Iran says it hit a US ship in a week of renewed hostilities, and other Mideast news

In a week of heightened tensions, Iran claimed to have targeted a U.S. military vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, according to state-run media in Tehran. The U.S. vessel was reportedly attempting to navigate an area deemed restricted by Iran. However, the U.S. Central Command, which manages U.S. military activities in the Middle East, neither confirmed nor denied the incident.

This exchange of fire follows a period of relative calm after a month of limited hostilities. The aggression resumed after a month of relative peace, igniting a new cycle of conflict between the two nations. The war initially erupted following U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28th. Despite a ceasefire agreement signed in June, intermittent clashes have continued as both sides seek to inflict economic and military damage.

In Lebanon, Israeli strikes claimed four lives and demolished a hospital in the southern village of Arabsalim, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. The attacks also reportedly killed an individual in Nabatiyeh, a town situated close to a strategic hill that Israel claimed to have gained control over on Thursday.