Rapid Alerts

EUROPE — After CIA Director John Ratcliffe met Russian intelligence officials in Moscow on August 25, Washington and Moscow both said in public that NATO territory is not a Russian target.

The White House, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Kremlin, and the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) have issued no readout of what was said.

SOUTHERN BORDER — On August 27 U.S. Southern Command reported that Joint Task Force-Southern Border personnel used the Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser (AMP-HEL) during the late-night hours of August 25 and 26 against three unmanned aircraft the command called hostile and cartel-linked.

The weapon is a directed-energy system. It burns or disables a target with a focused beam rather than a missile.

GULF OF OMAN — The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center issued Warning 120-26 after the master of an oil tanker reported the ship struck by an unknown projectile 9 nautical miles (10 miles, 17 kilometers) northeast of Ash Shishah, Oman.

UKMTO logged the report at 8:25 p.m. UTC on August 24 and classified the event as an attack. The master said the projectile damaged the engine room and left the tanker unable to proceed. UKMTO said the crew was reported safe and that environmental impact was unknown in the initial warning.

EASTERN PACIFIC — On August 23, Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere carried out a strike on a low-profile vessel operating along routes SOUTHCOM described as established narco-trafficking routes, according to U.S. Southern Command.

U.S. Southern Command released the details at 5:21 AM UTC on August 24. The strike was carried out under the direction of SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan.

YANBU, SAUDI ARABIA — A tanker was struck by an unknown projectile 63 nautical miles west of Yanbu on August 24, producing a fire on the main deck.

All crew members were accounted for and safe. No environmental impact was reported. Vessels were advised to transit the area with caution and report any suspicious activity.

INDIA — The Indian Coast Guard Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Sri Vijaya Puram received information at 6:18 a.m. UTC on August 22 that communication had been lost with the Panama-flagged bulk carrier MV Ocean Winner, IMO 9145530, and that the vessel sank in the Bay of Bengal.

Commandant Amit Uniyal, an Indian Coast Guard spokesperson, stated the ship carried 24 crew members consisting of 20 Chinese nationals, three Myanmar nationals and one Bangladeshi national, plus a cargo of iron ore.

TOKYO — On August 20, following North Korea’s ballistic missile launch, Deputy Director-General Ariyoshi of Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a trilateral phone meeting with Baek Yong-jin, Director-General for Korean Peninsula Policy at South Korea’s Foreign Ministry, and David Wilezol, Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of State.

The Republic of Korea Ministry of Foreign Affairs placed the call on Friday, August 21. The three officials shared relevant information and discussed future responses.

GULF OF ADEN — Six armed persons boarded the tanker Seamull, also known as SIBU 1, 136 nautical miles east of Al Mukalla, Yemen, and redirected the vessel toward Somalia.

The tanker broadcasted a distress call on VHF 16 after an unauthorized vessel approached while the ship traveled west in the Gulf of Aden. Authorities are investigating.

WASHINGTON, The National Security Agency, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Energy, and Environmental Protection Agency released joint Cybersecurity Advisory AA26-231A on August 19, warning of an active cyber threat to Siemens S7 Series programmable logic controllers (PLCs).

The authoring agencies state that threat actors are conducting reconnaissance and capability development against U.S.-based Siemens PLC installations. Actors use Internet scanning services to locate Internet-exposed or poorly protected devices running outdated software.

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.

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.

STRAIT OF HORMUZ — The Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that negotiations with Oman regarding the Strait of Hormuz are in their final stages. The Joint Maritime Information Center Update 079, covering March 1 to August 2, listed two confirmed maritime security incidents in the Strait of Hormuz on August 1.

An LNG carrier, name withheld, was struck by an unknown projectile at 11:30 p.m. UTC on July 31 while transiting outbound, 11 nautical miles north-east of Lima, Oman.

CEUTA, SPAIN — The U.S. Department of State on August 1 updated its Travel Advisory for Spain, raising Ceuta to Level 3 - Reconsider Travel due to unrest.

The overall advisory for Spain remains Level 2 - Exercise Increased Caution due to terrorism and unrest. No subsequent U.S. Embassy Madrid or State Department revision to that Level 3 rating has been issued.

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.

Some airlines in the region have postponed resumption of earlier flight schedules; others have cancelled some routes.

MEXICO — On July 31, the U.S. Mission to Mexico stated that local security forces in the state of Michoacan have been put on alert due to reports of roadblocks and criminal activity in the state which have the potential to escalate.

The Mission reminded U.S. citizens that the State Department’s Travel Advisory for Michoacan remains Level 4 – Do Not Travel.

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 MicroLogix 1100 and 1400 series Programmable Logic Controllers, in the Water and Wastewater Sector.

Since July 27, utility companies in at least seven states have reported incidents to the FBI, with some of the activity degrading water operations. After remotely accessing internet-facing devices, the actors changed IP addresses and passwords, producing a loss of monitoring and control functionality.

POLAND — An armed Russian Kh-101 cruise missile violated Polish airspace and crashed in a field near Tarnawa-Kolonia, approximately 31 miles (50 km) from Lublin, during a large-scale Russian missile and drone attack on Ukraine overnight into July 30.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the missile was armed and in all probability Russian, with no reason to believe Poland was the target. Two objects violated Polish airspace; one crashed with physical evidence at the site, and the other briefly approached the border.

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.

The same day Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates condemned continued UAV attacks by Iran-affiliated militias operating from Iraqi territory against Saudi oil facilities in the Eastern Region.

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.

U.S. Central Command confirmed that Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces launched multiple ballistic missiles from Iran at 5:45 p.m. ET on July 28 in an attempted surprise attack on U.S. forces based in the Middle East, with all missiles successfully intercepted and U.S. forces remaining at a high state of readiness.

BLACK SEA — On July 29 around 10:30 AM, the Romanian Ministry of Defense radar surveillance system detected a group of aerial targets flying 20 km northwest of Snake Island.

Two Romanian Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting NATO-led enhanced Air Policing missions scrambled from Borcea 86th Air Base at 10:57 AM to monitor the situation and secure national airspace.

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.

U.S. and Saudi fighter aircraft struck multiple terrorist logistics and weapons sites across eastern Iraq in response to over 30 IRGC-directed aerial drone attacks in the last 72 hours.

MIDDLE EAST — On July 28 the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces launched multiple ballistic missiles from Iran in an attempted surprise attack on U.S. forces based in the Middle East, according to U.S. Central Command.

According to U.S. Central Command all Iranian missiles were successfully intercepted. The command added that U.S. forces remain vigilant and at a high state of readiness.

MIDDLE EAST — On July 27, the Saudi Ministry of Defense stated that air defenses intercepted and destroyed a number of drones during the past hours that attempted to target petroleum facilities in the Eastern Region and Riyadh.

The official spokesperson, Major General Turki Al-Maliki, said the attempts were launched from Iraqi territory and carried out by Iranian-backed terrorist militias.

JORDAN — The General Command of the Jordanian Armed Forces-Arab Army stated that Royal Jordanian Air Force aircraft intercepted and downed two drones that breached Jordanian airspace from Iranian territory on the morning of July 27.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) separately reported intercepting two unmanned aerial vehicles identified near the Jordanian border the same morning.

MIDDLE EAST — The reciprocal pause in U.S. and Iranian strikes has continued into additional nights with no new U.S. Central Command strike-completion announcement after the July 23 statement that forces had finished the 13th consecutive night of operations.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz described the pause as giving diplomacy “some space” and “a little bit of time,” while noting that U.S. forces remain “locked and loaded.”

BLACK SEA — A Romanian Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft shot down an unauthorized drone at 10:13 local time on 26 July over Romania’s territorial waters 12 km northeast of Sulina, according to the Ministry of Defense. The interception marks the third such action in three consecutive days.

What Happened

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.

The interception occurred one day after the Kurdistan Region’s Counter-Terrorism Service announced that Coalition forces destroyed five explosive-laden drones over Erbil between 9:32 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. local time.

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.

Two F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft of the Romanian Air Force, on duty in the Air Policing combat service, intercepted the aerial target and carried out standard identification and engagement procedures, according to the ministry.

ROMANIA — A Romanian Air Force F-16 from the 86th Air Base at Fetești engaged and shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle over an uninhabited area near Padina in Buzău County on July 24 after the drone entered national airspace.

The Romanian Ministry of Defense stated that its radar system detected the aerial target at 9:39 a.m. approximately 12 miles (20 km) east of Sulina. The target followed a trajectory of Sulina-Brăila-Fetești-Buzău.

MIDDLE EAST — U.S. Central Command started the 13th consecutive night of strikes against Iranian military targets at 6:45 p.m. ET on July 23 and completed them at 9 p.m. ET the same day.

U.S. forces targeted Iranian military command centers, drone storage facilities, communication networks, coastal surveillance sites, and maritime capabilities.

U.S. Central Command: “At 10:30 p.m. ET on July 22, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces completed another round of strikes against Iran for the 12th consecutive night.

U.S. forces struck Iranian military targets including maritime capabilities, missile and drone storage facilities, coastal surveillance sites, and air defense assets. The strikes further degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial vessels.

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.

The embassy reminded U.S. citizens that Iran has attacked civilian and critical infrastructure across the Middle East, including hotels, airports, diplomatic facilities, and other civilian locations.

MIDDLE EAST — U.S. Central Command forces completed the 11th consecutive evening of strikes against Iranian military targets at 8:15 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

The strikes targeted Iranian military operations centers, maritime capabilities, aircraft hangars, drone storage facilities, and military logistics infrastructure. CENTCOM said the strikes further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

BERING SEA — The U.S. Coast Guard monitored the Chinese research ships Xue Long and Xue Long 2 as they transited north through the U.S. exclusive economic zone and over the U.S. extended continental shelf in the Bering Sea, marking the first Chinese vessels tracked in this area this year.

The Coast Guard cutter Munro executed Operation Frontier Sentinel to actively monitor the vessels during their northbound transit.

U.S. Finishes Latest Strikes Against Iran on July 20. U.S. forces struck Iranian military command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defense systems

Kuwaiti Air Defenses Currently Intercepting Missile, Drone Attacks. Kuwaiti Army: "Kuwaiti air defenses are currently confronting hostile missile and drone attacks".

SOMALIA — U.S. Africa Command conducted an airstrike targeting al-Shabaab on July 15 in the vicinity of Welmaro, approximately 62 miles (100 km) north of Kismayo. The command released the statement on July 20.

The July 15 strike was the seventh airstrike AFRICOM announced against al-Shabaab in Somalia between July 3 and July 15, all conducted in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia.

U.S. Central Command: “U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) successfully completed the ninth consecutive evening of strikes against Iran, July 19, at 10 p.m. ET.

CENTCOM assets targeted Iranian military command centers, air defense and coastal surveillance sites, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and communications networks to further diminish Iran’s ability to attack commercial vessels and civilian mariners transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. Central Command: "CENTCOM began conducting a new wave of strikes against Iran at 7 p.m. ET today for the ninth consecutive night. The strikes will continue degrading Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial vessels and civilian mariners transiting the Strait of Hormuz."

"U.S. Navy Sailors remain focused and vigilant aboard guided-missile destroyer USS John Finn (DDG 113), as American forces continue implementing the naval blockade against Iran. As of July 19, CENTCOM has redirected 6 commercial vessels and disabled 1 to ensure full compliance."

JORDAN — The Israel Defense Forces stated on July 19 that launches from Iran toward the city of Aqaba in Jordan, near the territory of the State of Israel, were identified.

The statement noted that there may be spills into Israeli territory as a result of the firing and that alerts may be activated in the south of the country.

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. The same day Jordan’s Minister of Government Communication and official government spokesperson Mohammad Al Momani announced that relevant authorities issued no evacuation decisions for Aqaba Airport or the seaport, that both facilities operate normally, and that no potential threats registered with competent Jordanian authorities in recent hours.

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.

The statement confirmed that any explosions heard result from interceptions of the incoming targets and directed the public to follow safety and security instructions from competent authorities.

U.S strikes, CENTCOM forces hit Iranian military coastal surveillance and air defense facilities, maritime capabilities, and missile and drone storage sites.