Iran warns regional states amid US strike threats; Houthis claim Saudi tanker diversions

Iran has warned regional states against helping the US as Washington weighs possible "very hard" new strikes. Meanwhile, the Tehran-backed Houthis claim to have diverted eight Saudi tankers from the Red Sea. DW has more.

Tehran said any country acting as a shield for the US could be drawn into the war

Donald Trump has threatened to hit Iran 'very hard,' with US reports pointing to possible strikes on energy infrastructure

The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen claim to have diverted eight Saudi oil tankers around South Africa's Cape of Good Hope

UN warns against ongoing destruction in southern Lebanon

The United Nations on Saturday called the ongoing demolitions in southern Lebanon despite a ceasefire between Israel and the armed Lebanese group Hezbollah "concerning."

"The scale of the detonations and demolitions taking place in south Lebanon is deeply concerning, with a devastating impact on civilian infrastructure, cultural heritage, and the collective memory of communities," the office of the UN special coordinator for Lebanon said in a statement on X.

The statement comes a day after the Israeli military triggered explosions near Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon, which was added to UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger last week.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said the army destroyed "terror tunnels in the Beaufort area" using around 700 tonnes of explosives.

"The escalating pattern of destruction must stop as diplomatic channels exist to resolve any outstanding issues," the UN said.

Gaza authorities say three killed in Israeli attacks

Israeli airstrikes killed three people in the Gaza Strip on Saturday according to Palestinian civil defense and health authority sources.

Israel said it had targeted "terrorists" and dismantled five weapons storage facilities in Saturday operations.

The attacks came on the heels of a recent announcement by US President Donald Trump promising the Islamist militant group Hamas would disarm and Israel's army would withdraw from Gaza.

Hamas led the October 7, 2023, surprise attacks on Israel that sparked the war in Gaza.

According to sources in the enclave, two Palestinians were killed in drone strikes in Gaza City and another man was killed during a missile strike on a hospital camp in Deir al-Balah.

Footage of the camp showed a large crater and scattered medical equipment, medical supplies and boxes near tents and two warehouses.

Israel accused Hamas of establishing a weapons depot at the site, citing intelligence reports without making evidence public.

Hospital workers said the warehouses were used to store essential dialysis equipment and supplies and that many people in need of critical medical care had been sheltering in tents near the site.

A ceasefire has been in place in Gaza since October 2025, but Israel has recently killed suspected members of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad militant group there.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not commented on Trump's ceasefire plan for Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and Hamas disarmament. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has called the deal unacceptable, demanding the continuation of Israeli military operations in Gaza.

Israel claims to have killed several Hezbollah fighters

Israel's military on Saturday said its forces killed several Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon. A post on the military's official X account said that one of its combat officers was injured during the armed encounter and had been hospitalized.

The post pledged that the Israeli military would "continue to operate to remove any threat its forces and will not allow the Hezbollah terror organization to harm the citizens of the state of Israel."

The incident came despite a ceasefire being in place between Israel and the Iranian-backed militants. While Hezbollah has formally denounced the deal, the group has not claimed any attacks since the US-sponsored framework agreement was signed by Israel and Lebanon and then put in place in late June.

The agreement remains fragile, with Hezbollah refusing to disarm and Israel refusing to leave southern Lebanon — both points outlined in the agreement.

Despite the relative decline in violence in southern Lebanon, Israel has continued to conduct airstrikes and carry out other military operations.

Lebanon has condemned Israel's operations, saying that its continued military operations make it impossible to fully deploy the Lebanese army as outlined in the deal.

US urges citizens to prepare to leave Middle East

US embassies across the Middle East have urged US nationals to consider leaving the region or be ready to depart if the conflict escalates further.

"Americans in the region should consider departing, or be prepared to depart should there be escalation," security alerts posted by US missions in Amman, Jerusalem and Baghdad said.

The warnings told citizens to check flight information, follow local safety instructions and prepare for cancellations, airspace closures and other travel disruption.

Those in Jordan were advised to stay away from US military bases, which have recently come under Iranian missile attack.

In Israel, US citizens were urged to identify the nearest bomb shelter.

"The Iranian regime is unpredictable," the US Embassy in Jerusalem said, citing recent attacks across the region and an expansion to areas not previously targeted, including Egypt.

A drone struck a US-owned gas vessel moored at an Egyptian port on Wednesday, sparking a fire. Egyptian authorities are investigating and have not publicly blamed any group.

New attacks hit Kuwait and Strait of Hormuz shipping

Kuwait's military says it is responding to a fresh wave of Iranian drone attacks that struck several "vital facilities" in the country.

Defense Ministry spokesperson Maj. Gen. Saud Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi said the targets included a government facility in northern Kuwait. No casualties were reported.

Separate incidents also hit commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said an unidentified projectile struck a tanker on Friday about 11 nautical miles (20 kilometers) northeast of Lima, Oman, damaging its engine room.

On Saturday, another tanker reported a large splash and an explosion nearby while sailing around 21 nautical miles northwest of Khasab.

No casualties were reported in either maritime incident.

Iran has repeatedly targeted vessels attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without its authorization during the conflict with the United States.

Houthis claim Saudi oil shipments diverted

Yemen's Houthi movement says eight Saudi oil tankers have been pushed off their usual routes as part of a newly declared blockade targeting the kingdom's energy exports.

According to the Iran-backed group, the ships will now have to make the much longer journey around South Africa's Cape of Good Hope to reach Asian markets.

Riyadh has not confirmed that any tankers were diverted.

The Houthis announced the blockade last week, framing it as retaliation for what they describe as years of Saudi pressure on Houthi-held parts of Yemen.

The group controls much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, after seizing territory in 2014 and setting off a war that drew in a Saudi-led coalition backing the internationally recognized government.

A major concern for global shipping is the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the narrow passage between Yemen and the Horn of Africa that links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

Any serious disruption there would add to pressure on trade routes already affected by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The Houthis said they do not intend to levy transit charges on vessels using the strait.