Iran said Sunday that it struck an unmanned U.S. military boat in the Strait of Hormuz, marking the latest exchange of fire between the countries after a month of relative calm.
Meanwhile, Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon killed four people and injured at least 20, including children, according to Lebanese authorities, near an area that has become a flash point in fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
Here’s a look at the news in the Middle East. Full coverage can be found here.
Iran says it hit a US boat in latest Hormuz salvo
State-run media in Tehran said the U.S. vessel was trying to enter a restricted area in the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. Central Command, which oversees the U.S. military operations in the Middle East, did not confirm the claim or respond to request for comment. It comes one day after the U.S. said it struck Iranian oil tankers in retaliation for Iran launching ballistic missiles at Navy warships.
Attacks resumed last week after roughly a month of quiet.
The war began with U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran on Feb. 28. But since a ceasefire agreement was announced in June, on-and-off fighting has persisted with both sides trying to inflict military and economic pain as negotiations have collapsed.
Israeli strikes kill 4 in Lebanon and level a vacant hospital
Israeli strikes killed at least four people in southern Lebanon on Sunday and leveled a hospital, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said.
Strikes on the Lebanese village of Arabsalim killed two, the ministry said. Another two were killed in the city of Nabatiyeh, near a strategic hill that Israel said its forces gained control over Thursday.
At least 20 others were wounded in the Sunday strikes, the ministry said, among them three children and five women. The strikes also destroyed an empty hospital, the ministry said.
The Israeli military said its latest strikes came in response to a drone attack launched earlier Sunday by Hezbollah on Israeli troops in southern Lebanon. It did not respond when asked about the hospital.
Since a ceasefire went into effect between Israel and Hezbollah more than two months ago, fighting has subsided in much of Lebanon but low-level skirmishes and Israeli strikes continue. —— This report will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.
