Washington, D.C. – The Department of Defense released a statement on Friday confirming that U.S. naval forces successfully intercepted and destroyed five Iranian‑flagged oil tankers suspected of supplying fuel to Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. The operation, conducted by a carrier strike group off the coast of Yemen, employed precision missiles and resulted in no casualties among the crews, who were rescued and transferred to humanitarian vessels. The Pentagon emphasized that the action was taken to protect commercial shipping lanes and enforce United Nations sanctions.
In an unrelated development, the Smithsonian Institution announced the resignation of its Director, Dr. Elena Martinez, effective immediately. The resignation follows an internal investigation that uncovered alleged mishandling of a multimillion‑dollar donation and concerns over conflicts of interest within the museum’s leadership. An interim director has been appointed, and the Board of Regents pledged a transparent review of governance practices.