Agencies |Washington/ Tehran:
The United States is expanding its military presence around Iran, with three aircraft carriers and two amphibious landing groups being deployed to the region, according to a US official cited by Al Jazeera.
The official said the Roosevelt strike group and the Makin Island amphibious force, carrying around 2,000 US Marines, had departed San Diego as part of the buildup. The full deployment is expected to be completed by November.
The deployment comes amid heightened tensions in the region and growing concerns over maritime security and the possibility of further escalation.
Meanwhile, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, causing a fire on board.
The vessel was reported to have a capacity of around 2.5 million barrels. The crew was reported safe, while the extent of the damage remained under assessment.
The incident adds to concerns over the security of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy supplies.
In Britain, counterterrorism police arrested a 27-year-old British-Iranian dual national in connection with an alleged security incident near RAF Fairford in southwest England.
Police said the man was detained in central London on Thursday. The arrest followed an earlier incident near the airbase in which five other men had been arrested and subsequently released on bail.
British authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. UK officials have indicated that they are examining possible links to Iran, while Tehran has denied involvement.
In Yemen, Houthi fighters launched intense attacks across several front lines in Taiz governorate, seeking to consolidate gains made during their recent offensive along the country’s Red Sea coast, according to reports.
Yemeni government forces said they had held their positions and claimed to have inflicted heavy losses on the Houthis. The fighting has continued across several fronts, with difficult terrain and air strikes so far limiting the Houthis’ ability to translate their coastal gains into a wider advance.
The latest developments underscore the increasingly interconnected security situation across the Middle East, with military deployments, attacks on shipping and fighting in Yemen unfolding amid heightened tensions involving Iran and its regional allies.
