Strait of Hormuz: Tanker hit by projectile as Qatari mediators return

Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday to push for a deal to end the war with Iran. The delegation is led by a senior adviser to Qatar's prime minister and foreign minister. They are scheduled to meet with senior Iranian officials to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments.

The timing of the trip follows renewed tension in the Strait of Hormuz. The British navy's Maritime Trade Operations center reported that a tanker was struck by a projectile Thursday evening. The ship was exiting the strait along the southern route, a path the United States has encouraged shippers to use. UKMTO stated there were no reported injuries to the crew or environmental impact at the time of the report.

The projectile strike came a day after Iran claimed four ships had struck sea mines in the same waterway. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its military issued separate announcements confirming that the mines caused fires on the vessels. The IRGC said Friday that two additional oil tankers had been halted after encountering incidents on what Tehran considers an unauthorized route. The group claimed the tankers had switched off their navigation systems while attempting to exit with U.S. military support.

The U.S. Department of Defense also updated its casualty figures. The Pentagon added two service member deaths to its official account, bringing the total to 23 since the war began more than eight months ago. Both new deaths were listed as noncombat related. The Air Force said one airman died of an illness and the other from unspecified causes under investigation. The Defense Casualty Analysis System portal now lists 11 service members killed by enemy fire and 12 who died under nonhostile circumstances.

Diplomatic efforts continue despite the military friction. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Qatar presented a new draft deal to Tehran. The official said Iran would not change its stance on the nuclear issue, a point Washington wants included in negotiations from the start. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X that Tehran continues to give diplomacy a chance to succeed. He noted that Iran is working with mediators to review ideas from a proposal floated last month, which President Trump previously rejected.

Tehran insists on specific terms before it will agree to a ceasefire. These conditions include lifting the American blockade of Iranian ports, easing sanctions on oil and gas sales, and granting access to frozen financial assets held abroad. Tasnim News agency, a semi-official outlet affiliated with the IRGC, reported that Iran was not prepared to drop any of these core conditions.

Vice President JD Vance sent a letter to Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council. Multiple outlets reported the letter was an attempt to restart peace negotiations. President Trump told reporters on Wednesday that the outreach was focused only on getting medical supplies into Iran. Iranian media reported Thursday that Tehran has not yet replied to the letter.

In a related development, the Saudi-led coalition intercepted a drone in the Mecca region on Friday. The coalition said the drone was launched by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree denied targeting Saudi territory, stating the group only aims at Saudi oil facilities and military bases.