An oil tanker leased to QatarEnergy was struck by an Iranian cruise missile in Qatari waters near the Ras Laffan industrial hub, home to the world’s largest LNG export facility. Qatar said three missiles were launched, with two intercepted and one hitting the Aqua 1 fuel tanker. The vessel sustained damage above the waterline, but no casualties or environmental impact were reported. The strike comes as tensions escalate across the Gulf amid the ongoing Iran conflict and growing threats to global energy infrastructure.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing mounting scrutiny after controversial remarks targeting Iranian clerics and framing the ongoing conflict with Iran in religious terms. His references to biblical scripture, combined with claims describing Iranian leadership as “fanatical,” have sparked concerns over the growing role of faith-based rhetoric inside Pentagon decision-making. WATCH