Iran said Sunday that it struck an unmanned U.S. military boat in the Strait of Hormuz, marking the latest exchange of fire between the countries after a month of relative calm.
Meanwhile, Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon killed four people and leveled a hospital, according to Lebanese authorities, near an area that has become a flashpoint in fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
Here’s a look at the latest news in the Middle East. Full coverage can be found here.
Iran says it hit a US boat in latest Hormuz salvo
State-run media in Tehran said the U.S. vessel was trying to enter an area that Iran says is restricted in the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. Central Command, which oversees the U.S. military operations in the Middle East, did not confirm the claim or respond to request for comment. It came a day after the U.S. said it struck Iranian oil tankers in retaliation for Iran launching ballistic missiles at Navy warships.
Attacks resumed last week after roughly a month of quiet.
The war began with U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran on Feb. 28. But since a ceasefire agreement was announced in June, on-and-off fighting has persisted with both sides trying to inflict military and economic pain as negotiations have collapsed.
Israeli strikes kill 4 in Lebanon and level a vacant hospital
Israeli strikes killed at least four people in southern Lebanon on Sunday and leveled a hospital, Lebanon's Health Ministry said.
Strikes on the Lebanese village of Arabsalim killed two, the ministry said. Two others were killed in the city of Nabatiyeh, near a strategic hill that Israel said its forces gained control over Thursday.
At least 20 others were wounded in the Sunday strikes, the ministry said, among them three children and five women. The strikes also destroyed an empty hospital, the ministry said. Residents have largely vacated the area because of the war.
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 said Hezbollah had used the hospital as a command center.
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.
Yemen’s government forces retake key districts as fighting escalates with Houthis
Yemen’s internationally recognized government said Sunday its forces have recaptured areas of two key provinces from the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.
Yemen’s government said Sunday it had retaken the provinces of Houdeida and Taiz, along the country’s western coast.
Fighting swept the coast over the weekend. On Saturday, the Houthis fired three ballistic missiles on the city of Taiz, landing close to civilian and police facilities, the country’s SABA news agency reported.
Muslim nations condemn Israeli proposal to empty Gaza of Palestinians
Any Israeli plan or action to remove Palestinians from the Gaza Strip would violate international law and undermine the U.S.-backed plan for drawing down the Gaza war, the foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and five other governments said in a statement on Sunday.
Israel’s national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, last week published a plan to encourage Palestinian migration from Gaza, which he said would include Israel paying countries to help cover the cost of services for emigres. It followed Israel’s defense minister, Israel Katz, saying Israel was prepared to facilitate the removal of Palestinians by sea, air or other means, and that plans remained under discussion.
The governments called the statements “inflammatory” and said they threatened the “legitimate and inalienable rights” of Palestinians and the future establishment of a Palestinian state. They warned that any Israeli effort “aimed at uprooting Palestinians from their land” would have “grave consequences.”
Previous Israeli attempts to persuade third countries to accept Palestinians from war-ravaged Gaza have gained little traction.
Israeli government warns holiday travelers
Israel issued a warning ahead of the Jewish High Holiday season, a busy travel time that begins this Friday. It cautioned citizens not to travel to Muslim nations, including Jordan and Egypt, and to take precautions when overseas, including avoiding displaying Jewish symbols like skullcaps or speaking Hebrew in public spaces.
Israel frequently issues such warnings ahead of holidays or during wartime. ------ This report will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.
