World News Today Live Updates: Iran claims it struck an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz

Iran says it struck an oil tanker trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz, while hundreds of thousands of people rallied in Tehran.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps says it struck a Togo-flagged tanker attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Associated Press (AP), as the Islamic Republic marked its largest pro-government rally since the US and Israel launched strikes in February. Meanwhile, South Korean officials met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, per Reuters, to work through friction over Seoul’s role in Middle East maritime security and a stalled $350 billion investment package.

Tanker attacks and mass rally in Tehran: Iranian state media reported the Guard’s navy struck the tanker Trend on Thursday night over what it called an “illegal attempt” to transit the strait, the AP reported. The Guard’s navy has warned that any vessel crossing without authorization would face “destruction,” according to the state broadcaster. Separately, UK Maritime Trade Operations said a different tanker was hit Wednesday by an unidentified projectile while leaving the strait; the crew was reported unharmed.

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In Washington, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Rubio discussed Seoul’s possible contribution to restoring freedom of navigation in the strait, Reuters reported, without the foreign ministry elaborating further. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Friday he would not send troops in a way that could pull the country into the conflict, though Seoul is reviewing a larger navigational-safety role in the region.

Key world developments: 

• Iran claims a strike on the tanker Trend in the Strait of Hormuz; a second tanker was hit by an unknown projectile, per UKMTO.
• Hundreds of thousands rallied in Tehran in the war’s largest pro-government show of support to date.
• South Korea says it won’t deploy troops to the Middle East but is weighing an expanded naval presence in the Gulf of Aden.
• Rubio and Cho reaffirmed a shared commitment to North Korean denuclearization, with Lee saying a Trump-Kim summit remains possible but uncertain.
• Yemen: pro-Houthi rallies continued after Saudi Arabia accused the group of targeting Mecca; the Houthis have denied responsibility.

Follow the latest world news and major international developments here. This live blog is a rolling curation of the day’s key global stories, with updates added as events unfold and the news agenda changes. The headline, introduction and Top Developments section will be refreshed throughout the day to reflect the stories that matter most at that moment.

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Welcome to our live blog covering today's key developments across the Middle East and beyond. We'll be tracking the situation in real time from Iran's claimed strike on a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz and the massive pro-government rally in Tehran. Stay with us as we bring you the latest updates around the world.

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