US quietly aids Saudi Arabia’s Yemen offensive with intel, refueling Pentagon aims to keep Yemen and Iran wars separate while shielding the flow of Gulf oil exports from attack as Riyadh bears the brunt of the Houthis' missile and drone barrages. Yemen
Iran joins SCO drill as China resists direct intervention in US-Iran war An IRGC official said the exercise will focus on countering extremist activities and containing violent groups. Iran
Iraq devalues dinar 13% as Hormuz disruption hits oil revenue The central bank said in a statement that it had revised the official exchange rate to 1,520 Iraqi dinars per dollar from around 1,320. Iraq
Explainer Rubio says Iran ‘lost’ Hormuz. Has it? US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Iran has “lost complete control” of the waterway, pointing to the recovery in Gulf oil exports in September. Iran
Analysis Iran’s execution drive intensifies as war provides cover for repression By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Republican senators claim 'dangerous precedent' set by Iran prisoner deal Some Republicans call the deal a "ransom payment," but US officials say Iran could only access its frozen funds for humanitarian purchases under tight supervision. Iran
Pentagon denies US military to cut Iran’s land route into Syria The top commander of US-led coalition forces in Iraq and Syria denied his forces are preparing to cut the road from al-Qaim to Albukamal, pushing back on recent reports in Arabic-language media. Syria
US lawmakers question if Iranian 'intimidation effort' delaying seized oil transfer American shipping companies have reportedly been reluctant to offload Iranian oil from a tanker anchored off the coast of Texas. Iran
US says burden on Iran to de-escalate following prisoner deal Biden administration officials say they expect Iran to take de-escalatory steps and they'll continue to exercise a variety of options to deter any aggressive moves in the Persian Gulf region. Washington Connection
Lebanon’s Hezbollah makes show of force with tanks, armored vehicles as Israel tensions mount Hezbollah is facing growing resentment inside Lebanon with several parties accusing the group of dragging the country into an unwanted war with Israel. Lebanon
Confusion around US-Iran prisoner swap as Tehran puts out its own narrative Iran's official explanation of the prisoner swap agreement carried discrepancies with the one confirmed by the American side, most notably on how Tehran could potentially access and spend $6 billion in funds once unfrozen. Iran
US, Iraq defense chiefs discuss post-Islamic State strategy Congress has long sought answers as to how the Pentagon plans to prepare Iraq’s military forces to stand on their own after the defeat of the Islamic State. This week, the Biden administration took a first step. Iraq
Iran moves US prisoners to house arrest ahead of planned exchange Under a detainee deal negotiated between Washington and Tehran, several US citizens imprisoned in Iran have been transferred to house arrest in a step toward their full release. Iran
UAE president meets US national security adviser amid regional tensions National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan’s trip to Abu Dhabi comes amid US military maneuvers aimed at countering Iran in the Gulf. United Arab Emirates
Iran warns of more ship seizures in defiance of US Marines' Gulf deployment Tehran ratcheted up its rhetoric against Washington in the wake of fresh American reinforcement in the Persian Gulf, prompted by the Iranian "harassment" of international commercial ships there. Iran
Why is US sending 3,000 Navy, Marines force to Persian Gulf? The Pentagon has not yet specified the Marines' role in deterring Iran from interfering with commercial shipping and threatening neighboring Arab states. Iran
Iran’s foreign minister meets Japanese counterpart in rare Tokyo trip Hossein Amir-Abdollahian's visit to Japan comes amid mounting tensions in the region over Iran’s nuclear activities and attacks on commercial vessels in the Gulf. Iran
