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Iran Claims It Hit Multiple Ships In Persian Gulf, Warns US Military Of Major Escalation

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Iran claimed Thursday that it struck seven oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and near the Strait of Hormuz, warning that continued American military operations could trigger an expanded Iranian assault on U.S. military bases throughout the Middle East.

Four vessels allegedly caught fire after being simultaneously attacked in the northern Persian Gulf on Wednesday, while three additional ships reportedly struck naval mines west of the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, Reuters reported. The claims, which have not been confirmed outside of Tehran, represent a potentially significant escalation in Iran’s ongoing campaign against commercial shipping.

“The forces pulling matters toward another round of war are much stronger than the forces pushing back,” Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “Israel is dead set on another war, whereas Trump is oscillating between wanting an exit from the war and an impulse for revenge against the damage Iran has done to Trump’s presidency.”

“On paper, and increasingly in practice, the United States maintains a massive advantage, but in an asymmetric war situation such as this, even the far weaker power can exercise enormous influence,” J.D. Foster, former chief economist at the White House Office of Management and Budget and former chief economist at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, told the DCNF. “For examples, see Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq. However, it is misleading to view the state of the conflict in military terms. The “front” in classical military terms is stagnant, relatively quiet, and increasingly irrelevant because the crux of the conflict now lies in the economic domain.”

The IRGC claimed its forces tracked four vessels allegedly conducting illegal ship-to-ship oil transfers before the vessels were simultaneously struck and caught fire, according to Reuters. (Read more from “Iran Claims It Hit Multiple Ships In Persian Gulf, Warns US Military Of Major Escalation” HERE)

Trump Signals More Iran Strikes — ‘We May Do It a Little Bit Further’

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President Donald Trump warned Thursday that the United States may launch further strikes against Iran, as Washington and Israel prepare for a possible new offensive following the November midterm elections.

“We’ve knocked the hell out of them. And we may do it a little bit further,” Trump told reporters.

Asked how the war with Iran could affect the midterm elections, Trump acknowledged the political costs of military action but defended his decision to confront Tehran.

“One way, they love it because I’m doing what should have been done by other presidents. And another way, maybe they don’t. There’s a price to pay, which I knew immediately when I did it,” he said.

“But we can’t let Iran have a nuclear weapon,” Trump insisted.

(Read more from “Trump Signals More Iran Strikes — ‘We May Do It a Little Bit Further’” HERE)

Is Israel Gearing Up For Another Offensive?

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By Daily Caller. A meeting with the U.S. Secretary of War, the cancellation of military leave and the arrest of draft dodgers might point to Israel preparing for another offensive against Iran.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers’ military leaves are being canceled, and a group of ultra-orthodox Jewish men were arrested for evading the draft. Additionally, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth quietly met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday.

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) referred the Daily Caller News Foundation to the Department of War which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Israeli government also did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.

In preparation for Israel’s upcoming Oct. 27 election, the IDF was put on a high alert and service members’ leaves were frozen, the Times of Israel reported.

The IDF is “on the highest state of alert and will continue to maintain a high level of vigilance and readiness across all fronts,” IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir told the outlet. Leave was frozen across IDF units, requiring soldiers to remain on base rather than taking planned leave, “subject to ongoing situational assessments.” (Read more from “Is Israel Gearing Up For Another Offensive?” HERE)

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U.S. ramps up warnings to Americans in Middle East after Houthi strikes

By CBS News. U.S. diplomatic missions across the Middle East have issued a new round of security warnings to Americans amid escalating attacks by Iran-backed Houthi militants against Saudi Arabia, including an Oct. 10 strike on Riyadh’s international airport that killed an American citizen.

The alerts, issued Sunday by U.S. embassies in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and several other countries, warned that hostilities could rapidly and without warning spread beyond areas already affected by the fighting. The advisories urged Americans to exercise vigilance and prepare for possible flight cancellations, airspace closures and other travel disruptions.

“We are actively warning U.S. citizens about the very real threat the Houthis pose and urging them to heed official guidance,” Edgar Vasquez, the State Department’s deputy assistant secretary for press, told CBS News.

“These alerts are part of a proactive effort by the Trump administration to ensure Americans are aware of potential risks,” Vasquez said, adding that the safety and security of American citizens remain the department’s “top priority.”

The State Department has maintained restrictions on diplomatic operations across parts of the region since the U.S. and Israel went to war with Iran in February. State Department officials have said the restrictions are intended to be temporary and allow embassies to adjust staffing as security conditions evolve. (Read more from “U.S. ramps up warnings to Americans in Middle East after Houthi strikes” HERE)

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Report: Pentagon Orders CENTCOM to Ready Iran Strike Options as Trump Weighs Major Operations

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The Pentagon has ordered U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) to complete preparations for a possible resumption of major combat operations against Iran as President Donald Trump weighs renewed strikes that could come before November’s midterm elections, according to multiple reports Wednesday.

The directive, issued several days ago, comes as the administration considers strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities, energy infrastructure, and other strategic targets, although Trump has not made a final decision on whether or when to authorize another major military campaign.

Axios first reported the order to CENTCOM, citing U.S. officials who said discussions about renewed operations have intensified amid the continuing standoff with Tehran.

The preparations follow a meeting Friday at Camp David, where Trump’s national security team spent several hours discussing Iran and other regional security challenges, including the conflict with the Houthis in Yemen.

An Israeli official told the outlet that resuming major combat operations against Iran was among the subjects discussed.

(Read more from “Report: Pentagon Orders CENTCOM to Ready Iran Strike Options as Trump Weighs Major Operations” HERE)

California Officials Condemn Trump for Saying Iran Could ‘Take Out’ Los Angeles or San Diego

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California officials denounced President Donald Trump for saying that Iran could “take out” Los Angeles or San Diego, calling his remarks “deranged” and “irresponsible.”

At a campaign rally Monday in Nebraska, Trump spoke about the effect of the Iran war on U.S. prices, saying: “Remember, with the war, it’s just artificial. It’s a little bit high. It’s a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, keeping our country safe.”

“They can take out a city. Let them take out Los Angeles, let them take out San Diego,” Trump said, drawing cheers from the crowd.

California and the state’s leaders are a frequent target of Trump’s ire, particularly Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who is widely viewed as a potential 2028 presidential contender. In his comments at the rally, Trump appeared to be making light of the potential for Iran to attack major American cities.

In response to the backlash, White House communications director Steven Cheung said on X that the controversy “is not rooted in reality.”

(Read more from “California Officials Condemn Trump for Saying Iran Could ‘Take Out’ Los Angeles or San Diego” HERE)

Soldiers Wounded In Iran War Reportedly Failed By Medical System

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Dozens of soldiers wounded in a March 1 Iranian drone strike in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait are not receiving adequate medical care, according to an Associated Press report.

Bureaucratic red tape, failure to recognize serious injuries, and lack of planning regarding transporting the injured to hospitals are issues that service members deployed in the Middle East are facing, the AP reported Monday. After years of attempted troop drawdown in the Middle East, there are no major U.S.-run medical facilities in the region.

Army Lt. Col. Arturo Lincón was one of the multiple service members hit by shrapnel during the attack. One piece of metal lodged into his left jaw — while another sliced his salivary gland, bounced off his jaw, pierced the back of his neck, and ultimately severed an artery before lodging in a vertebrae, he told the AP. The damaged artery put him at risk for a stroke.

However, this was not considered severe enough for him to be sent to the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, the closest major military facility, the outlet reported. Instead, he was sent to nearby Army barracks and told to schedule outpatient appointments. He went days without pain medication.

“I was just kind of on my own, at least it felt like that,” Lincón told the AP. . .

Another soldier who had shrapnel removed from his head, Major Stephen Ramsbottom, had to wait over four months for his MRI results, according to the AP. Chief Warrant Officer 4 Rodney Bearman, who had shrapnel embedded from his face to his legs, was briefly seen by Kuwaiti doctors, then sent to the home of a U.S. government employee. The missile attacks from Iran made evacuation flights risky. (Read more from “Soldiers Wounded In Iran War Reportedly Failed By Medical System” HERE)

9,000 More US Troops Head To Middle East As Trump Mulls Resuming Iran Strikes

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By Daily Caller. While President Donald Trump contemplates further strikes, America is deploying seven more warships to the Middle East, with the fleet carrying approximately 9,000 more troops.

The USS Theodore Roosevelt and three accompanying destroyers left their port in San Diego early this week and they are expected to reach the Middle East at the end of November, The Financial Times reported. It remains unclear whether the USS Theodore Roosevelt will join the USS George Washington and USS George HW Bush in the region or replace them.

Additionally, the USS Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), consisting of an amphibious warship and two docking ships, is traveling to the region, according to the outlet. The ARG also carries the 13th Marine Expidentiary Unit.

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) declined to comment to the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Altogether, the ships carry around 9,000 troops. Carrier strike groups have approximately 5,000 troops, with dozens of aircraft aboard the carrier, The Financial Times reported. ARGs have about 4,200 sailors and Marines aboard. (Read more from “9,000 More US Troops Head To Middle East As Trump Mulls Resuming Iran Strikes” HERE)

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REVEALED: Eight U.S. Marines Injured In Iranian Missile Strike In Strait Of Hormuz

By Yeshiva World News. Eight U.S. Marines were injured when an Iranian anti-ship cruise missile struck a vessel operating in the Strait of Hormuz on September 14, according to a report by NBC news, citing three U.S. officials. The attack and the injuries had not previously been disclosed by the Pentagon.

The Marines, seven enlisted personnel and one officer, suffered smoke inhalation and symptoms consistent with concussions, including headaches. None were seriously injured, and all eight returned to duty shortly after the attack. (Read more from “REVEALED: Eight U.S. Marines Injured In Iranian Missile Strike In Strait Of Hormuz” HERE)

Iran Turns Tables on Trump Admin after Dramatic Warning amid Escalating War

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Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf rejected claims by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that Iran faces an imminent economic collapse, arguing instead that Washington is heading toward a debt crisis of its own.

Responding on X to Bessent’s assertion earlier Wednesday that Tehran could have “nothing left to trade” within two weeks, Ghalibaf used memes to point to what he saw as U.S. economic vulnerabilities.

Among them was a mock financial model titled “Trajectory of Stress on the House,” which contended that ballooning national debt, rising Treasury bond yields and energy costs will place mounting strain on the American financial system.

Ghalibaf also paired the mock formula with a cartoon depicting Bessent as Wile E. Coyote running off a cliff.

(Read more from “Iran Turns Tables on Trump Admin after Dramatic Warning amid Escalating War” HERE)

Trump: U.S. Will Win Iran War ‘Very Soon’ as Mediated Talks Continue — ‘One Way or the Other’

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President Donald Trump said Monday the war with Iran will end with a U.S. victory “very soon,” declaring the outcome will be decided “one way or the other” as Washington and Tehran remain engaged through mediators over a potential agreement addressing the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program.

After confirming that his team had been in contact with Iran through mediators earlier Monday, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he expected the standoff to be resolved quickly.

“We’re going to win,” Trump said. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s going to be one way or the other. And it’s going to go pretty quickly.”

The renewed diplomacy comes days after Trump rejected an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days in exchange for a series of U.S. concessions, including lifting the naval blockade and easing economic pressure on Tehran.

Qatari officials were shuttling between the two sides Monday, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi meeting the intermediaries in New York as negotiations continued without direct U.S.-Iranian talks. (Read more from “Trump: U.S. Will Win Iran War ‘Very Soon’ as Mediated Talks Continue — ‘One Way or the Other’” HERE)

French Bakeries Struggle as Iran War Spikes Oil Prices: ‘It’s Catastrophic’

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As the lights of their small bakery flicker on in the early morning darkness, Kevin and Sandrine Luce’s oven is already cranked up to 270 degrees Celsius (518 degrees Fahrenheit) to give their latest batch of baguettes a crunchy crust.

When the couple first fired up the oven in their store in Saint-Just-en-Chaussée, a small town about 90 kilometers (55 miles) north of Paris, in March, they paid 2,230 euros ($2,540) for 2,000 liters (528 gallons) of the heating oil that it burns. Last week, they spent almost the same amount on just 1,200 liters (317 gallons).

Fuel prices that have spiked since the start of the Iran war on Feb. 28 are dealing a hard blow to the couple and other small businesses across Europe.

“Originally, it was a good deal, because initially, a fuel-heated oven is more economical than an electric one,” Kevin Luce said. “That is until the price (of fuel) increased by 50%. So, yes, now it’s not a good deal.”

The Luces aren’t alone. There are more than 34,000 bakers across France churning out around 6 billion baguettes each year, according to the national federation of bakeries and patisseries, which says that about one quarter of them use oil- or gas-fired ovens. (Read more from “French Bakeries Struggle as Iran War Spikes Oil Prices: ‘It’s Catastrophic’” HERE)

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