APTOPIX Iran War Strait of Hormuz
Oil residue lines the shore near fishing boats on Qeshm Island, Iran, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, amid ongoing wartime attacks on vessels and infrastructure in and around the Strait of Hormuz, though the spill's source has not been independently determined.
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Clashes between Iran-backed Houthi rebels and government forces in Yemen raged overnight. The fighting into Thursday raised fears the civil war could reignite and open another front in the Middle East. The Houthis have repeatedly attacked government-held areas across the country in recent days. The Yemeni military says dozens of government troops have been killed. Elsewhere, there have been growing concerns of environmental damage from the Iran war as Iran and Oman battle oil slicks from damaged tankers.
The United Arab Emirates has blamed Iran for firing drones at two tankers operated by a state-owned oil company in the Strait of Hormuz. The attacks, described as acts of piracy, caused no casualties but highlighted the dangers in this critical waterway. The UAE's Foreign Ministry called on Friday the attacks a violation of the United Nations' principles of freedom of navigation. Meanwhile, activists marched through the occupied West Bank to bring food and water to Palestinians under siege by Israeli settlers. In Yemen, the military claimed to have thwarted Houthi attacks amid ongoing fighting. A drone was intercepted over Irbil in Iraq, with no casualties reported.
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