Iran says 7 ships have been struck in Strait of Hormuz, Saudis intercept drones in airspace
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Saudis → say → airspace
Saudi Arabia says at least 2 dead in attacks from Iran-aligned Houthis
Seven oil tankers caught fire or were damaged in the Strait of Hormuz overnight after being hit by Iran or striking naval mines, Tehran said on Thursday, a markedly high number as tensions rise over concerns about a return to all-out war.
Iranian state television reported the claims about the latest attacks on ships, which The Associated Press couldn't independently confirm.
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Press → say → which
The report cited the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy, which again threatened to strike U.S. military bases in the region if the U.S. keeps helping to guide commercial ships through the strait.
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U.S. → cite → strait
The report didn't mention casualties.
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report → mention → casualties
Iran asserted control over the waterway not long after the U.S. and Israel began widespread attacks in Iran on Feb. 28.
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U.S. → assert → Feb.
October has had the most reported attacks on commercial shipping since March in the war's opening weeks, according to a British military monitor, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.
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October → have → monitor
UKMTO didn't report the latest attacks, but it has noted new reluctance by some shippers to report incidents.
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it → report → incidents
Oil producers have found ways to keep crude flowing, experts say, but at a mounting cost.
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experts → find → cost
As well, with days before a close election in Israel in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could lose power, and before next month's U.S. midterm elections in which war-linked high fuel prices have sparked voter anger, there are concerns that U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran could resume.
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attacks → lose → Iran
"Netanyahu wants to attack Iran, that's not even a question," Danny Citrinowicz, a researcher at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies and a former Iran specialist in Israel's military and intelligence services, told the AP.
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Citrinowicz → want → AP
A clear Netanyahu victory in the Oct. 27 election means an attack is almost guaranteed, he predicted.
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he → mean → election
What's to blame for high diesel prices:
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What → blame → prices
A return to full fighting would again endanger civilians throughout the region and complicate global deliveries of oil, natural gas and related products like fertilizer from the region and likely bring another spike in prices.
An American maritime blockade since April, along with trade sanctions, have cut off Iran's oil export revenues and exacerbated growing domestic economic woes.
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blockade → endanger → woes
While Tehran has in recent weeks been concealing cargoes carrying some liquefied petroleum gas and jet fuel off the coast of Oman, according to multiple Reuters sources, it is at a fraction of its previous energy exports.
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it → conceal → exports
The United States is also sending more military assets to the region, including a third aircraft carrier and thousands of troops, to join the largest force of American warships and aircraft in the Middle East in decades.
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States → send → decades
Houthi threat emerges since previous talks
The landscape of the conflict has widened with the recent surge in fighting between Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, and Saudi Arabia.
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landscape → emerge → Yemen
The Saudi kingdom backs a coalition of forces with Yemen's internationally recognized government that is fighting the rebels.
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that → back → rebels
The Saudi-led coalition said on Thursday it had intercepted drones over Riyadh and Islam's holy city of Medina.
WATCH |
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it → lead → Medina
Saudi defences were unable to stop Houthi rebels:
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defences → stop → rebels
The Houthis said on Thursday that they had launched attacks on Saudi Arabia's Defence Ministry in Riyadh, Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, where Saudi authorities said two people were killed.
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people → say → Dammam
The Houthis' repeated deadly attacks on airports and other facilities inside Saudi Arabia have pressured the close U.S. ally, which has sought military aid.
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which → repeat → aid
The U.S. State Department has ordered some diplomats and family members to depart from its missions in Saudi Arabia and plans to withdraw family members from a number of other U.S. missions in the region, U.S. officials told Reuters on Wednesday.
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officials → order → Wednesday
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a post on social media platform X that the department ordered the departure of "non-emergency U.S. government employees and their family members in Saudi Arabia only" in light of Houthi attacks on civilian targets within the country.
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department → say → country
WATCH | Trump rejects ceasefire proposal by Iran:
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Trump → watch → Iran
Saudi state oil company Aramco has ordered the evacuation of its headquarters in Dhahran and for employees to work remotely if possible, six people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Thursday.
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people → order → Thursday
Aramco did not respond for comment, but its headquarters have been damaged in recent attacks.
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headquarters → respond → attacks
Mediators, meanwhile, have been trying to bring Washington and Tehran back to the negotiating table for formal talks.
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Mediators → try → talks
Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday said that a wary Tehran remains open to diplomacy but is ready to defend itself.
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Tehran → say → itself
Iran still promotes its latest proposal that would end the war and fully open the strait within a week if the U.S. meets several conditions.
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U.S. → promote → conditions
Those conditions, which include ending the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, echo ones in the deal that fell apart within days of both sides signing it in June.
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sides → include → June
The Aporia
