Oil tanker has exploded after hitting naval mine in Hormuz strait, claims Iran
The Iran war live blog tracks the latest developments from the Middle East as fighting, diplomatic efforts and pressure on Iran continue to reshape the regional security situation.
The latest escalation came in Saudi Arabia, where several explosions were heard in Riyadh on Thursday, including a large blast at King Khalid International Airport. A witness said flights were halted, passengers were told to evacuate and smoke was visible as emergency crews were deployed. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed they had attacked the airport with a ballistic missile, but provided no evidence and Saudi authorities had not immediately commented.
The developments came as the United States and Iran continued to signal competing positions on a possible way out of the seven-month-old war. US President Donald Trump said Washington would not attack Iran before the November 3 midterm elections and said his administration was having “productive discussions” with Tehran. Trump has nevertheless continued to suggest that military escalation remains possible after the elections.
Iran’s position on its nuclear programme remained another major obstacle. Mohammad Eslami, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation, said Tehran would not abandon uranium enrichment or hand over its uranium, describing enrichment as an “inseparable part” of the nuclear process. His comments followed US demands for a “meaningful” reduction in Iran’s enrichment capacity. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran could respond within days to a US response to its proposal for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The strategic waterway remains central to the conflict, with the US military escorting some oil tankers while Iran has continued attacks on shipping. A British military statement said several projectiles struck a tanker off Qatar, causing multiple casualties. The incident added to concerns over commercial traffic through the Gulf.
Washington also intensified its economic campaign against Tehran. The Trump administration sanctioned 17 tankers and other entities accused of helping Iran transport oil and petrochemicals through a shadow network. The Treasury Department said the measures were aimed at cutting revenue used to finance the war, missile development, cyberattacks and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The live blog will also track diplomatic and regional fallout. Britain said it had downgraded its consulate in east Jerusalem to a mission, while Israel honoured six passengers who helped save a FlyDubai flight after its co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain and attempted to crash the aircraft on September 30.