Press TV's news headlines

Iran Hormuz Strait control

The naval force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps says two oil tankers have caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after attempting to transit the waterway via an unauthorized route. According to a statement by IRGC Navy, the violating oil tankers had switched off all navigation and positioning systems while attempting to cross the unsafe route with the US backing. The statement says the two tankers hit naval mines and were stopped. The IRGC navy underlined that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until Iran’s seven conditions are met. It added that CENTCOM’s attempts to force oil tankers through unauthorized, mine-contaminated routes will only result in repeated and humiliating failures. Earlier, the IRGC announced that its Aerospace Force managed to ground two more American MQM-170 reconnaissance drones, as they were flying over the southern Qeshm Island.

Saudi Yemen aggression

Saudi Arabia has carried out new strikes on Yemen, targeting areas in several provinces including Tai’z and Hodeidah. The attack in Tai’z hit a local market, resulting in casualties, while the strike in Hodeidah targeted the town of Hays. According to reports, Yemen has seen over 60 Saudi strikes in a matter of 24 hours. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s civil defense issued an emergency warning in the country’s southern Najran region which borders Yemen. There’s still no comment from Yemen’s armed forces regarding the attack. Sana’a has adopted the policy of “siege-for-siege” and “escalation-for-escalation” amid its tensions with Riyadh.

France anti-govt. protests

Around 500 people were arrested as nationwide strikes and protests swept across France on Thursday. The arrests were made during demonstrations in a number of cities, including Paris, Rennes, and Lyon, where police used tear gas to disperse the crowds. The Interior Ministry deployed 70,000 police officers nationwide, and estimated the turnout at 575,000. But trade unions put the figure at nearly 1.6 million. The protests brought together students, university groups, trade unions and Yellow Vest demonstrators, while strikes disrupted transport, schools and other public services. Protesters demand higher wages, better pensions, increased education funding and greater investment in public services.