Global Conflict Reporting

Tag: geopolitics

  • Houthi forces secure Red Sea port of Mocha from Saudi backed Yemeni government. 

    Houthi forces secure Red Sea port of Mocha from Saudi backed Yemeni government. 

    Dual choke-point pressure put on global energy.

    The security situation in Yemen has been violently changed in the past week as Houthi forces in Yemen made a coordinated push down the western coast. A fighting force made up of Yemeni government soldiers and National Resistance Forces (Tareq Saleh) withdrew from the city of Mocha rather than attempt to hold it. That port city is now under solid Houthi control. Government sources further reported that the Houthis had pushed towards the Hanish islands, attacking with rockets and boat-borne landings. Government forces chose to fall back to Dhubab, the last significant town facing Perim Island and the Bab el-Mandeb. More on Dhubab later. 

    Map showing the current state of the conflict in Yemen including the newly taken Houthi territory. Green=Houthi control, Red= Saudi-backed Yemeni Government control.

    Several reports from Reuters and Al Jazera mention Yemeni government taking heavy losses at Hays, al-Wazi‘iyah, and the Khalid ibn al-Walid base, all along the costal plains in the days leading up to and the day of the loss of Mocha. The bottom line is that the Yemeni government lost the whole of their government-held Red Sea coastal belt in Taiz governorate and, according to its own officials, the main offshore positions that matter for the strait. 

    Moving on the Sept 11. the strategic situation in Yemen gets even worse. Two Yemeni government officials told Reuters that the town of Dhubab had been lost. The Houthis had already taken Perim, the island just across the strait from Dhubab when the forces had withdrawn from there as well. Perim Island is strategically important as it sits directly in the middle of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, where it divides the waterway into two channels. This gives them direct line of sight on incoming and outgoing shipping in one of one of the most strategic choke points in the world. So far, the Houthis are saying that shipping will not be impacted besides Saudi Arabia’s shipping.  While they have said this before, notably with the U.S. and Israel during their support for Palestinian Hamas during the fighting in Gaza. 

    It’s fairly common knowledge that the Houthis are backed by Iran indirectly, Tehran offers them weapons and supplies as well as training. This has been expanded as Reuters said that their source’s claimed two Iranian sources told Reuters that Tehran instructed the Houthis in the last week to escalate attacks on Saudi Arabia and promised additional funding, weapons and senior officers.

    With Iran and the U.S. currently locked over the Strait of Hormuz the Red Sea has turned into an important route for middle eastern oil production as most countries with the capability to do so have been pumping their oil across the country to the West and then loading there.  

    Saudi Arabia took a hit as it was forced to temporarily close their East-West oil pipeline, a 1,200km (746-mile) conduit stretching across the Arabian Peninsula. The pipeline was reported on Sept. 11 as being attacked by projectiles and drones launched from Iraq. Iraq has a large number of Iranian backed groups which are linked to the attacks.

    Before image showing the pumping station of the Saudi East-West pipeline. Photos released by Maxar,
    After images.

    Aramco’s Abha bulk plant also received damage according to satellites image analysis. This damage was first seen on imagery from Sept 8.

    Sentinal-2 imagery shows the aftermath of some sort of an attack on the Saudi Abha bulk plant.

    In the days since the attack, multiple pumping stations on the Saudi “East-West” pipeline have been confirmed to have been attacked. This video includes the images from above as well as additional images of other locations.

    Video from SOAR showing the Saudi pumping stations that have been targeted in the days since the Houthis campaign’s begun.

    Reports from sources who spoke to CNN of Yemeni forces that were stationed in some of these towns as being partially made up of “ghost soldiers”, or only existing on paper to collect a salary make the Yemeni withdrawal and losses make more sense.After the government forces pulled out of their positions, Houthi soldiers were shown loading up Saudi/U.S. vehicles that were left behind.

    Video reportedly shows the equipment captured by the Houthis.

    The Houthis (Ansar Allah) have four primary goals in this conflict according to the Institute for the Study of War — ending Saudi military operations in Yemen, lifting the Saudi blockade of Houthi-controlled Yemeni ports and airports, coercing Saudi Arabia to pay Houthi civil servant salaries, and coercing Saudi Arabia to pay reparations to Yemeni civilians.

    During the attack on Mocha, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly called President Trump twice on September 10 (as Mocha was falling) and urged American strikes against the advancing Houthis. Trump declined, with Us officials framing the reasoning that the U.S. president didn’t want to open up another major combat theater while U.S. forces are focused on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz.

    For now, U.S. involvement in Yemen is limited to around 100 personal sent to act as advisors to Saudi Arabia who the U.S. hopes can manage the situation in this front.

    Saudi Arabia carried out reportedly anywhere from several dozen to over a hundred bombing attacks on the advancing Houthi forces during their march to Mocha and Dhubab. These attacks did little to stop or slow Houthi advances. Yemeni forces report a lack of airstrikes during critical hours of fighting in Mocha.

    Saudi Arabia has changed their Yemen strategy since around 2015 choosing to focus more on containment and diplomacy and limited pressure on the ground. However that was mostly as a way to avoid a full escalation in which Houthi forces targeted Saudi energy infrastructure which is now happening anyway. Saudi Arabia, like the U.S. is also facing a shortage of air defense missile interceptors which has led to key energy installations being targeted by Iranian backed elements, including the Houthis.

    For now as an overall update, the Houthis are currently consolidating their control over their newly taken territories. They are digging in around the Bab-el Mandeb region in an effort to hold that area because of the large strategic advantage they hold with it . They are also moving in logistics and administration personnel to further help control the newly taken regions. The Houthis in 2014 received a lot of support from Hezbollah in Lebanon, another group with a strong focus on acting as a state institution and actually bringing benefits to the populations of regions they patrol.

    This article was written primarily on and around the 11th and 12th but I took a little break and was going to just scrap this article but figured it had a lot of good info and is still relevant to everything that happened. I’ve updated some things to reflect on new information.

  • U.S. forces strike three Iranian crude tankers after attempted missiles attack on US warships. 

    U.S. forces strike three Iranian crude tankers after attempted missiles attack on US warships. 

    Screenshot from CENTCOM video.

    On September 5, 2026, U.S. forces struck and disabled three Iranian crude oil tankers after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired ballistic missiles at elements of the U.S. Navy, according to a report by U.S. Centcom. 

    Iranian forces fired upon an unnamed aircraft carrier and guided-missile destroyer, which evaded the Iranian missiles. No U.S. personnel were harmed, according to the statement from CENTCOM.

    In response to the attack, U.S. forces targeted and disabled the M/V Downy near Kharg Island and the M/T Stark 1 near Jask. A third tanker, the unladen, Kylo also sometimes referred to as the Noxen, was also hit and completely destroyed in the Gulf of Oman. 

    Video is the strikes.
    M/V Downy (IMO:9218480)

    M/V Downy is a 22 year old, 296,977 ton, Iran-flagged Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC). Downy (IMO 9218480) was struck in the stern with the intent of diabling its steering.

    M/T Stark 1 IMO:9171450)

    26 year old, 159,681 ton, Iran-flagged Suezmax tanker Stark I (IMO 9171450) suffered a similar hit. It’s believed both of these were disabled rather than destroyed because they were loaded. (Judging by their draft)

    Kylo (IMO:9189146)

    The Kylo is Comoros-flagged, and a 25 year old. The 160,573 ton Suezmax tanker was anchored to the east of the Strait of Hormuz admid other ships waiting to load. Per the video it was hit with multiple pieces of ordnance.

    These tankers are apart of the Iranian shadow fleet—a fleet of ships that use concealing tactics (illegal flag and name changes) to hide, not so much what they are hauling but where it’s from. 

    Video taken by the crew of the Iranian general cargo ship Iran Shahed (IMO:9184691) ,which recorded the radio call of the U.S. aircraft in the minutes before the strike on the M/T Stark 1. The fighter pilot gave the crew three minutes to evacuate the stern of the ship.

     “Let the message to the IRGC be clear: If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost, taking out three of yours,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander. “We will not hesitate to defend American forces, and if necessary, destroy Iran’s limited and exposed oil fleet.”

    Link to CENTCOM statement: 

    https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PUBLIC-RELEASES/Article/4591744/centcom-destroys-3-irgc-oil-tankers-after-iran-targets-2-us-navy-warships/

  • Turkey to send a large package of surplus US made munitions to Ukraine

    Turkey to send a large package of surplus US made munitions to Ukraine

    Image shows the aftermath of a Ukranian HIMAR strike on Nova Kakhovka, in Russia-occupied Kherson early in the war.

    In the next month, Turkey will transfer a large quantity of surplus munitions to Ukraine. The list is made up exclusively of U.S. made long-range strike weapons and artillery platforms according to documents sent to the U.S. Congress. If approved, which it should be, the transfer marks one of the largest transfer of U.S. made weapons by a third country.

    • 70 M39 ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles 
    • 2,500 M26 DPICM rockets 
    • 12x M270 MLRS launchers 
    • 47,000x 203mm DPICM artillery shells

    The U.S. state department notified Congress of the transfer through documents delivered around August 3 and published in the Congressional Record on August 6,. Because the systems are American-made, U.S. authorization is required under the Arms Export Control Act for re-export. The U.S. government has indicated it is prepared to authorize the deal, describing it as consistent with its security assistance objectives. Delivery of the weapons will take place after the mandatory congressional review period (often cited as 15 days.) Congress is in recess at the moment and that 15 days will overlap and likely go through as the transfer doesn’t require Congress to approve, just that they don’t deny it.

    The 12 HIMARS in the list are believed to make up the last of Turkeys HIMARS. Turkey is currently in the middle of an extensive modernization effort of its military so cleaning out some of its older equipment to make room for the new makes sense for them.

    The list is made up of munitions that Ukraine has already used in this war previously. Some to great effect.

    Video shows the deployment of M26 DPICM rockets against a Russian S-400 anti aircraft defense battery.. These HIMAR launched cluster munitions are highly effective against enemy infantry and any equipment that’s not spread out enough.

    The relationship between Moscow and Ankara could be a full article itself covering all of the intricacies with many cases of cooperation and competition. Their relationship could be described as something like a cooperative rivalry. These two nations have worked together in areas like Syria and Turkey has vehemently supported Ukraine’s territorial integrity and right to defend itself.

    M142 HIMARS

    The M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), is a light multiple rocket launcher (MRS) mounted on a M1140 truck frame. Developed in the 90’s for use by the U.S. Army, it saw its first operational combat use in the Iraq War.

    HIMARS being fired at nights

    Now moving onto the munition, the ATACMS, which stands for Army Tactical Missile System, is a family of 24 inch surface-to-surface missiles. For our purposes we only have to talk about a couple specific ones.

    M39 (ATACMS BLOCK I)

    HIMARS launched inertial guidance short-range ballistic missile with a range of 16–103 miles (25–165 km). The missile carries 950 M74 Anti-personnel and Anti‑materiel (APAM) bomblets which can completely shred anything within around 140 square feet.

    The M26 DPICM rockets being sent are also fired from the HIMAR (and the M270 MLRS) carries a cluster warhead filled with 644 M77 Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions (DPICM) submunitions designed to suppress area targets, armor, and personnel out to 20 miles (32 km).

    The last munition talked about was the M509A1 203mm DPICM artillery shells, another cluster artillery munition. This one carries 180 M42/M46 dual-purpose anti-personnel and anti-armor submunitions out to the range of around 14-18 miles depending on the artillery used.

  • Middle East war widens as Houthis launch attacks on Saudi oil facilities.

    Middle East war widens as Houthis launch attacks on Saudi oil facilities.

    On July 25 2026, Yemeni Houthi forces claim to have carried out ballistic missile strikes on two Aramco oil facilities in Saudi Arabia. 

    Image reported to be of the Aramco oil refinery in Jazan.

    In a statement released on IRGC connected media networks, Houthi spokesperson, Yahya Saree said the group fired ballistic missiles and drones at facilities belonging to the state oil company, Aramco, in the Red Sea towns of Yanbu and Jazan. 

    Videos released online show smoke rising from the Jazan oil refinery. 

    NASA FIRMS, a satellite program used to detect wildfires, shows fires at both Yanbun and Jazan oil refineries.

    FIRMS shot showing Jazam refinery on July 25th, 2026.
    Comparison shot from the 23. The image from the 25th shows much more than is expected. Since then the fire has spread.
    This image shows the area of fire spreading,

    These attacks were claimed by the Saudi’s and their coalition of allies as a proportionate response for Saudi-led coalitions airstrikes on Houthi military positions in Hodeidah (Hodeida) and Kamaran Island. These strikes were carried out The Houthis on July, 23 2026 struck two Saudi oil tankers, the Encelia and Layla, operating in the Red Sea. The strike stemmed from a blockade of the Bab al-Mandab that the Houthis had annonced beforehand.

    The Houthis in Yemen are strongly aligned with Iran who offer training, weapons and other aid. They have been uncharacteristically uninvolved with the ongoing war between the U.S. and Iran, usually opting to fight alongside or at least operate as a sort of distraction. During the Israeli war in Gaza, a war that involved Iran because Iran supported Palestinian Hamas. During this time the Houthis would launch missiles into Israel as well as launch missiles at any Israeli/US alligned ships sailing.

    Update:

    As of writing this the Houthis have carried out an attack on the Aramco Abqaiq oil processing facility in Saudi Arabia. The plant is the largest of its kind in the world and process between 5-7 percent of the world’s global oil supply. A large fire broke out after Houthis drones struck the facility.

    NASA FIRMS shows a fire covering most of the plant. When looking at low-resolution satellite imagery from today we can see a large plume of smoke coming from a smokestack which doesn’t usually produce such a large plume. We can also see an area which appears to have been covered with firefighting foam. Another area nearby shows what appears to be ground scarring from a fire.

    Overview showing the Abqaiq oil processing facility. Think black smoke is pouring from the facility.
    Looking closer we can see areas that just today start to show signs of fire fighting foam and ground scarring.
  • U.S. Resumes Strikes on Iran. 

    U.S. Resumes Strikes on Iran. 

    On Tuesday July 7 2026, the U.S. launched a wave of strikes on Iran in retaliation for recent strikes carried out in international shipping by Iran. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) put the following statement following the strikes. 

     

    Video from Bandar Abbas showed explosions as the U.S. Air Force and Navy carried out their strikes over 80 targets, including 60 IRGC speedboats in and near the Strait of Hormuz.

    Video shows U.S.Strikes on Bandar Abbas.

    The U.S. also targeted Iranian air defense systems, command and control networks, coastal radar sites, and anti-ship missile capabilities. This is the largest strike since the ceasefire was agreed upon in April.

    Further explosions were reported in Sirik and as far as Kharg Island, Iran’s largest oil facility handling 90% of its oil export. The U.S. previously struck targets on the island in April; however, it stuck to just hitting military sites and infrastructure and leaving the oil export untouched.

    Official U.S. of the strikes

    NASA Firms is a satellite program used primarily to track wildfires. That data can also be used to track combat strikes. Some area show on FIRMS every days, such as industrial zones however tonight shows multiple fires where we wouldn’t expect to see fires in Iran, and specially looking at Bandar Abbas and the Geruk area.

    Strikes one and two in Bandar Abbas show what seems to be strikes on the port where smaller IRGC patrol boats are kept. Video from the city confirms this as well.
    Close up on the port to the left.
    Second port
    NASA FIRMS shows potentially two locations struck here at Sarkhur Tahruyi. The boat dock itself as well as what looks to be a comms tower of some sort.
    This comms antenna is right beside the dock and also shows signs of being struck.

    Iranian response

    Khatam al-Anbiya Central, Iran’s top joint military command, put out a statement saying that the U.S. had committed a “blatant act of aggression” by targeting parts of southern Iran. The statement said Iranian armed forces would deliver a “crushing response.” The command also said that it would accept no U.S. interference in the management of the Strait of Hormuz and that the only safe passage for commercial shipping and tankers was the route Iran has laid out.

    In the hours after Bahrain was the first to report incoming Iranian drones and missiles, they announced their people should seek shelter and that their army was engaging hostile missiles. Kuwait also received incoming fire.

  • US and Iran Exchange Limited Strikes as Ceasefire is Continually Tested.

    US and Iran Exchange Limited Strikes as Ceasefire is Continually Tested.

    Just after midnight local time on the night going into June 1 2026, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) targeting the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, a key hub for U.S. and coalition forces. Kuwaiti air defenses intercepted the Fateh-110 missile, but falling debris caused minor injuries to five U.S. personnel and contractors.

    According to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), American forces had conducted self-defense strikes over the weekend against Iranian military targets on Qeshm Island and near Goruk in southern Iran. The strikes hit Iranian air defense systems, a ground control station linked to drone operations, and facilities associated with one-way attack drones. CENTCOM stated the action was in response to Iran’s downing of a U.S. MQ-9 drone over the Persian Gulf and attempts to mine the Strait of Hormuz in recent days.

    Local residents in Sirik County, Hormozgan Province, reported hearing multiple explosions around 4:00 a.m. local time on Sunday, with additional blasts roughly 30 minutes later. Eyewitness accounts and online reports indicated that an IRGC Navy facility near the village of Goruk was struck, consistent with CENTCOM’s description of the targets. Iranian sources says they launched their missile at the airbase which this attack was launched from.

    image of the IRGC navy base

    The exchange comes amid a fragile ceasefire in the ongoing 2026 Iran War. While official negotiations between the U.S. and Iran continue, progress has stalled. Iranian officials have conditioned further talks on an end to Israel’s military operations in Lebanon. Both sides have accused each other of violating the ceasefire in recent weeks through limited but recurring strikes. U.S. president Donald Trump has said on social media that he believes that Tehran wants to reach a deal however iranian officials have expressed some concern and frustration over the “constantly changing” U.S. negotiating stance.

    This war, which was started by the U.S. officially on  February 28 has killed thousands of people, mainly in Iran and Lebanon. It has also caused economic hardship around the globe by pushing up energy prices since Iran effectively closed ​the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global supply route for oil and liquefied natural gas. While a number of vessels have been escorted through the strait in the last week, it will take several months before prices start trending back down.

    The U.S. points for the negotiations have been publicly released and widely reported. They include Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz, free of tolls, and restoring international commercial shipping. While there has been progress made here, Iran has continued to demand a right to manage the strait (jointly with Oman). The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), has rules about waterways like this remaining international seaways open to global trade. The other large point for the US in the negotiations is the Iranian stockpile of enriched Uranium. In October 2025 Iran officially ended the 2015 JCPOA and declared there was no more restrictions on its nuclear program. Iran claims it has a right to enrich uranium (Current estimates have their stocks of uranium enriched to a near weapons grade 60%) for commercial/use however nuclear experts argue it would take little effort to convert the material for use in nuclear weapons. Iran already poses many long range missiles that could be changed into nuclear missiles if they went that route.

    Global Conflict Reporting is a completely independent project run by one person, If you would like to support my work you can sign up for a membership on the Patreon (Link below), or one time/reoccurring donations through the website.

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  • U.S. and Iran Trade Fresh Strikes Near Strait of Hormuz, Testing Ceasefire

    U.S. and Iran Trade Fresh Strikes Near Strait of Hormuz, Testing Ceasefire

    Wednesday, May 27, 2026, U.S. forces launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iranian targets, primarily in southern Iran. The strikes came after U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that Iran had launched a ballistic missile toward a U.S. base in Kuwait. The missile was reported as being intercepted by Kuwait forces. Hours earlier, Iran had launched a wave of four one-way attack drones, which were shot down by U.S. forces.

    This exchange continues a pattern of back-and-forth attacks in the past week – from both sides – that has put the fragile April ceasefire to the test as negotiations are currently ongoing. A further 60 day ceasefire is awaiting a signature from U.S. President Donald Trump today.

    Timeline of strikes

    Here’s a timeline of events over the past week to provide clearer context:

    May 25, 2026

    Iran attempted to deploy naval mines near the Strait of Hormuz, posing risks to U.S. forces and shipping. U.S. forces responded by sinking IRGC vessels involved in the mine-laying efforts. Iran then fired surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) at U.S. aircraft. These actions set the stage for the clashes that followed.

    [Video Placeholder: Claimed intercepted missile tracking an F-35 or related footage]

    May 26, 2026 (Monday)

    U.S. CENTCOM carried out “self-defense” strikes in southern Iran, primarily in the Bandar Abbas area. The targets included Iranian missile launch sites and boats allegedly attempting to emplace naval mines in or near the Strait of Hormuz.

    The U.S. described the operation as necessary to protect troops and maritime traffic during the ongoing ceasefire. Some Iranian personnel were reported killed. Iranian officials viewed the strikes as a violation of the ceasefire.

    May 27, 2026 (Tuesday)

    U.S. forces shot down four Iranian one-way attack drones that were threatening the Strait of Hormuz area. They also struck an Iranian ground control station near Bandar Abbas International Airport to prevent a fifth drone launch.

    May 28, 2026 (Wednesday/Thursday, ongoing)

    The U.S. carried out additional defensive strikes near Bandar Abbas, targeting a military/ground control site linked to drone threats. U.S. forces intercepted Iranian drones. CENTCOM emphasized restraint while defending U.S. forces and interests.

    Video reportedly shows the U.S. attack on Bandar Abbas. A cruise missile can be seen flying through the sky before it strikes a target out of view of the camera.

    In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched a retaliatory ballistic missile (and reportedly a drone) attack toward a U.S. air base. The IRGC claimed it targeted the base responsible for the strikes near Bandar Abbas, which has been widely linked to facilities in Kuwait. Kuwait activated its air defenses and intercepted the incoming missile(s) and drones. No major casualties were reported. The IRGC called the strike a “serious warning” and threatened more decisive action if U.S. aggression continues.

    CENTCOM labeled Iran’s attack an “egregious ceasefire violation.” Iran also reported incidents involving warning shots at ships in the Hormuz area.

    Iranian sources dispute the U.S. claim of conducting purely self-defense strikes, arguing that Iran was only responding to aggressive U.S. actions.

    The White House and Tehran are currently working on a 60-day extension of the ceasefire to allow more time for negotiations.

    Video released from the IRGC shows the shoot down of a US AGM-158B JASSM-ER stealth cruise missile. The video is the view from a thermal detection systems, which is built around passive Infrared signals which can detect stealth aircraft because of the heat they emit. Earlier in the war a U.S. F-35 was struck because it was detected and tracked with this technology.