mine during the war.
There were few details, including about the fate of the crew. State television quoted a Guard statement saying the ship was traveling on what it called an illegal and dangerous route when it hit the mine Wednesday morning. The Associated Press couldn’t independently verify the images.
The unidentified ship, which was shown tilted in the water and spewing a thick plume of smoke, was carrying 2,500 containers, the broadcast said.
Iran has repeatedly warned ships from trying to transit through the strait without its approval. The U.S. military has been guiding ships through the strait on a route nearer to Oman’s coast.
Houthi rebels strike hits Saudi oil company’s headquarters
The headquarters of the Saudi state-owned oil company Aramco were hit in an overnight Houthi strike, two regional officials said, damaging the offices of the firm’s chief executive and other top officials. It was the latest demonstration of the Iran-backed rebels’ ability to attack high-profile targets.
There were no casualties in the attack, which the officials said targeted the top three floors of a building used by top executives in the city of Dharan. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the matter with the media.
Earlier Wednesday, new explosions were heard in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, residents said, as blame again quickly fell on Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen.
The sight of smoke rising in recent days from some of Saudi Arabia’s most sensitive facilities has rattled the region and global oil markets while increasing questions for U.S. President Donald Trump, who has said he is evaluating whether the U.S. should join Saudi strikes against the Houthis.