Iran Accuses Qatar of Holding Missing Pilots

In a shocking development, Iran has accused Qatar of holding three of its pilots who went missing in March after their jets were downed in the war-torn region.

The Missing Persons Committee of Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff made the announcement on Saturday, stating that Qatar’s armed forces had captured and were holding the pilots.

This is the first known case in the war where Iran has said a regional country is holding its fighters. Until now, Tehran had said it had no information about the fate of the missing pilots.

The incident occurred on March 2, when Qatar said its air force shot down two Iranian bombers as Tehran lashed out against regional countries hosting U.S. military bases.

The Iranian government has accused Qatar of violating the rights of the missing pilots by not allowing them to meet or communicate with their families or with Iranian officials handling their cases, despite diplomatic efforts and repeated follow-ups.

UAE Accuses Iran of Attacking Oil Tanker

Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has accused Iran of attacking one of its oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The attack occurred on Friday evening and left no injuries, but it is the third such attack on a vessel operated by the UAE in the critical waterway in the last week.

The Emirati state-run WAM news agency reported that the tanker owned by Abu Dhabi’s state-owned oil and gas company ADNOC was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The UAE has called on Iran to stop the unprovoked strikes.

Israeli Airstrikes Kill 11 in Southern Lebanon

Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon killed at least 11 people on Saturday, including three children. The airstrikes targeted a home on the edge of the village of Ansar and killed seven people, and another strike on the village of Deir al-Zahrani killed four and wounded 17.

The Israeli military said it killed a Hezbollah battalion commander and several other militants at a headquarters in southern Lebanon in response to the group’s actions against Israeli soldiers operating there. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said three soldiers were seriously injured in the strike.

Houthi Attack on Yemeni Port Kills Three

The Houthis, backed by Iran, attacked the Red Sea port of Mokha under the control of the internationally recognized government in Yemen. The attack killed three people, including two marines, and port operations have been suspended.

The Houthis fired six ballistic missiles in the attack, which is the latest on government-held areas and on neighboring Saudi Arabia. The escalation reflects how Iran is scaling up pressure on the United States and its regional allies.