Day 245 | Saudi Arabia intercepts Houthi missiles, explosions in Iran

Houthi-affiliated media reported that airstrikes targeted the Mahliyah district in Ma'rib, the Hayfan district in Taiz, and the Huwayshan area in Al-Jawf.

Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday as part of coordinated efforts with Washington aimed at reaching a deal between the United States and Iran, an official briefed on the talks told Reuters.

The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by Yemen's Houthi movement towards Mecca according to a statement by its spokesman. 

The incident comes amid continued regional tensions and repeated Saudi warnings over threats posed by Houthi missile and drone capabilities. Saudi Arabia has previously reported intercepting drones and missiles launched towards its territory, including areas in the south and around the capital, Riyadh.

The Telegraph claimed Thursday that Iran is preparing to disrupt the upcoming US midterm elections after allegedly attempting to interfere in 'Israel’s'.

According to the newspaper, Tehran views the near-simultaneous elections in the United States and 'Israel', which it considers its two biggest adversaries, as a rare opportunity to deepen political divisions in both countries.

One Iranian official told the newspaper that Tehran had explored recruiting agents within the American and Israeli electoral processes. Another said Iran had established cyber groups to target US election systems.

A second official described the reported efforts as an extension of the war, saying Tehran was prepared to disrupt not only elections but also banking, travel and other civilian systems. The official stressed that Iran was not backing any particular candidate, but wanted to see a "divided America and a divided Israel."

The report said Tehran believes political instability in 'Israel' could delay the formation of a new government and constrain decisions on further military action against Iran, giving it time to rebuild military capabilities damaged during the conflict.

In the United States, Iranian officials reportedly hope that a divided Congress or a shift in control following the November 3 midterm elections could complicate President Donald Trump's ability to pursue further military operations against Iran.

The newspaper also cited Iranian officials as saying Tehran remained prepared for renewed hostilities, with one warning that any future response would not necessarily be limited to American military assets.

The report did not establish that Iranian operatives had successfully infiltrated either country's election systems.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has confirmed that the fire aboard a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz was caused by two explosive devices attached to its hull by a small boat.

In an updated report issued on Friday, UKMTO said the tanker was approached on its port side by a small boat, which attached two explosive devices above the waterline. The subsequent blasts caused a fire in the engine room, temporarily disabling the vessel.

The fire has since been extinguished, and the tanker is continuing towards its next port of call, UKMTO said.

All crew members have been confirmed safe, with no environmental impact reported.

UKMTO advised vessels transiting the area to exercise caution and report suspicious activity as authorities investigate the incident.

Yemen’s army said it is taking seriously allegations that the Houthis used shells containing toxic substances against civilians in Taiz, reportedly causing cases of suffocation and fainting among civilians.

The army called for an urgent investigation to establish the validity of the allegations and identify the substances used.

• Vance wants Tehran to appoint representatives authorized to negotiate nuclear issues.
• Washington views Rezaei as the key figure capable of building consensus for a potential deal.
• Istanbul and Doha are the leading proposed venues for a Vance-Rezaei meeting.
• The White House reportedly fears the opportunity for a diplomatic settlement is narrowing.
• The renewed diplomatic push comes amid concerns over a possible return to US military strikes.

The White House believes prospects for reaching a negotiated settlement with Iran may be diminishing, as US Vice President JD Vance has stressed the need for Tehran to appoint representatives with the authority to negotiate on nuclear issues, The Washington Post reported Friday, citing a US official.

According to the report, the Trump administration views former Iranian official Mohsen Rezaei as the only figure capable of building consensus within Iran around potential negotiations with Washington.

Vance has emphasized that any diplomatic engagement must involve Iranian representatives empowered to make decisions on behalf of the government, underscoring Washington's concerns over whether Tehran can present a unified negotiating position.

The report also identified Istanbul and Doha as the leading potential venues for a meeting between Vance and Rezaei, should the two sides proceed with direct talks.

The reported outreach comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts to prevent a resumption of US military operations against Iran. Vance recently sent a letter to Rezaei through Qatari intermediaries proposing renewed direct negotiations, with the nuclear programme identified as a central issue. 

Rezaei, a former commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, is now secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. US officials reportedly consider him an influential figure with sufficient connections within Iran's political and security establishment to secure backing for a potential agreement. 

The diplomatic initiative comes as tensions remain high, with Washington weighing further military action and regional mediators, particularly Qatar, seeking to bridge differences between the two sides. Previous negotiations involving Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf failed to produce a lasting agreement, with an earlier memorandum collapsing amid renewed hostilities in the Strait of Hormuz.

Read more: Axios: Trump receives CENTCOM briefing as US weighs next steps in Iran war

• CENTCOM chief Adm. Brad Cooper briefed Trump on the Iran war, focusing on the effectiveness of the US naval blockade.
• The briefing covered efforts to guide oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz and the economic campaign against Tehran.
• Washington is pursuing negotiations while preparing for the possibility of renewed military operations after the November 3 midterm elections.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Adm. Brad Cooper briefed President Donald Trump on Thursday on the state of the war with Iran, with particular focus on the effectiveness of the ongoing US naval blockade, Axios reported, citing two US officials.

The White House meeting comes as the Trump administration weighs whether to resume major military operations against Iran, while pursuing diplomatic efforts to reach an agreement with Tehran.

According to Axios, Cooper updated Trump on the military situation and the blockade, which Washington has been using to restrict Iran's maritime trade and increase economic pressure on the country.

The briefing also comes amid growing uncertainty over the future of the conflict, with regional mediators attempting to prevent a renewed escalation and bring the two sides back to negotiations. 

Cooper also briefed the president on the US military operation to guide oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz and toward international energy markets, as well as an economic pressure campaign being conducted jointly by the Pentagon and Treasury Department.

The meeting was attended by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, Vice President JD Vance, White House envoy Steve Witkoff, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and White House Chief of Staff  Wiles. The White House and CENTCOM declined to comment, Axios reported. 

Read more: Trump claims he can end Iran war whenever he wants

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has received a report of a vessel catching fire in the Strait of Hormuz, approximately 25 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman.

According to UKMTO, a third party reported that a vessel transiting outbound through the strategic waterway was on fire. The cause of the incident remains unknown.

The status of the crew, the extent of damage to the vessel and any potential environmental impact have yet to be established. Authorities are investigating the incident.

UKMTO advised vessels operating in the area to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity.

• Several other members of the patrol were wounded.
• The attack took place on the road between Baniyas and Tartus.

One member of Syria’s customs police was killed and several others wounded after an armed ambush targeted a patrol travelling between the coastal cities of Baniyas and Tartus, the Syrian General Authority for Customs reported on Friday.

The authority said the attack was carried out by remnants of the former regime, who ambushed the patrol along the road connecting the two cities. One officer was killed, while several others sustained injuries.

No further details were immediately provided about the identities of the attackers, the number of people involved or the condition of those wounded.

The attack comes amid continuing security challenges in Syria’s coastal region, particularly in Tartus and neighbouring Latakia, where armed groups linked to the former Bashar al-Assad government have remained active since his ousting in December 2024.

In March 2025, coordinated attacks by pro-Assad fighters targeted security installations and patrols across several coastal areas, including Baniyas and Jableh, triggering widespread clashes with government forces.

The violence marked a major security challenge for Syria’s transitional authorities, with subsequent operations targeting suspected former-regime fighters and armed networks in the coastal provinces.

Read more: Syrian FM: Jordan was not satisfied with civilian deaths, sent probe team

The Saudi-led coalition announced early Friday that its air defences had intercepted and destroyed a cruise missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi movement towards Saudi Arabia’s western region, amid escalating cross-border attacks.

The western region includes major cities along the Red Sea, including Jeddah, Mecca, Madinah, Taif and Yanbu.

The latest interception comes amid escalating Houthi missile attacks on the kingdom. On Thursday, Saudi air defences intercepted two ballistic missiles targeting Riyadh, with falling debris injuring one citizen and damaging a house and a vehicle, according to Saudi Civil Defense. The coalition also reported intercepting a ballistic missile targeting the Eastern Province on Thursday.

• The fighting reportedly began following a dispute over a small petrol station between members of two families.
• A lawyer and several other civilians were wounded.

Heavy clashes erupted between armed groups in the southern Syrian city of Sweida on Thursday, leaving several civilians wounded, according to Syria’s state-run SANA news agency.

The Sweida Media Directorate told SANA that preliminary information indicated the clashes had spread from the eastern al-Maqous neighborhood to Sweida’s central market and the al-Mashourab neighborhood.

Local sources told SANA that the violence began with a personal dispute over a small petrol-selling station between members of the Abu Sarhan and Radwan families.

According to the sources, members of the Abu Sarhan family allegedly opened fire on a man from the Radwan family and seized his vehicle, triggering an escalation into armed confrontations that spread across several neighborhoods.

A lawyer and other civilians were among those wounded in the clashes, the report said, without providing an exact number of casualties.

The latest clashes come amid persistent security challenges in Sweida, a predominantly Druze province in southern Syria that has experienced repeated episodes of armed violence and tensions since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Dec. 2024. The province has faced disputes over security arrangements, the role of local armed factions and the extent of central government authority, leaving the region vulnerable to recurring confrontations.

Read more: Netanyahu claims phone call to Syria’s president stopped clashes with Druze

• Iran's UN envoy Gholamhossein Darzi accuses Washington and its allies of destabilizing the Strait of Hormuz.
• Tehran describes the US naval blockade as a violation of the UN Charter and collective punishment of civilians.
• Iran warns that restrictions threaten access to food, medicine, fuel and other essential goods.

Iranian ambassador and Chargé d'Affaires to the United Nations Gholamhossein Darzi has blamed the United States and its allies for insecurity in the Strait of Hormuz, accusing Washington of disrupting maritime traffic through its actions in the region, according to reporting from Iranian media on Thursday.

"Washington and its supporters are responsible for insecurity in the Strait of Hormuz and disruption to shipping in the region," Darzi said, according to Iranian media.

He also condemned the US naval blockade of Iran, describing it as a violation of the UN Charter and warning that its humanitarian consequences extend beyond restrictions on maritime trade.

Darzi said the blockade threatens civilian access to food, medicine, fuel and other essential supplies, amounting to "collective punishment of civilians."

This comes amid repeated Iranian strikes on ships traversing the critical strait. 

Read more: CENTCOM chief visits Strait of Hormuz, declares routes clear of Iranian mines

Iranian media reported explosions near the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, with the Fars News Agency saying the blasts were heard offshore near Sirik and Qeshm Island.

The agency said the explosions may have resulted from warning shots fired at vessels allegedly violating regulations in the strategic waterway. It did not immediately provide further details about the vessels involved or confirm the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route through which a significant share of the world's oil supplies passes.