As the war between the United States and Iran reached its 190th day, fresh military threats and attacks on shipping heightened fears of wider escalation on Sunday, September 6, 81 days after the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding.
Iran’s military said that attacks on US military vessels could become more severe and spread if Washington continued what Tehran described as harassment of Iranian ships and a naval blockade.
Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesman for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said continued US action against Iranian shipping would bring a stronger response.
He said Iranian forces could step up and broaden their operations against US naval targets if the pressure on Iranian vessels continued.
Hegseth threatens Iran’s tanker fleet
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the US military could target Iran’s entire oil tanker fleet following Washington’s strikes on three Iranian vessels.
In a post on X, he said Iran could avoid such action by not attacking US Navy ships.
He added that American aircraft, warships and submarines had the capability to strike Iranian tankers and said Tehran lacked the means to defend the fleet.
CENTCOM says M/T Kylo sank in Gulf of Oman
US Central Command said the M/T Kylo sank in the Gulf of Oman following what it described as a precision operation involving American service members.
CENTCOM released footage showing the tanker engulfed in flames before it went down and said the vessel had “joined Iran’s navy at the bottom of the sea”.
IRGC says it attacked US drone boat
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Sunday they had targeted a US military unmanned surface vessel attempting to enter what Tehran described as a protected area of the Strait of Hormuz.
AFP reported that the claim was made in an IRGC statement carried by Iranian state television, hours after Tehran and Washington traded strikes.
The Guards said the Strait of Hormuz was under Iran’s control and warned that they would deal firmly with any US movement in the area. They also said the United States had no option but to leave the region and halt what Tehran described as aggression.
UKMTO reports disabling fire against merchant vessels
The UK Maritime Trade Operations said it had received reports that several merchant vessels in the northern Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman had been subjected to disabling fire amid continued military activity.
The organisation said it could not confirm whether there had been casualties or environmental damage.
It advised mariners to consult the latest maritime security information and remain alert to the evolving operational environment.
IRGC reports action against vessels
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Navy took action against between two and five vessels each night during the 10 days leading up to August 30, according to Ali Mohammadi, the force’s deputy for political affairs.
Speaking to the IRGC-affiliated Fars news agency, Mohammadi said the vessels had been regarded by Iranian forces as violating restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz.
He said the force had continued acting against vessels it considered to be in breach after the 10-day period and maintained that US attacks had not affected its surveillance or operational capabilities.
Iran sets up ‘economic war’ command centre
Iran’s Economy Ministry said it had established an “economic war” command centre to coordinate and accelerate efforts to address economic problems caused by the conflict.
Deputy Economy Minister Morteza Zamanian said the centre would initially focus on issues affecting businesses, trade and financing within the ministry’s authority.
It would also use government economic bodies to help coordinate responses across agencies.
Middle East oil exports remain sharply lower
Crude oil exports from the Middle East during August were 39 per cent below the January-February baseline of 18.5 million barrels per day, according to TankerTrackers.
The oil-tracking firm said the steepest decline was recorded in May, when exports were down 67 per cent from the benchmark.
The current shortfall stands at around 7.2 million barrels per day, compared with a deficit of 12.4 million barrels per day previously.
The assessment covered Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, the UAE and Qatar.
US intelligence sees risk of wider Iranian attacks
US intelligence assesses that Iran is considering expanding its attacks in the near future, including possible strikes on American and Israeli targets, i24NEWS reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.
According to the report, Tehran is still weighing whether to attack Israel because Iranian decision-makers expect any Israeli response to be severe.
Israel’s election campaign is also reportedly part of Tehran’s calculations. Iranian officials are said to be considering whether a major conflict could strengthen the country’s right-wing bloc or, in an extreme scenario, contribute to a postponement of elections.
Those considerations are reportedly among the factors weighing against an expansion of attacks on Israel.
Iran reportedly seeks multi-front campaign against Israel
Iran is seeking to coordinate simultaneous action against Israel involving Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis and Iran-aligned militias in Iraq, the Jerusalem Post reported on Saturday, citing Israeli assessments.
The reported plan would seek to ensure several fronts operate at the same time, unlike the October 7 attack, when Hamas launched its assault without Iran and Hezbollah opening parallel fronts.
Arab media reports cited by the newspaper indicated that Tehran wanted coordinated action from the outset of any broader confrontation.
The report also cited claims that senior Quds Force officials had met commanders from Hezbollah, the Houthis and Iraqi militias to discuss expanding the conflict.
Netanyahu says campaign against Iran remains incomplete
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had completed between 80 and 90 per cent of the work needed to address what he described as the threat from Iran’s nuclear programme.
Speaking to i24NEWS, Netanyahu said further action was still required. He said his strategy had been to confront Iran directly while weakening its network of allied armed groups across the region.
Netanyahu also predicted that the Iranian government would fall and said Israeli institutions under his direction were working to defeat it.
He added that Israeli pilots had already operated over Iran and could return at any time.
US military officials undergo leak investigation
Several dozen senior US military officials, including personnel from US Central Command and other combatant commands, have been subjected to polygraph tests as part of an investigation into leaks concerning the depletion of key American munitions during the Iran war, CBS News reported.
Two sources told the broadcaster that none of those questioned failed tests aimed at determining whether classified information had been passed to the media.
President Donald Trump was reportedly angered by the leaks. Three sources cited by CBS said the disclosures prompted concern because only a small number of people had access to the classified information, raising questions about whether anyone with access could potentially be working for a foreign intelligence service.
The New York Times reported on Friday that about 50 members of the Joint Staff had undergone polygraph examinations over reports concerning reduced US ammunition stocks.
Sanders calls for end to Iran war
Senator Bernie Sanders called for an immediate end to the conflict on Saturday, saying the war was increasing petrol prices and harming the US economy.
In a post on X, Sanders described Trump’s war in Iran as “illegal and disastrous”, saying it had caused thousands of casualties and was damaging the economy.
He said the national average petrol price had reached USD 4.15 a gallon over the Labor Day weekend and urged an immediate end to the fighting.
Trump administration works on post-war Middle East plan
The Trump administration is developing a broader strategy that could reshape US policy in the Middle East after the war ends, Axios reported.
The plan is expected to focus on building a regional front to contain Iran while encouraging deeper ties between Israel and its neighbours, according to two US officials and two other people familiar with the discussions.
Trump has privately told people he is working on “something much bigger” for the Middle East once the conflict is over, the report said.
Senior advisers and officials from several US government agencies are involved in developing the strategy.
Israel orders Arab Salim residents to evacuate
The Israeli military urged residents of the southern Lebanese town of Arab Salim to leave the area, saying they were near a Hezbollah facility against which Israeli forces planned to operate, AFP reported.
The warning was issued in Arabic on Telegram.
Israeli forces are operating inside what they describe as a security zone extending about 10 kilometres into Lebanese territory from the border.
Israeli strikes follow Hezbollah drone attack
Israel’s military said it was carrying out strikes in southern Lebanon early on Sunday after Hezbollah fired two drones at Israeli soldiers stationed in what Israel describes as a security zone.
Lebanon reports updated casualty toll
Israeli attacks have killed at least 4,358 people and wounded 12,359 others in Lebanon since Israel invaded the south on March 2, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
The ministry said the total toll since October 8, 2023, had reached 8,925 people killed and 30,595 wounded.
Lebanese authorities said on Saturday that Israeli strikes on the country’s south and east overnight killed four people, including an 18-year-old girl, and wounded 32 others, including several women and children, particularly in the Nabatieh region.
-
Manchester United XI vs Everton: Predicted line-up and team news
-
UK court clears extradition of pharmacist in Hyderabad murder case
-
Nepal: 11 days on, search for dead continues, hopes for life dwindle
-
World map should show J&K, Ladakh part of India: MEA to UN
-
‘Sanatani hero’ Swatantra Bhardwaj’s revealing social media
