Tehran: Tensions across the Middle East intensified on Saturday as Iran accused Qatar of holding three pilots who disappeared after their aircraft were brought down in March, while Doha rejected the allegation. At the same time, Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon killed at least 11 people, and a vessel linked to the United Arab Emirates was reportedly attacked in the Strait of Hormuz.
The developments came amid growing regional tensions, with fighting and attacks involving Iran, Israel, Hezbollah and Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement continuing to raise concerns over a wider escalation.
Tehran seeks answers over missing pilots
Iran’s Missing Persons Committee of the Armed Forces General Staff said three pilots who went missing in March were captured by Qatar and remained in its custody.
The committee claimed the pilots had not been permitted to communicate with their families or Iranian officials. Tehran also appealed to the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross to assist in determining their whereabouts.
Iran had previously said it did not know what had happened to the pilots. According to Iranian state media, a fourth pilot died during the operation after his aircraft was involved in a mission targeting a military facility in Qatar.
Qatar strongly rejected the claim.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said Iranian aircraft had been shot down and that Qatari search-and-rescue teams recovered the remains of one pilot. He said Tehran had been invited in April to visit Qatar and receive information about the search, but had not responded.
Tanker comes under attack near Hormuz
Separately, the United Arab Emirates said a tanker belonging to ADNOC, Abu Dhabi’s state-owned energy company, was attacked while travelling through the Strait of Hormuz.
The incident reportedly took place on Friday evening and did not result in injuries. The UAE said it was the third attack involving an ADNOC-operated vessel in the strategically important waterway within a week and called on Iran to halt what it described as unprovoked attacks.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre also reported that a bulk carrier had been hit in its hull by an unidentified projectile, although it was not immediately established whether the two reports concerned the same vessel.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical route for global energy supplies, with a significant share of internationally traded oil and natural gas normally passing through the waterway.
Efforts to find a diplomatic way forward have meanwhile faced difficulties, with discussions between Washington and Tehran stalled and separate talks involving Oman focusing on arrangements for the strategic passage.
Israeli strikes cause heavy casualties in Lebanon
In southern Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 11 people in two separate attacks, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry and state media.
A strike near the village of Ansar killed seven people, including three children, and wounded two others, officials said. Another attack in Deir al-Zahrani left four people dead and 17 injured.
Israel’s military said one of the strikes targeted a Hezbollah battalion commander and other members of the group at a headquarters in southern Lebanon. Israeli officials said the operation followed attacks by Hezbollah against Israeli troops operating in the area.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said three Israeli soldiers had suffered serious injuries in an explosive-drone attack.
The Israeli military said the Hezbollah commander’s family was present at the location but insisted they were not the intended targets. Israeli officials also accused the commander of using relatives as human shields.
The casualties marked one of the bloodiest episodes since Israel and Lebanon announced a framework intended to facilitate an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and Hezbollah’s disarmament. Hezbollah has rejected direct negotiations and was not a party to the agreement.
Houthi attack adds to regional tensions
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement carried out another attack on territory controlled by the internationally recognised Yemeni government.
The military said six ballistic missiles were fired towards the Red Sea port of Mokha. Port authorities said the Friday evening attack killed three people, including two marines, and forced the suspension of port operations.
Military spokesperson Col. Majed al-Nazili said the attack was part of continuing Houthi operations against government-held areas and neighbouring Saudi Arabia.
The latest incidents underline the increasingly interconnected nature of conflicts and confrontations across the region. With tensions involving Iran, Israel, Hezbollah and the Houthis continuing to spread across key military and shipping routes, fears remain that further attacks could trigger a broader escalation in the Middle East.
