Iran, Defense, Markets & Diplomacy Coverage
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Yemen's Mocha Port Closed After Houthi Missile Barrage Kills Seven
Houthis fired more than 25 missiles and drones at Yemen's Red Sea port of Mocha, killing seven and forcing the terminal shut with $16M in reported damage.
Trump Used Kurdish Leader as Secret Backchannel to Iran's IRGC
The White House asked Kurdistan Regional Government President Nechirvan Barzani to probe whether Iran's IRGC had additional demands during May peace talks, Axios reports.
Hengli Group Named Top Buyer of Sanctioned Iranian Crude, Analysts Say
China-based Hengli Group is the top importer of sanctioned Iranian crude oil, analysts say, part of a teapot refinery network shielding Tehran from U.S. economic pressure.
Russia Strikes Ukraine as Kyiv Drones Hit Wildberries Warehouse Near Moscow
Russia launched drone and missile attacks on Ukraine killing at least three people, while Kyiv struck a Wildberries warehouse near Moscow in a major escalation of deep strikes.
Israel Escalates Lebanon Strikes, Kills Second Hezbollah Commander
Israeli warplanes struck Nabatieh and killed a second Hezbollah commander on Sunday as the death toll from one day of Israeli attacks in south Lebanon reached 11, despite the US-brokered June ceasefire.
The Oil Test: Vance Revealed Washington's Real War Aim — and Iran Is Consolidating for a Long Siege
JD Vance's declaration that cheap oil is America's top priority in the Iran war — ahead of nuclear disarmament — rewrites the public rationale for the conflict and signals a siege strategy, not a sprint to a deal.
Russian Missile Strike Hits Kyiv, Sparking Fires as NATO Jet Downs Drone Over Romania
Russia struck Kyiv with missiles Sunday, sparking fires and injuring at least one person, while a NATO aircraft intercepted a drone over Romanian airspace and Ukraine launched 130+ drones at Russia.
Kyiv Hit by Missile Barrage After Zelenskyy Targets Russian Satellites
Ukraine's capital absorbed a fresh Russian missile assault as Zelenskyy escalated strikes on Moscow's satellite network, and a NATO jet downed a drone over Romania.
Russian Volunteers Hunt Putin's Forces With Ukrainian Drones
Anti-Kremlin Russian volunteers fighting alongside Ukrainian forces are deploying FPV drones against Russian military positions, as battlefield video circulates publicly.
Taiwan Strait Deterrence: The Case for Statecraft Alongside Force
As military postures harden across the Taiwan Strait, an emerging analysis argues that deterrence geometry alone cannot prevent miscalculation — diplomacy must carry its share.
Iran and Oman Agree on Hormuz Shipping Route Map, Final Deal Still Pending
Iran says it has reached an agreement with Oman on a shipping route map for the Strait of Hormuz after weeks of technical talks, but the accord is not yet finalized.
Russia, Ukraine Trade Drone Strikes on Port and Industrial Targets
Russia and Ukraine exchanged overnight drone strikes on ports and industrial sites as Kyiv claimed a strike on a Russian rocket center tied to a satellite-style communications network.
China Studies Iran's Hormuz Playbook for a Taiwan Contingency
As Iran attacks shipping in the Strait of Hormuz for the third time this week, analysts ask whether China is drawing strategic lessons for Taiwan.
Ukraine Strikes Samara as Kyiv's Long-Range Campaign Intensifies
Ukrainian forces struck a Samara region industrial facility Friday as Kyiv widens its deep-strike campaign into Russia, exchanging overnight drone blows with Moscow across ports and factories.
Israeli Drone Strike Wounds Three in Gaza Despite Active Ceasefire
An Israeli drone targeted a motorcycle in Deir al-Balah on Saturday, wounding three Palestinians, in what ceasefire monitors are calling the latest truce violation.
Israeli Airstrike on Ansar Kills Seven in South Lebanon
An Israeli airstrike on a house in the southern Lebanese town of Ansar killed at least seven people and wounded three early Saturday, Lebanese civil defense said — the deadliest strike since the June ceasefire.
Kyiv Deploys Flamingo Missile Against Russian Industrial Site
Ukraine struck a Russian industrial site using its domestically developed Flamingo cruise missile, as Kyiv simultaneously wrestles with a critical shortage of interceptor rounds needed to shield its own cities.
Zelenskyy Warns Egypt of Food Supply Threat From Russian Black Sea Strikes
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy warned Egypt that Russian strikes on Black Sea shipping lanes are threatening food supplies for millions, seeking broader Arab-world support.
ADNOC Says One of Its Tankers Attacked While Transiting Hormuz
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company confirmed one of its vessels came under attack in the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported. Saudi Arabia condemned the strike as oil pushed toward $100.
Ukraine's Interceptor Shortage Leaves Cities Open to Russian Barrage
Ukraine is running critically low on interceptor missiles, exposing its cities to Russian barrages as new reporting sheds light on how Moscow has sustained its air campaign.
Trump Vows to Declare Hormuz a U.S. Territory as Iran Talks Stall
President Trump announced plans to declare the Strait of Hormuz U.S. territory while threatening new economic pressure on Iran as ceasefire negotiations remain deadlocked.
Taiwan Presses Jakarta on Chinese Naval Exercise East of Island
Taipei is seeking an explanation after Indonesia joined China in a naval exercise east of Taiwan, a rare ASEAN alignment that sharpens pressure on the island during Han Kuang drills.
CENTCOM Launches First Multinational Attack Drone Task Force
U.S. Central Command stood up Task Force Falcon Strike, its first multinational one-way attack drone force, spanning air, surface and undersea systems with regional partners.
Patriot Makers Hedge on Ukraine License as Officials Question Holdup
Lockheed Martin and Raytheon have stalled on a Patriot missile production license Trump promised Ukraine last month, with officials actively questioning the cause of the holdup.
Oil Posts Weekly Gains as US Threatens Indefinite Iran Blockade, Two Ships Attacked in Hormuz
Crude prices rose on the week after Washington threatened an indefinite naval blockade on Iran and warned of stepped-up economic pressure, as two more vessels were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz.
Pentagon Signs Seven-Year SM-3 Interceptor Deals with Boeing, RTX
The Pentagon signed seven-year framework deals with Boeing and RTX covering SM-3 interceptor avionics and ejector assemblies, as global demand for missile defense hardware strains the industrial base.
Iran Says IRGC Downs US MQ-9 Drone Over Hormozgan Province
Iran's Revolutionary Guard says it shot down a US-made MQ-9 Reaper drone over southern Hormozgan province Friday, in the strait-adjacent airspace where earlier tanker attacks occurred.
Ukraine Drones Strike Ust-Luga Oil Terminal, Fire Erupts at Baltic Hub
Ukrainian drones struck Ust-Luga, Russia's primary Baltic oil export terminal, igniting a fire at the port as both sides traded blows on Day 1,633 of the war.
China Criticizes Taiwan War Games as Military Tensions Rise
Beijing condemns Taiwan's military exercises as cross-strait tensions escalate, with the PLA maintaining heightened readiness across the Western Pacific.
NATO Jets Scramble Over Latvia After Foreign Drone Enters Airspace
NATO fighter jets intercepted and shot down a foreign drone that crossed into Latvian airspace, marking a direct airspace violation involving an alliance member on Russia's border.