Iran reports two tankers on fire in Hormuz as Eisenkot awaits mandate to form government
Key Facts
Iran Press reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said two oil tankers caught fire after explosions in the Strait of Hormuz early on Sunday, November 8. The report attributed to the Iranian navy the statement that the vessels struck mines while attempting to use unauthorized routes. It added that the vessels’ navigation and positioning systems were switched off. The report did not identify the tankers’ flags or destinations, according to a separate account of the incident by the Iranian military cited by The Associated Press. In another maritime incident on Saturday, UKMTO reported a fire on a tanker 8 nautical miles northwest of Khasab, Oman, and said its crew had been evacuated; The Associated Press said the vessel’s identity and the cause of the fire had not been determined.
On the political track, Israeli President Isaac Herzog told Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot on the evening of November 7 that he intended to appoint him to form a government. The president’s office said the formal mandate ceremony was scheduled for November 8 at 17:00. Eisenkot wrote, according to The Associated Press, calling for the formation of a "national emergency government" and saying he would do everything he could to prove they were up to the responsibility. The period for forming a government begins after the formal appointment, not merely when the president announces his intention to appoint the candidate.
The consultations follow the October 27 election, which produced a parliament divided among blocs, none of which holds a majority on its own. The Associated Press reported that Netanyahu’s coalition won 53 seats, while the opposition bloc led by Eisenkot won 48 seats, and Arab-led parties took the remaining 19 seats. Forming a governing coalition requires at least 61 of the Knesset’s 120 seats. Members’ recommendations to the president alone are therefore not enough to secure a coalition; the candidate must negotiate with other blocs to win sufficient parliamentary support. The Associated Press said Arab parties could play a decisive role in the negotiations, but that possibility does not mean they have joined a coalition or agreed to a government deal.
According to The Associated Press, an alliance between Eisenkot and the Arab-led parties could produce a 67-seat coalition mathematically, but would carry a political cost for Eisenkot and his Jewish allies. The last time an Arab party joined an Israeli governing coalition was in 2021, and that government lasted about 18 months. This puts the question of parliamentary partnership at the heart of the challenge facing the candidate, alongside securing enough recommendations and cementing an agreement among the partners. After Sunday’s ceremony, Eisenkot was expected to begin coalition talks with potential partners. The Associated Press said he had up to 6 weeks to form a government, while the president’s office provides for an initial period of 28 days, with the possibility of an extension of up to 14 additional days.
In Hormuz, reports of the tankers come amid a rise in maritime incidents cited by The Associated Press, with October seeing the highest number of attacks on commercial ships in the strait since March. The agency linked this to Iran’s attempt to increase economic pressure on the United States to push it to lift its blockade. Open sources cited no specific effect of the two fires on energy supplies or prices. In Israel, if neither bloc succeeds in securing a majority, the country could head to a new election in early 2027, according to The Associated Press. The agency added that Netanyahu’s government would remain as a caretaker until then.