A Saudi-led military coalition said Saturday it intercepted and destroyed two drones launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels as tensions continued across the Middle East, while Iranian authorities reported that five vessels had struck naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz within approximately 24 hours.

The developments come as the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran continues to threaten commercial shipping and regional security. The latest reported incidents in the Strait of Hormuz have raised further concerns about the safety of one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes.

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The coalition said the two drones were intercepted over Riyadh and southern regions of Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Iran’s navy and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported multiple tanker incidents in the Strait of Hormuz, including a vessel that allegedly caught fire after striking a naval mine Saturday.

Saudi coalition intercepts Houthi drones

The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen announced Saturday that its air defenses intercepted and destroyed two unmanned aerial vehicles launched by the Iran-backed group.

Coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki said the drones were intercepted in Riyadh and southern regions of Saudi Arabia, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

The announcement did not identify the intended targets or provide information about potential casualties or damage.

The interceptions come amid escalating tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, who have increased their attacks on Saudi territory and energy infrastructure.

On Friday, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the group launched missile attacks targeting Riyadh’s airport and a pumping station connected to Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline. The claims had not been independently verified, and Saudi authorities had not publicly confirmed the reported damage at the time of the latest reporting.

The pipeline is an important alternative export route for Saudi crude oil, allowing shipments to reach the Red Sea without passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran reports five ships hit mines in Hormuz

Separately, Iranian authorities reported that five vessels struck naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz within approximately 24 hours, with several reportedly catching fire.

Iran’s navy said Saturday that an oil tanker caught fire after hitting a naval mine in the eastern portion of the strait. Iranian state media reported that the vessel was operating in an area Tehran had designated as restricted.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also reported that two additional tankers had exploded and caught fire after striking mines while traveling through what Iranian authorities described as unauthorized waters.

The reports followed earlier Iranian claims that two other tankers had struck mines in the waterway. The vessels’ identities, ownership and the extent of the reported damage have not been independently established.

Reuters reported Saturday that it could not immediately verify the Iranian navy’s account of the latest tanker incident.

Iran has imposed restrictions on vessels attempting to pass through the strait and has repeatedly accused ships of violating its navigation requirements. The United States, meanwhile, has maintained that commercial shipping should be able to transit the international waterway.

The U.S. military has said it cleared the strait’s main shipping routes of mines and that the waterway is open for commercial traffic. However, the continuing reports of attacks and maritime incidents have left shipping operators facing significant security concerns.

UN warns of growing danger to commercial shipping

The latest incidents come as the United Nations raises concerns about the growing number of attacks and security threats facing commercial vessels in the region.

Khaled Khiari, the U.N. assistant secretary-general for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, told the U.N. Security Council on Friday that at least 25 seafarers had been killed in and around the Strait of Hormuz since the war began in February.

The figures covered the period through Nov. 11.

“This situation cannot be allowed to become the new normal,” Khiari said, calling for the full restoration of maritime navigation in the region.

The International Maritime Organization recorded 136 security incidents involving vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Middle East between March 1 and Nov. 11. October accounted for 35 incidents, the highest monthly total since the conflict began, while another 10 were recorded in November through Nov. 11.

The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and serves as a critical route for international oil and gas shipments. Disruptions to shipping through the narrow waterway can have significant consequences for global energy supplies and transportation costs.

Shipping activity remains well below prewar levels. The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations agency reported that vessel traffic through the strait was approximately 65% below levels recorded before the conflict.

Despite diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions, the latest drone interceptions in Saudi Arabia and reported tanker incidents in the Strait of Hormuz highlight the continuing threat to regional security and international shipping.

With the investigation into the reported mine strikes ongoing and military activity continuing across the region, commercial vessels remain exposed to an increasingly dangerous operating environment.