Rapid Alerts

DOHA — On August 18 the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defense stated that its air defense systems detected two ballistic missiles launched from Iran toward the UAE.

Two missiles were launched: one fell outside UAE territorial waters and the other inside, but neither struck land. The UAE Interior Ministry briefly issued a public alert that was later lifted, and Iran has made no immediate official comment on the launches.

STRAIT OF HORMUZ — United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issued Warning 115-26 on August 18 stating a Company Security Officer said that a vessel was struck by an unknown projectile while conducting an outbound transit of the Strait of Hormuz.

The impact caused damage to the engine room and resulted in a crew casualty. The remaining crew are being assisted by the Omani Coast Guard. No environmental impact has been stated. Authorities are investigating.

MAREEYO, SOMALIA — UK Maritime Trade Operations received a report at 11:36 AM UTC on August 17 from the company security officer of a cargo vessel stating that eight armed unauthorized persons boarded the ship and took control of it 4 nautical miles south of Mareeyo, Somalia.

Authorities are investigating. UKMTO advises vessels to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity. No vessel name, flag, crew size, cargo, or current position beyond the reported location has been released by UKMTO.

MIDDLE EAST — Two explosive-laden Hadid-110 drones that the Kurdistan Counter-Terrorism Directorate stated were launched from across the Iranian border struck the private office of Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and the residence of the Parastin Agency director in the Pirmam district of Erbil province at 12:28 a.m. local time on August 17.

The Kurdistan Counter-Terrorism Directorate stated the drones targeted the sites and reported no casualties. Barzani described the attacks as a dangerous escalation and an unacceptable threat to the region’s security and stability.

GALAȚI COUNTY, ROMANIA — Two Spanish F-18 fighter aircraft assigned to NATO’s enhanced Air Defense mission at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base intercepted and destroyed a drone that entered Romanian national airspace from the direction of Moldova in the early hours of August 16.

Romanian Ministry of National Defense surveillance systems detected the aerial target at 04:44 local time approximately 15 miles (24 km) north of Galați.

NEWPORT NEWS AND ARABIAN SEA — HII Newport News Shipbuilding completed acceptance sea trials of the future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) on August 15, with the ship returning to the yard after testing key systems at sea.

On the same date, Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, concluded a 10-day trip to the Middle East that included a visit to USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in the Arabian Sea.

STRAIT OF HORMUZ — United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issued Warning 113-26 on August 15 after receiving a verified report that a bulk carrier was struck by an unknown projectile that hit the hull in the Strait of Hormuz.

The incident occurred at 8:00 PM UTC on August 14. The crew are safe. No damage assessment has been released and environmental impact remains unknown at present.

INDONESIA — A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the Flores Sea on August 15 at 5:58 a.m. local time (9:58 p.m. UTC on August 14) at a depth of 6.2 miles (10 km).

The shallow crustal event was centered at 8.310 degrees S, 121.352 degrees E, 42 miles (68 km) north-northwest of Ende on Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

HONOLULU — The U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port Honolulu scheduled progressive increases in port heavy weather conditions for commercial ports across Hawaii, Maui, Honolulu, and Kauai counties effective 8:00 a.m. HST on Aug. 14 due to Tropical Storm Lala.

Update 3 of Aug. 14 scheduled Zulu for Hawaii County ports, Yankee for Maui and Honolulu County ports, and X-ray for Kauai County ports.

LATVIA — On the morning of August 14, a NATO fighter jet operating under the Baltic Air Policing mission from a base in Lithuania intercepted and destroyed a foreign unmanned aerial vehicle that entered Latvian airspace over Balvi Municipality.

The Latvian National Armed Forces stated an airspace threat shortly after 4:00 a.m. local time in the municipalities of Augšdaugava, Preiļi, Rēzekne, Balvi, and Alūksne.

Gulf of Oman / Bab el-Mandeb, Two commercial vessels were struck on August 11 in separate incidents confirmed by both the Joint Maritime Information Center and United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.

In the Gulf of Oman, the container ship Vela Nova was hit by a missile fired from a helicopter. The vessel was 71 nautical miles from the Pakistani coast when the strike occurred. The master reported damage to the stern and steering compartment.

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.