Qatari LNG Carrier Hit in Gulf; Gaza Strikes Kill Eight

Qatar’s state-owned shipping company Nakilat reported on Sunday that one of its liquefied natural gas carriers was struck by unidentified objects in the Persian Gulf. The vessel, named Al Mayeda, sustained damage late Friday night but remained operational. The company stated that no crew members were injured and that there was no environmental impact from the incident.

The attack occurred in a strategic waterway where Iran has previously warned that ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz without permission could face destruction. Qatar’s foreign ministry condemned the strike, stating that authorities are investigating the cause and identifying those responsible. The ministry noted that such attacks risk regional security, stability, and marine life.

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli military strikes killed eight people on Sunday, according to local health officials. Five people were killed in a strike on the southern city of Khan Younis, as reported by Nasser Hospital, which received the bodies. Three additional people died in a separate strike in Gaza City, including a four-year-old boy. Shifa Hospital reported that the Gaza City strike also seriously wounded a woman.

The Israeli military said its forces targeted several militants in Khan Younis and one Hamas fighter in northern Gaza. These strikes are part of a pattern of near-daily attacks that have continued since a ceasefire took effect in October 2025. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 1,570 Palestinians have been killed since the truce began, bringing the total war death toll to over 74,500. The ministry, which operates under the Hamas-run government, does not distinguish between civilians and militants. Israel maintains that its strikes target militant infrastructure and accuses Hamas of using civilians as human shields.

The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants entered southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages.

In Yemen, Iran-backed Houthi rebels reported two airstrikes on the University of Hodeida on Sunday. The Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV channel said the strikes hit the university’s medical school and blamed Saudi Arabia. The port city of Hodeida has faced repeated attacks since fighting escalated between the Houthis and Saudi-backed government forces. There was no immediate report on casualties from the university strikes.

The United Nations called for an investigation into the death of Mohammad el Shami, a staffer with its human rights office. El Shami had been held by the Houthis since June 2024. U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said late Saturday that the rebels had not provided information on El Shami’s well-being or proof of life despite repeated requests. He was the second U.N. employee to die in Houthi custody; a World Food Program worker died in their custody in February 2025.

Tensions between Iran and the United Kingdom also rose on Sunday. Iran’s state-run news agency IRNA reported that the country designated Britain’s Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as terrorist organizations. Iran also declared its MI6 intelligence service a hostile entity. The Iranian Foreign Ministry accused the U.K. of participating in U.S.-Israeli military attacks on Iran by providing military bases and logistical support. This designation could allow Iran to prosecute individuals accused of working with MI6 under its own laws.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Donald Blome spoke at the Manama Dialogue security forum in Bahrain on Sunday. He said the United States has extended a hand in negotiations to Iran while remaining prepared for other options. Blome stated, “The hand of negotiation has been extended, and those channels have continued to be open and active. At the same time, we’ve been also prepared to go in another direction.” He added that the U.S. cannot allow Iran to take the region and the global economy hostage.

The U.N. expects to continue monitoring the custody of its staff in Yemen, while Qatar’s foreign ministry will release further findings on the Al Mayeda incident. In Gaza, the Health Ministry will update its casualty counts as new strikes are reported.