FILE : US Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia was fired by Hegseth
HERE IS THE LATEST
- Iran’s navy claimed Thursday that four oil tankers had struck sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, accusing them of navigating along an illegal shipping lane promoted by the U.S.
- Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fired the Pentagon’s top military planner, Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, a Pentagon official told CBS News, after he was accused of leaking classified information related to the Iran war.
- Vice President JD Vance has sent a letter to Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei seeking to restart peace negotiations, according to multiple reports, but President Trump insists it is a
- focused outreach intended only to help get medical supplies into Iran.
Saudis down 2 Houthi ballistic missiles, in Riyadh officials say
Explosions rocked the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh on Thursday hours after the Iran-backed Houthis reported deadly strikes earlier in the day on residential areas of western Yemen that the Houthis said killed at least 12 people.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis said on Thursday it had downed two ballistic missiles launched by the group towards Riyadh, soon after Agence France-Presse correspondents heard fresh explosions in the capital.
“Air defenses intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the terrorist Houthi militia towards Riyadh,” coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki said on X.
Earlier, AFP correspondents in Riyadh had heard at least eight explosions as authorities warned the city was “under a hostile aerial threat” in a phone alert.
Saudi civil defense had issued warnings for “potential danger” in Riyadh, Kharj and the southern city of Najran that were lifted shortly afterward.
The Houthis have ramped up attacks on Saudi Arabia, including by launching deadly strikes on the Riyadh airport that forced its shuttering for two weeks as flagship events were canceled, threatening the kingdom’s economic diversification plans.
The Houthis and the Saudi-backed, internationally recognized Yemeni government have exchanged daily attacks since a yearslong truce fell apart over the summer.
Tanker struck by projectile in Strait of Hormuz, U.K. navy says
A tanker was struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz around 7:30 p.m. local time (noon Eastern time), according to the U.K. Marine Trade Operations Centre.
The ship was exiting the strait along the southern route, promoted by the U.S., when it came under fire.
“There are no reported injuries to the crew or environmental impact … at this time,” the UKMTO said.
While it wasn’t clear who fired the projectile, Iran has taken credit for several ships hitting mines in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday and has been targeting ships along the southern route at an increased rate.
Qatar denies interfering in Israeli elections, accuses politicians of disinformation campaign
Qatar has categorically denied allegations of interfering in Israel’s elections or funding efforts to influence their outcome, accusing Israeli politicians and media figures of launching a disinformation campaign to drag the small Persian Gulf state into domestic Israeli political disputes.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid al-Ansari said in a statement that Qatar would not be used as a scapegoat for Israeli politicians’ failures, insisting that Doha had no involvement in Israel’s political competition and would continue its mediation efforts between Iran and the U.S., as well as wider diplomatic engagement and support for the Palestinian people.
His comments come after Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu alleged that Tuesday’s national elections were “stolen by Arab parties” and claimed foreign interference in the vote.
Israel’s Shin Bet internal security service is investigating possible Qatari and Turkish funding used in an effort to influence the election outcome, according to reports by the Jerusalem Post and Israel’s Channel 13.
“These accusations are ridiculous and dangerous in equal measure,” al-Ansari said. “The repeated invocation of Qatar in Israeli electoral rhetoric reveals an excessive obsession with our country among certain Israeli political and media figures.”
Iran’s IRGC challenges U.S. to “prove your claim of mine-clearing in the Strait of Hormuz”
IRGC spokesperson Brig. Gen. Abolfazl Mohebi challenged U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) to provide independent evidence for its claims of mine-clearing operations in the Strait of Hormuz.
“Prove your claim of mine-clearing in the Strait of Hormuz with independent evidence, not a statement!” demanded Mohebi in a post on X, adding that “the reality of the Strait of Hormuz is determined in the skies, on land and at sea — not on social media or in America’s media-warfare rooms.”
Earlier Thursday the IRGC said three oil tankers had been disabled after striking mines in the strait, and the U.K. navy’s Maritime Trade Operations center confirmed one vessel in the area was seen on fire.
In late August, President Trump and CENTCOM chief Adm. Brad Cooper insisted the primary shipping lanes of the Strait of Hormuz had been demined and were safe for commercial vessels.
In a statement posted online, Cooper said the U.S. military had “meticulously and quietly” cleared mines previously laid by the IRGC.
“Internationally recognized transit routes in the strait are free of Iranian sea mines thanks to the incredible work of the U.S. military,” he said. “Today, international shipping lanes are open, and momentum is building.”
Pete Hegseth fires top general accused of leaking information related to the Iran war
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fired the Pentagon’s top military planner, Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, a Pentagon official has told CBS News, after he was accused of leaking classified information related to the Iran war.
Sylvia was removed on Wednesday as head of strategy, plans and policy on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, becoming the latest in a series of generals to be ousted by Hegseth.
CBS
