Tanker explosion reported in Strait of Hormuz as Saudi-Houthi clashes continue

Tensions across the Middle East continue to simmer, with explosions reported aboard tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and Saudi-Houthi hostilities showing no signs of abating.

The navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Saturday that a second "violating" supertanker had exploded in the Strait of Hormuz after hitting a naval mine, hours after a similar incident involving another tanker.

In a statement published on the IRGC's official news outlet Sepah News, the navy said the blast caused a "huge" fire on the vessel, which was carrying over 2 million barrels of crude oil.

It said the oil tanker had turned off its GPS and radar systems and was seeking to cross the waterway through an "illegal" route, adding that the explosion occurred in the vessel's engine room and brought it to a halt.

Earlier in the day, the IRGC Navy said another "violating" supertanker seeking to transit the strait through an "unauthorized" route had suffered a "huge" explosion after hitting a naval mine.

The IRGC Navy added that the Strait of Hormuz is closed, warning that ships violating Iranian regulations in the strategic waterway will face the consequences of relying on the "terrorist US military,” according to Iran's official news agency IRNA.

The reported incidents come amid growing concerns over the safety of commercial shipping in the region. Qin Tian, deputy director of the Institute of Middle East Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said attacks on commercial vessels in the strait increased significantly, particularly from late September to early October, in an interview with China Media Group.

Qin said the attacks have driven tanker freight rates to record highs and pushed up insurance costs, potentially disrupting global supply chains and international trade. He also warned that tensions in the region could escalate further as Iran and the US intensify their struggle for control of the strait, raising the risk of renewed military conflict.

Meanwhile, US military deployments and diplomatic contacts between Washington and Israel have drawn attention to the possibility of further escalation involving Iran.

The US Central Command said the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush had returned to the Arabian Sea after a visit to Thailand. The carrier has approximately 5,000 sailors and other personnel on board.

Separately, Israel's Channel 12 reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had recently spoken by phone with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss potential military action against Iran. Israeli officials have indicated that military action against Tehran remains an option. However, officials from both Israel and the United States told Channel 12 that their assessments suggested the situation had not yet reached a point requiring immediate military action.

Elsewhere in the region, fighting between Saudi Arabia-led coalition and Yemen's Houthi movement has continued, with both sides reporting military operations and attacks.

Early Sunday, the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis towards Khamis Mushait.

On Saturday, the coalition announced the interception of four drones over Riyadh and the kingdom's eastern and southern regions, while destroying two ballistic missile launchers in Yemen's northern Saada Province.

Yemen's armed forces said on Saturday they had carried out 1,417 strikes against Houthi targets over 24 hours, claiming that around 800 fighters had been killed or wounded.

As for the Houthis, the group said on Saturday that its forces shot down a Saudi Apache attack helicopter near the border region of Najran, without providing further details on the crew's fate or the exact location.

There was no immediate comment from Saudi Arabia, and the claim could not be independently verified.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said Saudi warplanes carried out 53 airstrikes in Yemen over the past 24 hours. Sarea accused the strikes of hitting civilian sites and causing casualties, including women and children, without providing a toll.

(With input from agencies)