TEHRAN/JERUSALEM – Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Sunday that it carried out attacks with drones against US air defense radar station in Bahrain.
On Saturday, the navy of Iran's Army said that two "violating" oil tankers caught fire earlier in the day after hitting naval mines east of the Strait of Hormuz.
The vessels, which had turned off their navigation, identification and tracking systems, were transiting the "unsafe and forbidden" region east of the strait in disregard of the warnings, the navy said in statements on the army's website.
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One of the vessels was brought to a halt following the blast, it said, warning that suffering explosions and catching fire is the fate awaiting those "violating" vessels seeking passage through the "forbidden" regions in the waterway.
Iran tightened its grip on the strait on Feb 28, barring safe passage of vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States following their joint strikes on Iranian territory.
On Friday night, the navy of Iran's IRGC also reported two "violating" oil tankers exploded and caught fire earlier in the day after hitting naval mines while attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz through an "unauthorized" route.
Netanyahu urges unity govt to confront Iran
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu renewed his call on Saturday for a national unity government, warning that Iran was rebuilding its nuclear program and that only a broad coalition could eliminate the threat to Israel.
In a prerecorded address, Netanyahu urged his political rival Gadi Eisenkot, who has been tasked with forming Israel's next government, to enter coalition negotiations without preconditions.
"The Iranian regime, which seeks Israel's destruction, is once again working to revive its nuclear program," Netanyahu said. "We must remove this existential threat once and for all."
Netanyahu said a national unity government could guarantee Israel's security for years to come and expand regional peace agreements.
READ MORE: Dialogue the way to end Middle East conflicts
The remarks followed a security briefing Netanyahu held with Eisenkot on Thursday.
Netanyahu's right-wing coalition lost its parliamentary majority in the October election. Eisenkot, a former military chief, was given 28 days by President Isaac Herzog to form a government, with a possible 14-day extension. Netanyahu will remain caretaker prime minister until a new government takes office.
