Iran: An oil tanker caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after colliding with a mine

The Iranian army said, in a statement carried by official media, that an oil tanker caught fire today (Wednesday) in the eastern part of the Strait of Hormuz, after colliding with a sea mine in a “restricted zone.”

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy reported that new data showed that 37 ships were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waterways in October, the highest monthly total since the start of the war, and 10 attacks were recorded since the beginning of November.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, at the conclusion of the G7 ministerial meetings in Paris yesterday, that the economic campaign against Iran is “destructive” and does not currently require “major combat operations,” describing Tehran’s conditions as “ridiculous.” These statements seemed like an American bet on the blockade and sanctions to break Iranian conditions.

The Iranian crisis topped the Paris meetings, while European and Gulf ministers called for preventing any escalation.

After his meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, US President Donald Trump postponed new strikes and maintained the naval blockade, speaking of “positive momentum” to end the war. Doha expressed cautious optimism.

In Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi responded that the war “will not end either with the military track or with increased sanctions.” He denied arranging a meeting between Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, and US Vice President J.D. Vance. Rezaei called on Washington to “submit” to the seven conditions.

The Revolutionary Guard broadcast scenes of an underground “missile city,” and from there, Chief of Staff Ali Abdullahi said that Iran would “inevitably” destroy Israel. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf described the site as “Iran’s clear message to its enemies.”

The Israeli Prime Minister-designate, Gadi Eisenkot, accompanied the opening of the work of Parliament (the Knesset), yesterday (Tuesday), by pursuing the legacy of his rival, outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and attacked with his allies the “most important positions” in the Knesset and its committees, then presented a series of projects to pursue him.

At the beginning of the Knesset session, the “Change Bloc” led by Eisenkot gathered 67 votes to replace the current Speaker of Parliament, Amir Ohana, from the “Likud” party headed by Netanyahu, and announced its agreement to elect Knesset member Matan Kahane, from the “Ya’shar” party, headed by Eisenkot.

The bloc also submitted a draft law to form an official investigation committee into the attack launched by Hamas on October 7, 2023, a step that Netanyahu evaded for 3 years, for fear of being politically condemned. The Eisenkot bloc's projects also included the comprehensive cancellation of the controversial judicial amendments pushed by the Netanyahu government, which caused unprecedented demonstrations. Eisenkot pledged to establish a national emergency government, to which Netanyahu responded with a major attack against the Arabs, claiming that the two Arab lists in the Knesset (they won 19 seats) wanted to destroy Israel. Eisenkot believed that Netanyahu is not qualified to remain in his position, and said: “I have become increasingly convinced that he is not qualified to remain in his position even for one more minute.”