US-Iran Tensions Escalate

US President Donald Trump has stated that the United States has no planned talks with Iran, despite ongoing tensions between the two nations. In a recent social media post, Trump insisted that the Strait of Hormuz remains ‘open and operating,’ despite limited traffic and a reported strike on a ship exiting the waterway.

Earlier this week, Trump threatened to bomb Oman as the country sought a deal with Iran to manage shipping traffic through the strait. Two regional officials reported that Trump made the threat if Oman ‘gets in the way.’ Iran has stated that the waterway will not be reopened until the US meets its conditions.

Talks between Iran and Oman Continue

As talks between Iran and Oman continue, a projectile hit a ship in the strait and Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed they fired drones at an oil refinery in Saudi Arabia. The attack targeted a facility run by Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil company.

No immediate reports of damage or comment from Saudi Arabia were available. The Houthis have escalated attacks against government forces in Yemen and oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, which supports the Yemeni government. The kingdom’s shipping in the Red Sea, an important alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, has also been targeted.

Regional Developments

An Israeli strike hit Gaza City on Tuesday, killing six people, including a child, and wounding 14 others. The Israeli military said it struck Hamas commanders in the Shati area who it said were planning to carry out attacks against Israeli forces.

The heaviest fighting has subsided since a ceasefire in the more than two-year war took hold in October. Israeli forces have carried out repeated airstrikes since then, killing at least 1,266 Palestinians, according to health officials in Gaza.

UAE Reports Missile Launch

The defense ministry of the United Arab Emirates said two ballistic missiles were launched from Iran toward the UAE on Tuesday. One landed outside of the country’s waters, and the other landed within them, the Emirati Defense Ministry said. No damage or injuries were reported.

Iran early Wednesday rejected the UAE’s claims that it launched missiles toward the country. The spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Esmail Baghaei, said Dubai’s accusations were ‘detrimental to ongoing efforts to strengthen trust among the countries of the region and prevent a further deterioration of security.’

In the weeks after the US and Israel launched a war against Iran on Feb. 28, the UAE was frequently targeted by Iranian missiles and drones, but Tuesday’s reported attack was the first in weeks.