DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) 鈥� A tenuous ceasefire appeared to be holding Saturday after the United States struck two Iranian oil tankers, while the country that hosts the U.S. Navy鈥檚 regional headquarters said it arrested dozens of people it alleged were linked to Iran鈥檚 Revolutionary Guard.
Attacks Friday cast doubt on the tenuous month-old ceasefire that the United States . Washington is awaiting an Iranian response to its latest proposal for a deal to end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and roll back Tehran鈥檚 disputed nuclear program.
The U.S. military said Friday that its forces had disabled two Iranian tankers that were trying to breach an American blockade of Iran鈥檚 ports. Hours earlier, the military said it thwarted attacks on three Navy ships and in the strait.
Meanwhile, in the small Gulf island of Bahrain, the nation’s Ministry of Interior said Saturday it had arrested 41 people it alleges are part of a group affiliated with Iran鈥檚 Revolutionary Guard. It said investigations are ongoing to take further action against anyone affiliated with the group but did not provide further details.
Bahrain is led by a Sunni Muslim monarchy but, like Iran, its population is majority Shiite. Rights groups have said that the kingdom has used the war between Iran and the U.S., which bases its Fifth Fleet in the country, as an excuse to crack down on dissent at home.
US says it responded to an attack in the Strait of Hormuz
Iran has mostly blocked the critical waterway for global energy since the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28, causing a global spike in fuel prices and . The U.S. has imposed its own blockade of Iran鈥檚 ports.
The U.S. military posted video of the two Iranian tankers as their smokestacks were struck by an American fighter jet on Friday. Earlier in the week, an American military jet shot out the rudder of a tanker the U.S. military said was attempting to breach its blockade.
A U.S. strike overnight killed at least one sailor and injured 10 others aboard a cargo vessel that caught fire, a news agency affiliated with Iran’s judiciary reported. It was not clear if the ship was one of the two tankers the U.S. acknowledged striking.
Despite the attacks, U.S. President has insisted the ceasefire is holding. He also has to resume full-scale bombing if Iran doesn鈥檛 accept an agreement to reopen the strait and roll back its nuclear program.
On Friday, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the country was not paying attention to 鈥渄eadlines鈥� and Tehran continues reviewing a U.S. proposal related to ongoing negotiations, according to state-run IRNA.
A top Iranian official also said Friday that the country’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was in 鈥渃omplete health” and that he would eventually appear in public.
The comments were made by Mazaher Hosseini, who is affiliated with the office of Iran鈥檚 former Supreme Leader, at a pro-government gathering. Hosseini said Mojtaba had suffered knee and back injuries but that they鈥檝e largely healed and he鈥檚 now in good condition.
Khamenei hasn’t been seen in public since the war began and the continued absence of verified images, audio, or video of him has fueled speculation about his status. Remarks such as Hosseini’s are seen by some as attempts to counter doubts that he may no longer be alive.
Calls for calm
As tensions escalate there’s been a flurry of diplomacy across the globe.
Russia鈥檚 foreign ministry said Saturday that it, as well as Saudi Arabia, is calling for continued diplomatic efforts to reach a 鈥渟ustainable, long-term agreement鈥� to end the war, according to Russia’s foreign ministry.
Egyptian and Qatari top diplomats have also have reiterated that diplomacy is the sole path to finding a solution, according to a readout of a Saturday phone call between Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his country has been in contact with the U.S. and Iran 鈥渄ay and night鈥� in an effort to extend the ceasefire and reach a peace deal.
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Magdy reported from Cairo, Egypt.
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