What Are Raised Alerts?

Defcon Level tracks 14 commands: 11 official U.S. Combatant Commands and 3 monitoring commands (biological threats, natural disasters, and financial stability). Each carries an OSINT-estimated DEFCON readiness level from DEFCON 5 (normal peacetime) to DEFCON 1 (maximum readiness). When a command's estimated level is below DEFCON 5, it is considered "raised." This page shows only alerts from commands currently at raised status.

Alerts are grouped by priority. Breaking alerts cover fast-moving situations that may update within hours. Critical alerts address time-sensitive military or geopolitical developments with potential for escalation. High alerts track significant events affecting regional stability. Each alert is sourced from official statements, government public affairs offices, allied communications, and verified open-source intelligence.

The command grid below shows the current readiness level for every tracked command. The nuclear risk level is assessed separately from individual command readiness and appears below the command grid.

For all alerts including standard-priority updates from commands at normal readiness, visit the main Alerts page. For a breakdown of the indicators behind each command's current readiness estimate, see Raised Levels.

Energy Markets and Global Trade Corridors

CENTCOM's area of responsibility covers the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 20% of global petroleum liquids transit each year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. USPACOM's area of responsibility includes the South China Sea, through which an estimated one-third of global seaborne trade passes annually, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Together, these regions encompass several of the world's most significant maritime energy and trade corridors.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration tracks conditions in both regions as part of its global petroleum supply monitoring, publishing regular assessments of chokepoint risk for energy transit. CISA maintains a public advisory feed at cisa.gov covering active cyber threats to critical infrastructure sectors, including energy, transportation, and financial systems. Current commodity prices, defense sector data, and financial impact analysis are available on the Financial Alerts page.

Current Command Readiness Levels

14 Commands Raised

Current OSINT-estimated DEFCON levels for all 14 tracked commands. Commands below DEFCON 5 are considered raised, reflecting open-source indicators that suggest elevated regional readiness. These are estimates, not official government data. Select any command for details and regional alerts.

Geographic Commands

Functional Commands

Current Nuclear Risk Level (OSINT Estimate)

Increased intelligence watch and strengthened security measures. Above normal readiness.

This is an OSINT estimate. Confirmed nuclear readiness status is classified and not publicly released. Assessment derived from open-source intelligence, official government statements, and publicly available data.

Civilian Readiness During Elevated Conditions

The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends that households maintain emergency supply kits covering a minimum of 72 hours of water, food, medications, and critical documents, as a baseline measure independent of current threat conditions. Ready.gov provides standardized checklists covering shelter-in-place procedures, evacuation planning, and family communication protocols. Supply chain status and preparedness guidance by threat level are available on the Preparedness page.

Emergency preparedness planning covers both physical supplies and financial readiness, including emergency fund sizing and insurance coverage for extended disruption scenarios. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau provides household financial preparedness guidance at consumerfinance.gov and recommends maintaining liquid reserves covering three to six months of essential expenses. Asset protection strategies and portfolio considerations during periods of geopolitical instability are covered on the Financial Readiness page.

Raised Readiness Alerts

The following alerts are from commands currently operating at elevated readiness (below DEFCON 5). Alerts are grouped by priority: Breaking, Critical, High, and Standard.

30 Active Alerts

14 commands currently at elevated readiness.

BREAKING Breaking Alerts

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Central Command

Projectile Strike Hits Vessel East of Khasab as UAE Qatar Saudi Kuwait and GCC Attribute Missile Attack on ADNOC Tanker to Iran

STRAIT OF HORMUZ - UK Maritime Trade Operations reported that a vessel was struck by an unknown projectile approximately 18 nautical miles (33 km) east of Khasab, Oman, on August 8. The impact caused a fire that was extinguished....

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Central Command

U.S. Mission to Yemen Attributes Houthi Attacks Killing Soldiers in Marib and Hadhramawt

YEMEN - The U.S. Mission to Yemen stated on August 6 that it expresses deepest condolences to the families of the Yemeni soldiers killed that day in Hadhramawt and Marib....

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Central Command

Cargo Vessel Hit by Unknown Projectile Northeast of Al Khasab

MIDDLE EAST - On 3 August at 10:00 PM UTC, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations received a report of an incident 20 nautical miles northeast of Al Khasab, Oman, in which a cargo vessel broadcast on VHF Channel 16 that it had been hit by an unknown projectile....

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Central Command

UKMTO Reports Explosion in Close Proximity to Tanker Near Khasab

STRAIT OF HORMUZ - UK Maritime Trade Operations issued Advisory 103-26 on August 2 reporting an incident approximately 20 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman....

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Central Command

State Department Issues Middle East Travel Caution as Iranian State Media Claims Missile Strike on U.S. Base in Jordan

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of State on August 1 advised Americans currently in the Middle East to exercise caution and heightened vigilance and to prepare for flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures, and potential travel disruptions....

BREAKING High DEFCON 3
Northern Command

FBI and EPA Warn of Cyber Attacks on Internet-Facing Controllers in Water Systems

WASHINGTON - The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Environmental Protection Agency issued Public Service Announcement I-073026-PSA on July 30 stating that malicious cyber actors have conducted cyber attacks against Operational Technology devices, specifically Rockwell Automation/Allen-Bradley...

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Central Command

IRGC Reasserts Hormuz Control After CENTCOM Strikes. Gulf States Condemn UAV Attacks

MIDDLE EAST - The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on July 30 again claimed full control of the Strait of Hormuz and said two oil tankers that tried an unauthorized route turned back after a fire broke out on one of them....

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Central Command

Trump Orders Hard US Response After Iran Missiles Targeting Forces in Jordan Intercepted

MIDDLE EAST - On July 29, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that five Iranian rockets traveling 8,500 miles per hour had been knocked down the previous night and that U.S. forces would hit Iran very hard in response....

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Central Command

U.S. and Saudi Forces Strike IRGC-Directed Sites in Eastern Iraq

MIDDLE EAST - On July 28, U.S. Central Command and the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces conducted precision strikes against Iran-aligned terrorists that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps directed to attack U.S. forces and Saudi energy infrastructure....

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Central Command

Coalition Forces Intercept Explosive-Laden Drone Over Erbil

MIDDLE EAST - On Saturday afternoon, Coalition forces intercepted and shot down an explosive-laden drone over Erbil at approximately 3:20 p.m. local time, according to information obtained by Kurdistan24 (KRG state-run media). No casualties or material damage were immediately reported....

BREAKING High DEFCON 3
European Command

Romanian F-16s Shoot Down Second Unauthorized Drone Near Ukraine Border

ROMANIA - On July 25 at 08:22, the radar surveillance systems of the Romanian Ministry of Defense detected a new unauthorized incursion into national airspace by a drone operating in the border area with Ukraine....

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Central Command

CENTCOM Completes 13th Night of Strikes on Iranian Targets

MIDDLE EAST - U.S. Central Command started the 13th consecutive night of strikes against Iranian military targets at 6:45 p.m. U.S. forces targeted Iranian military command centers, drone storage facilities, communication networks, coastal surveillance sites, and maritime capabilities....

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Central Command

U.S. Embassy Amman Reschedules Consular Appointments Under Ordered Departure

JORDAN - The U.S. Embassy in Amman stated on Wednesday that it is rescheduling some routine consular-related appointments out of an abundance of caution given continuing regional tensions, while remaining on ordered departure status since March 2....

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Central Command

U.S. Embassy Cites Aqaba Evacuation Threat, Jordan Says Facilities Operate Normally

JORDAN - On Sunday the U.S. Embassy Amman cited a specific and credible threat that prompted Jordanian authorities to evacuate the international airport and seaport in Aqaba, and strongly advised all Americans to refrain from travel to either facility. It continues to advise Americans to avoid travel to military bases in Jordan....

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Central Command

Kuwaiti Air Defenses Respond to Missiles and Drones

KUWAIT - On Sunday the General Staff of the Kuwaiti Armed Forces stated that Kuwaiti air defenses are currently responding to hostile missile and drone threats following what it described as Iranian aggression....

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Central Command

U.S. Issues Worldwide Caution on Iran Conflict and Risks to American Interests

MIDDLE EAST - The U.S. Department of State issued a Worldwide Caution on July 18 advising Americans worldwide, and especially in the Middle East, to exercise increased caution due to heightened tensions....

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Central Command

Three Tankers Struck in Separate Incidents in the Strait of Hormuz on July 7

STRAIT OF HORMUZ - United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issued two warnings on July 7 reporting attacks on tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The Joint Maritime Information Center Update 068 listed three incidents on July 7, and raised the regional threat level for the Strait of Ho...

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Central Command

Qatari LNG Tanker Hit East of Limah, Oman. Strait of Hormuz Southern Corridor Available

STRAIT OF HORMUZ - A tanker traveling southbound was struck by an unknown projectile on its port side, causing a fire, approximately 8 nautical miles east of Limah, Oman....

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Central Command

Iran Targets Bahrain with Drones in Response to US Strikes, Condemnations Issued by Bahrain, UAE, and Kuwait

Iranian drone activity targeted Bahrain territory early on June 27 in response to U.S. strikes on Iran. The Bahrain Foreign Ministry said that the activity constituted โ€œa flagrant violation of its sovereignty, a blatant threat to the safety of citizens and residents, and a blatant breach of international laws.โ€...

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Central Command

Cargo Vessel Struck by Projectile 7.5 Nautical Miles Southeast of Dahit, Oman

GULF OF OMAN - A cargo vessel was struck on its starboard side by an unknown projectile 7.5 nautical miles southeast of Dahit, Oman, on June 25....

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Central Command

Armed Attack on Merchant Vessel 105NM Northeast of Aden

GULF OF ADEN - The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported June 17 that a merchant vessel was approached to within four meters and fired upon by two skiffs carrying an unknown number of armed persons approximately 105 nautical miles northeast of Aden, Yemen. The vessel deployed its...

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Southern Command

Secretary of War Announces Strike on Tren de Aragua Compound in Venezuela, Confirming Death of Leader Hรฉctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores

The Department of War, in full collaboration with Venezuelan security forces, conducted a strike on a Tren de Aragua compound in Venezuela earlier this week, according to a statement by the U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth today....

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Central Command

CENTCOM: U.S. Forces Down Multiple Iranian One-Way Attack Drones Launched in an Attempt to Strike Commercial Shipping in Strait of Hormuz

U.S. forces downed all of the multiple one-way attack drones that Iran launched in an attempt to strike commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz on June 13....

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Central Command

U.S. Central Command Completes Strikes on Iranian Targets Following Apache Helicopter Downing

STRAIT OF HORMUZ - U.S. Central Command forces completed strikes against Iran on June 9 targeting air defense, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz....

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Central Command

U.S. Forces Disable MT Marivex in Gulf of Oman, UKMTO Warning 064-26 Reports Fire and Crew Evacuation 15NM Northeast of Masirah

U.S. Central Command reported that it has disabled the unladen Palau-flagged MT Marivex on June 8 after the vessel attempted to sail to an Iranian port in violation of the ongoing blockade against Iran....

BREAKING High DEFCON 3
European Command

NATO Baltic Air Policing Jets Shoot Down Drone in Latvian Airspace

The National Armed Forces of Latvia (NBS) issued an orange-level air threat alert on June 8 after a foreign UAV entered Latvian airspace. Latvian authorities attributed the incursion to Russian electromagnetic warfare....

BREAKING High DEFCON 3
Northern Command

U.S. Embassy Issues Security Alert Urging Increased Caution in the Middle East

MIDDLE EAST - On June 4 the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem issued a security alert directing U.S. citizens across the Middle East to exercise increased caution....

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Central Command

Kuwait Expels Two Iranian Diplomats and Denies Claims That Its Territory Was Used to Attack Iran

Iranian forces launched a barrage of ballistic missiles and drones at Kuwait early on June 3. Kuwaiti air defenses intercepted 13 ballistic missiles and 17 drones according to a Kuwaiti Army statement....

BREAKING High DEFCON 2
Central Command

Cargo Vessel Explosion In The Arabian Gulf

An unknown projectile struck a cargo vessel on its starboard side in the Persian Gulf on June 1, causing a large explosion....

BREAKING High DEFCON 3
European Command

Turkey: Regarding The Attack On Turkish-Owned Cargo Vessel In Black Sea

Raised Alerts: Frequently Asked Questions

What does raised command readiness mean for civilians?

Raised readiness on this site reflects OSINT indicators suggesting a command may be operating at elevated alert levels. It does not represent an official government declaration and does not indicate an imminent emergency. Civilians monitoring conditions can track official guidance through Ready.gov, cisa.gov, and the State Department's travel advisory system for affected regions.

How are readiness estimates calculated?

Readiness levels are OSINT estimates derived from official government statements, military public affairs releases, verified open-source reporting, and publicly available satellite imagery. They are not based on classified intelligence and do not represent official government assessments. The methodology behind site readiness estimates is described on the Current Level page.

How often do command readiness levels change?

Command readiness levels are updated when new OSINT indicators warrant a change. Some commands hold elevated readiness for extended periods tied to sustained regional conditions, while others fluctuate with specific events. The Raised Levels page provides trend data and recent changes for each tracked command.

How is the nuclear risk level different from command readiness?

The nuclear risk level is a site-wide OSINT estimate of global nuclear threat posture, assessed independently from individual command readiness levels. It reflects open-source indicators from nuclear-armed states, arms control treaty reporting, and publicly available strategic posture statements. Detailed coverage, including current assessment and historical context, is available on the Nuclear Threat Level page.

Where can I find official emergency guidance?

Primary civilian guidance sources include Ready.gov for general emergency preparedness, cisa.gov for cybersecurity and infrastructure advisories, and the State Department's travel advisory portal for region-specific alerts. The Department of Homeland Security's public advisory system covers domestic threat conditions, and FEMA's Emergency Management Institute provides training resources for community preparedness at training.fema.gov.

Stay Informed on Raised Alerts

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Related Pages

Monitor readiness conditions, financial market impact, cybersecurity threat activity, and emergency preparedness status across all commands and threat categories.