What Mattered This Week

NORTH AMERICA — On August 8 the National Interagency Fire Center said 97 large fires remained under containment efforts across the United States, with 83 new fires and 9 new large fires recorded in the preceding 24 hours, while British Columbia authorities stated a provincial state of emergency after the Bald Range fire forced the evacuation of the District of Summerland and surrounding areas.

The U.S. total of personnel assigned stood at 30,636, including 661 crews, 1,856 engines and 204 helicopters, according to the National Interagency Fire Center National Fire News of August 8. Twenty-six complex incident management teams and one national incident management organization were committed.

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.

The vessel and crew were reported safe, with no environmental impact. Authorities are investigating. Vessels were advised to transit with caution and report suspicious activity.

GERMANY — On August 6 the Office of the Federal Prosecutor assumed lead of the investigation into the explosive-laden drone recovered at Leipzig/Halle Airport on the night of August 4-5, classifying the incident as a serious attack on Germany’s transport and logistics infrastructure.

The office stated there are sufficient factual indications that an explosion was intended to be caused on the airport grounds by means of a drone equipped with professional explosives and a detonator. The act is capable of impairing the external and internal security of the Federal Republic.

Yemen / Red Sea / Strait of Hormuz, 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.

The mission attributed the attacks to the Iran-backed Houthis and described them as another example of their terrorism against the Yemeni people. It wished the wounded a speedy recovery.

MIDDLE EAST — On August 3 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. Authorities are investigating. Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity.

The position lies in the approaches to the Strait of Hormuz off Oman’s Musandam Peninsula. Al Khasab coordinates are approximately 26.18 N, 56.25 E.

SOMALIA — U.S. Africa Command announced on August 3 that it conducted an airstrike targeting al-Shabaab on July 30 in the vicinity of Jamaame, approximately 36 miles (58 km) northeast of Kismayo, in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia.

AFRICOM stated that it, alongside the Federal Government of Somalia and Somali Armed Forces, continues action to degrade al-Shabaab’s ability to threaten U.S. forces and U.S. citizens abroad. Specific details about units and assets were withheld for operations security.

HAVANA — As of 10:43 p.m. EST on August 2, Cuba experienced a total power failure due to a collapse of its electrical grid, according to a U.S. Embassy Havana security alert published August 3, as well as a statement by the Cuban Electric Union on the same day.

The embassy stated that Cuban state-run media reported the reason for the collapse and the timeline to restore power as unknown. All U.S. citizens in Cuba or planning to travel to Cuba should be aware and plan accordingly. There are reports of cellphone and internet outages.

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.

At 8:37 p.m. UTC on August 2 the master (Captain) of a tanker reported hearing an explosion in close proximity of the vessel.