Gulf: Tugboat hit off UAE as Iran warns US of 'enormous damage'

Attacks on shipping around the Strait of Hormuz continued on Sunday. A tugboat sailing south off the United Arab Emirates reported being struck by "2 unknown projectiles," according to the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO). The vessel was damaged but continued on its route, and one minor casualty was reported. Off the coast of Yemen, gunmen opened fire on a liquefied natural gas tanker, Al Jazeera reported. UKMTO data show at least 10 vessels have been attacked in or near the strait since last Sunday, the highest weekly total since the war began in February.

In Tehran, newly confirmed Defense Minister Mehrdad Akhlaghi warned that the United States "and the region will suffer enormous damage" if Washington resumes its military campaign, saying Iran's adversaries would most likely not dare to attack. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran's seven-day proposal to reopen the strait had been passed to the U.S. via Qatar and that the next move was Washington's.

Saudi Arabia also remained under pressure, with the Saudi-led coalition saying it intercepted more drones, including over Riyadh. Office workers at Riyadh's Kingdom Center tower were told to work remotely "until further notice," CBS News reported. Two officers were killed when a National Guard helicopter crashed in the Najran area near the Yemen border; coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki blamed a technical malfunction.