TOP STORIES
Iran Has Improved Targeting of US Assets. Here’s How Russian Satellites Likely Have Helped | CNN
“Fourteen Russian spy satellites moved over a US military base in Saudi Arabia two days before a devastating attack by Iran. The timing and sequencing of the spacecraft gave them access to a large spectrum of data which, US officials and international intelligence sources say, helped Tehran conduct some of its most precise attacks against American assets.”
U.S., Israeli and Arab Military Chiefs Held Secret Meeting on Iran | Axios
“Top military commanders from the U.S., Israel and several Arab countries met last week in Germany to discuss the war with Iran and broader tensions in the region, two Israeli officials told Axios. . . . In addition to [U.S. CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad] Cooper, the meeting was attended by the military chiefs of staff of Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Egypt. Cooper reassured the group that the U.S. military would not withdraw its forces from the region despite Iranian attacks on U.S. bases. . . . A source with knowledge of the matter said Israel and Saudi Arabia—with the assistance of CENTCOM—are discussing how Israel could support Saudi military operations against the Houthis and provide ISR assistance modeled on its support for the UAE.”
Saudi Arabia Says It Shot Down Houthi Drone South of Mecca | BBC News
“Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of the Islamic holy city of Mecca on Tuesday evening, according to the spokesman of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. . . . The 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Cooperation said attacks on Mecca and Medina province, where Islam’s second holiest shrine is located, constituted an ‘unacceptable and intolerable transgression.’ But the Houthis, an Iran-backed armed group that controls much of western Yemen, denied targeting Mecca and accused Saudi Arabia of ‘fabrications and lies.’”
UANI IN THE NEWS
“‘If this is true, this piece shows how Iran’s regime is not as cohesive as many commentators like to portray. But a word of caution: this narrative absolving Pezeshkian and others sounds very familiar,’ commented Jason Brodsky, policy director at the United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) think tank. ‘Just like how Hassan Rouhani was allegedly in the dark over the IRGC’s downing of the Ukrainian jetliner in 2020, Pezeshkian and others too are portrayed by Iran regime sourcing as being out of the loop. The deniability helps protect them,’ he warned.”
SANCTIONS, BUSINESS RISKS & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS
Crypto Exchange That Was Hub for Illicit Iran Cash Closes Suddenly | Wall Street Journal
“CoinEx, a crypto exchange once popular in Iran, said it was shutting down on Tuesday citing a prolonged downturn in the cryptocurrency market and rising compliance costs. The exchange, founded by a former Tencent engineer in Hong Kong, was the subject of a Wall Street Journal article in June that showed how it had become a favorite of Iranian users, including ones with ties to the Islamic Republic. CoinEx said it would move to cut off Iranian users following the article.”
MILITARY MATTERS & SHIPPING
U.S. Attacked Iranian Boats Trying to Seize Navy Drone | Axios
“The U.S. military destroyed two Iranian small boats Monday after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps tried to steal a Navy drone patrolling the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. officials told Axios.”
Hormuz Traffic Plunges Ahead of Iran-China Talks | Iran International
“Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz fell sharply as Iran prepared diplomatic talks in China, while attacks on Saudi Arabia and damage to Persian Gulf cloud infrastructure underscored the widening consequences of the war on Tuesday.”
“The U.S. military fired up to 70 or more of its high-end air defense interceptors last week when Iran launched a missile attack on Jordan, U.S. and regional officials familiar with the matter said, a heavy expenditure that underscores Iran’s improved ability to target U.S. forces and challenge American air defenses.”
Iran’s Drone Hunt Escalates as Tehran Targets US Spy Tech to Expose Battlefield Secrets | Fox News
“Iran is deliberately targeting U.S. naval drones in the Strait of Hormuz to gather intelligence on American surveillance capabilities and learn how to evade U.S. defenses, drone experts warned Tuesday. Tehran’s strategy is coordinated, they said, and involves exposing critical insights into U.S. Navy theater operations in the world’s most vulnerable maritime choke point even when classified data is uncompromised.”
“The US conflict with Iran will enter a ‘much different phase in a couple of months,’ Vice President JD Vance told The Post in an exclusive interview, agreeing with the president that the war would conclude ‘right after’ the midterms following months of tit-for-tat strikes between Washington and Tehran.”
Several Explosions Heard on Iran’s Qeshm Island, IRNA Says Citing Local Sources | Reuters
“Several explosions were heard on Iran’s Qeshm island, Iranian official IRNA news agency reported, citing local sources as saying, adding the sounds appeared to have come from the direction of the sea.”
DIPLOMACY
China’s Top Diplomat Urges Iran, US to Show Restraint, Revive Talks | Reuters
“China encourages Iran and the U.S. to remain rational, exercise restraint, return to the Islamabad memorandum and ‘engage in substantive consultations,’ Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Iranian counterpart in Beijing on Wednesday.”
PROXY WARS
Saudis Pound Yemen as Houthis Solidify Gains in New Theatre of Middle East War | Reuters
“Saudi warplanes pounded Yemen, the Houthis said on Wednesday, as the Iran-backed fighters solidified their gains after a lightning advance that has extended Tehran’s reach in the Middle East war and further disrupted global oil supplies. In a sign of the worsening conflict in a new theatre, the United States tightened its travel warning for Saudi Arabia, banning government employees from travelling within 20 miles of the Yemen border.”
PROTESTS & HUMAN RIGHTS
“Iranian security forces ‘coordinated’ the killing, torture and sexual abuse of hundreds of people who took part in the women-led nationwide protests in September 2022, according to leaked state documents and interviews. . . . The Amnesty report said: ‘State agents penetrated women and girls vaginally, anally and orally, while men and boys were penetrated anally. Victims were penetrated with wooden and metal batons, glass bottles, hosepipes and/or the sexual organs and fingers of agents.’”
“Iranian security forces fanned out across several western cities on Wednesday as shopkeepers shut down businesses to mark the fourth anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini, according to videos and messages sent to Iran International.
“Elaj”: Iran’s New Platform Encouraging Citizens to Spy on One Another | IranWire
“A security project named ‘Elaj’ (Cure) has published the personal information of several Iranians living abroad, urging citizens to identify and report more individuals to its platform. Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) has actively promoted the project, though the identity of the security or government entity managing it remains unknown, as does how it obtained the published identity data. ‘Elaj’ reflects a broader pattern within the Islamic Republic of encouraging citizens to report one another’s activities, identities, and locations to state and security institutions. While previously utilized inside the country to identify protesters, opponents of the mandatory hijab, and citizen journalists, this pattern has now expanded to target Iranians abroad.”
CYBER WARFARE
“Iran has used spyware disguised as MRI scan results to collect information on dissidents, activists and journalists around the world, western intelligence agencies have warned. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, America’s FBI and the Dutch intelligence and security service on Tuesday said they had uncovered a tool, dubbed Chosen Brick, being used by Iran to hack electronic devices including computers. The malware allows attackers to collect a target’s contacts, emails and social media messages, while also providing access to the device’s microphone, the agencies said in a joint statement.”
IRANIAN INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
Iran’s Hidden Leader Stirs Unease at Home | Financial Times
“Across Tehran, Mojtaba Khamenei looks out on to the city: from murals depicting the supreme leader, epic billboards showing the 56-year-old alongside his late father Ali Khamenei, and placards hoisted by loyalists who gather in the city’s squares in a show of strength. The twist is that, more than six months since he was appointed, Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen at all. He has made no public appearances—not even at his father’s funeral in July—nor has he released any pictures, video or audio, governing instead entirely through written statements. . . . [H]is conspicuous absence has become an increasing source of bafflement and suspicion inside Iran, where the presence and authority of the supreme leader has been a core pillar of the regime’s power.”
CONGRESS & IRAN
House Votes to Limit Trump’s Power to Strike Iran for 3rd Time, as 7 Republicans Defect | CBS News
“For the third time, the House voted Tuesday to block President Trump from taking further military action against Iran, with seven Republicans breaking with the president. . . . Tuesday’s resolution drew more GOP support than the previous two efforts to limit Mr. Trump’s war powers in June and July.”
Massie Moves to Impeach Pete Hegseth over Iran War | Axios
“Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) introduced a resolution Tuesday to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of defying Congress and illegally continuing the U.S. war in Iran. . . . The impeachment effort is a long shot in the GOP-controlled Congress, but Massie’s resolution is privileged, meaning he can force a full House vote and put Republicans on the record over Hegseth’s handling of the Iran war.”