Iran is deliberately hunting U.S. unmanned surface vessels in the Strait of Hormuz to gather intelligence on American surveillance capabilities, drone experts warn.

Mohammed bin Salman (R) has asked Donald Trump (L) for more military support to counter the Houthis. The U.S.-Iran war has reached crisis point for Saudi Arabia and its de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The kingdom was spared the worst of the Islamic Republic's counterstrikes against the U.S. and Israel early in the conflict, and was even benefiting from higher crude prices as it used a land pipeline to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. That all changed when the Houthis started firing at Saudi Arabia on a near-daily basis this month. The Iran-backed militants have also captured more territory in Yemen, where they are based, tightening their control over Bab el-Mandeb, another vital strait for shipping and energy markets.

Iran's oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz face a U.S. chokehold, while a drone attack on Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline and Houthi rebels at Bab el-Mandeb add pressure.

Brent crude has risen above $100 a barrel as war in Iran disrupts shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, while the Houthis' capture of Mayun Island raises concerns over another major oil route through the Bab al-Mandeb. JD Vance insists US is'on top of' Houthi advance in Red Sea China rejects AI'threat narratives', urges global cooperation US may be'forced to intervene' in the Red Sea

Saudi Arabia has closed a critical oil pipeline after it was attacked by drones launched from Iraq, as conflict in the Middle East widens. Iraq said it had fired a military commander and launched an investigation after admitting the drone attack on its neighbour's East-West pipeline had originated in one of its provinces bordering Iran. The 1,200km (745 mile) pipeline has helped Saudi Arabia - the world's largest crude oil exporter - bypass the Strait of Hormuz. The incident comes amid a major advance by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, putting more pressure on global oil shipping routes as the US-Iran war stretches into its seventh month. Riyadh on Friday said it had shut the pipeline as a precaution, as satellite images of scorched ground and smoke near the site emerged.

Did Iran capture a US submarine? Saudi Arabia has shut its East-West oil pipeline after a drone attack. Riyadh says the attack originated in Iraq. The pipeline allowed Riyadh to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.

Almost 100 anti-war activists protested on Wednesday outside the Sejong Centre in Seoul, opposing a potential deployment of the South Korean military assets to the Strait of Hormuz. AI researcher quits Anthropic saying AI race'could kill us all' Video: Why are Republicans hosting a midterm convention? Turkish jets perform dramatic flyover above Egypt's pyramids

What is Iran's Pickaxe Mountain? Did Iran capture a US submarine? Share Did Iran capture a US submarine? Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said its naval forces have captured an unmanned United States submarine near the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran and Washington continue to exchange tit-for-tat attacks on ships to exert control over the crucial waterway that connects the Gulf and the Arabian Sea. Iranian state media identified the vessel as a Dive-LD - an autonomous underwater vehicle built by California-based defence firm Anduril Industries.

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The President recently floated renaming the Strait of Hormuz as "Trump Strait" and signed an Executive Order renaming Lake Ontario as "Lake America." It also follows Trump signing an Executive Order renaming Lake Ontario as “Lake America” on Aug. 27, amid a widening trade war with Canada.