TOP STORIES
US Considering Using ‘Mother of All Bombs’ Against Iran, Sources Say | CNN
“The US military has developed new strike plans that include potentially using the so-called “mother of all bombs” to target Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites should President Donald Trump give the order to resume combat operations either before or after the midterm elections, according to multiple US officials familiar with the matter.”
Two Cargo Ships Sink Near Strait of Hormuz, as Iran Ramps Up Attacks | Wall Street Journal
“Two Emirati cargo ships have sunk in the past 24 hours after being struck in the Strait of Hormuz, an escalation with little precedent as Iran ramps up attacks to levels not seen since the war started. The GFS Pride and the Cape Dao have both gone down, said Pakistan’s National Hydrographic Office, which monitors maritime activities in Middle Eastern waters. Maritime-security companies confirmed the two losses Wednesday and said this was the first such incident in months.”
Iran Battles Surge in Militant Attacks as US Threatens New Strikes | Bloomberg
“Iran is battling a surge in attacks by separatist militants in its southeast, compounding the country’s security challenges while it’s on alert amid US threats of renewed airstrikes. At least eight members of Iran’s security forces have been killed in the past three weeks in the Sistan and Baluchestan province, according to state media. The province is a Sunni-majority region that shares a porous border with Pakistan and Afghanistan and is also home to Iran’s Baluch ethnic minority.”
UANI IN THE NEWS
Two Cargo Ships Sunk in Strait of Hormuz as Iran Ramps Up Attacks in Run-Up to Midterms | CNN
“‘The sinking of Singapore-flagged GFS PRIDE marks a dangerous escalation after weeks of near-daily attacks on commercial shipping. Iran claims a naval mine; but a drone strike is more likely,’ said former US Navy officer Charlie Brown, also a senior adviser for United Against Nuclear Iran, a nonprofit that tracks and reports on Iranian sanctions violations. ‘Many ask what response will the US Navy mount to Iran’s escalating attacks on global shipping,’ he added. ‘But the real question is what response will other nations take? How long will the world tolerate this threat to shipping, seafarers and freedom of navigation?’”
Interview with UANI Policy Director Jason M. Brodsky | Al Arabiya English
“The Iranian regime is acting out of desperation and weakness because the economic sanctions and blockade are hitting them hard.”
Iran Escalates Hormuz Tanker Attacks in Gamble Ahead of US Midterms | Iran International
“Charlie Brown, a maritime security expert with United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), believes the timing may be linked to President Donald Trump's announcement that Washington would not launch new attacks against Iran before the November 3 midterm elections. ‘I think Trump signaled it, right? He said he wouldn't attack until the election,’ Brown told Iran International. ‘So, you know, now they're taking that as word, I guess. And testing it and taking advantage of the situation.’ . . . ‘Every attack that goes without a response probably encourages a follow-on attack,’ he said.”
MILITARY MATTERS
How Iran's Precision Strikes Picked Apart Gulf Infrastructure | Reuters
“Iran and its proxies have carried out dozens of pinpoint strikes on infrastructure in the Gulf since the start of the war, systematically disabling critical equipment and causing cascading failures and economic damage region-wide in a deft campaign that helps explain how the Islamic Republic has held its own against the more powerful US military.”
Iran Orders Hezbollah to Prepare for Imminent War | Israel Hayom
“Lebanese security and military sources told the Emirati website Erem News on Thursday that Hezbollah has received new Iranian directives to elevate its military readiness to advanced levels.”
Tehran Signals Escalation in Conflict IRGC Likens to a ‘World War’ | Iran International
“A senior Revolutionary Guards official has compared Iran’s conflict with the United States to a world war that could reshape the global order, reflecting a mindset in Tehran that appears increasingly resistant to backing down despite the risk of renewed US attacks.”
“A commander in one of the Basij’s female units was killed in an attack on Wednesday in Mehrestan, a border county in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iranian state media reported. The woman was identified as Afsaneh Aqila.”
SHIPPING
U.S. Forces Destroy a Dhow Suspected of Conducting Surveillance for Iran | Maritime Executive
“The U.S. military claims that Iran has been using scouts embedded in the boat traffic in and around Hormuz for spotting and targeting vessels, including American warships. Human spotters help offset the loss of Iran's coastal radars, which U.S. forces have targeted and destroyed on multiple occasions, a military official confirmed to Reuters.”
SANCTIONS, BUSINESS RISKS & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS
US Considers Easing Sanctions on Shadow Fleet Vessels to Cut Freight Rates, Official Says | Reuters
“The Trump administration is considering easing sanctions on so-called shadow fleet vessels that have transported oil and petroleum products from countries including Russia, Iran and Venezuela, in an effort to reduce record-high global freight rates, a US official said on Wednesday.”
IRANIAN INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
Pezeshkian Says Iran Faces Its Most Severe Pressure Since 1979 Revolution | Iran International
“President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran had never faced such intense pressure in the 48 years since the Islamic Revolution, citing assassinations of senior figures, attacks and restrictions on maritime, air and land routes.”
EUROPE & IRAN
MI5 Chief Warns of Threats to UK from Russia, Iran and AI | BBC News
“MI5 is devoting more resource to countering state threats than during the Cold War, the head of the intelligence service has said. Sir Ken McCallum said threats from foreign adversaries had quadrupled in the last decade, with Russia ‘aggressor number one’ as well as increased Iran-linked aggression against Jewish sites and military bases.”