The TWZ Newsletter
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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday said it came under attack from Iranian missiles and drones. The strikes come a day after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched attacks on the UAE as well as U.S. Navy vessels and the commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. The extent of the damage is unclear at the moment, as is whether U.S. assets came under fire today, though no indications have emerged that they have. We have reached out to CENTCOM for more details.
“The UAE’s air defenses are currently dealing with missile and drone attacks originating from Iran,” the UAE Defense Ministry stated on X. “The Ministry of Defense confirms that the sounds heard in scattered areas of the country are the result of the UAE’s air defense systems intercepting ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones.”
Meanwhile, the IRGC issued a new threat against shipping in the Strait of Hormuz today.
“We warn all vessels intending to pass through the strait; the only safe route for crossing the Strait of Hormuz is the corridor previously announced by Iran and any deviation of vessels to other routes is unsafe and will face decisive action from the IRGC Navy.” the IRGC announced.
Yesterday, we reported that the U.S. Navy is urging strait transits to travel south of the Iranian corridor, along the cost of Oman.
The Navy’s suggested route “appears deep enough to accommodate the largest oil supertankers, but it’s very narrow, with several obstacles both north and south [of] the route (including shallow reefs),” Bloomberg News energy and commodities columnist Javier Blas noted on X.
Before this latest attack and new IRGC threat, U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine both stated that Iran’s attacks on Monday, as well as other incidents during the ceasefire, still fall below the threshold of violating the agreement. Caine even went as far to say that “thus far, today is quieter” in the region.
As we reported yesterday, U.S. Army AH-64 Apache and U.S. Navy MH-60 Seahawk helicopters destroyed six small Iranian boats that were threatening commercial ships in and around the Strait of Hormuz and that Iran launched new attacks aimed at American warships, as well as merchant vessels on the first day of Project Freedom, the new operation to enable commercial ships to safely transit the Strait.
“Since the ceasefire was announced, Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times and seized two container ships, and they’ve attacked U.S. forces more than 10 times, all below the threshold of restarting major combat operations,” Caine told reporters, including from TWZ, at the Tuesday morning briefing.
He added that “22,500 mariners embarked on more than 1,550 commercial vessels trapped in the Arabian Gulf, unable to transit.”
Caine was vague on the details of the attacks on U.S. forces.
“The threshold of restarting [the war] is a political decision above my pay grade,” he told reporters. “What I’ll say is it’s low harassing fire right now. It feels like Iran is grasping at straws to try to do something across the southern flank.”
The chairman did not elaborate further on the attacks on U.S. forces. We reached out to his office for more details. U.S. Central Command referred us to the Joint Chiefs.
“No, the ceasefire is not over,” Hegseth also posited. “Ultimately, [Project Freedom] is a separate and distinct project, and we expected there would be some churn at the beginning, which happened, and we said we would defend and defend aggressively, and we absolutely have.”
“Iran knows that, and ultimately, the president is going to make a decision whether anything were to escalate into a violation of a ceasefire,” the secretary added. “But certainly, we would urge Iran to be prudent in the actions that they take, to keep that underneath this threshold. This is about the straits. This is about freedom of navigation. This is about international waterways. This is about free flow of commerce, all the things that happened before and only Iran is contesting. So right now, the ceasefire certainly holds, but we’re going to be watching very, very closely.”’
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump offered scant details when asked what Iran has to do to violate the ceasefire.
“You’ll find out,” the president said.
Hegseth also addressed reports that the IRGC carried out yesterday’s attacks without permission from Iran’s civilian government officials.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian “has expressed strong anger at actions by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, led by Ahmad Vahidi,” according to the Iran International media outlet. Pezeshkian described the missile and drone strikes on the UAE as “completely irresponsible” and carried out without the government’s knowledge or coordination,” the publication reported.
“There are some actions the IRGC takes sometimes that are outside the bounds of what maybe Iranian negotiators would like,” Hegseth explained. “That’s their job to rein that in and ultimately create a condition for a deal, right?
Hegseth also noted that Project Freedom was a temporary operation that the U.S. wants to soon hand over to others, saying foreign nations depend on the Strait more than the U.S.
After one of its ships was attacked yesterday by the IRGC, South Korea is reportedly mulling over joining Project Freedom.
“We are reviewing the US proposal about the Strait of Hormuz based on the principle, the military readiness posture on the Korean Peninsula and domestic laws,” South Korean officials said in a statement, according to CNN. “About Project Freedom, South Korea and the US have been closely communicating for safe use of key waterways including the Hormuz Strait.”
UPDATE: 7:04 PM EDT –
Tuesday evening, Trump announced Project Freedom will be placed on hold pending negotiations with Iran.
“Based on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran, we have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed,” the president announced on Truth Social.
UPDATE: 6:32 PM EDT –
The IRGC announced a new “mechanism for exercising sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.”
“Ships intending to transit the Strait of Hormuz will receive an email from info@PGSA.ir, which is Persian Gulf Strait Authority, informing them of the transit regulations of the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran’s official Press TV news outlet. “They then adjust themselves to this framework and receive a transit permit.”
The announcement follows the IRGC’s threat from earlier today that it will take “decisive action” against any ship violating its rules for the Strait.
UPDATE: 6:18 PM EDT –
The U.S. proposed a new UN Security Council resolution on the Strait of Hormuz.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran continues to hold the world’s economy hostage with its efforts to close the Strait of Hormuz, threats to attack ships in the Strait, laying of sea mines that pose a danger to shipping, and attempts to charge tolls for the world’s most important waterway,” Rubio said in a media release.
“At President Trump’s direction, the United States, alongside Bahrain and our Gulf partners, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Qatar, drafted a UN Security Council Resolution to defend freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”
The draft resolution “requires Iran to cease attacks, mining, and tolling,” Rubio added. “It demands that Iran disclose the number and location of the sea mines it has laid and cooperate with efforts to remove them, while also supporting the establishment of a humanitarian corridor.”
The United States “looks forward to this resolution being voted on in the coming days and to receiving support from Security Council members and a broad base of co-sponsors,” the secretary proffered.
UPDATE: 5:17 PM EDT –
Two U.S. commercial ships that crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Monday “had U.S. military security teams aboard as Iran launched attacks against them during the transit,” NBC News reported, citing two U.S. officials.
“It was the first time U.S. military security personnel were reported aboard the ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz” as part of Project Freedom, NBC posited.
The presence of military security teams was a “prudent security measure,” one of the U.S. officials said.
UPDATE: 5:05 PM EDT –
UKMTO reports that another ship has come under attack in the Strait of Hormuz.
“A verified source reported a cargo vessel has been struck by an unknown projectile,” the organization stated on X. “Environmental impact is unknown at time of report. Vessels are advised to report any suspicious activity to UKMTO, whilst authorities investigate.”
The organization provided no further details.
UPDATE: 4:57 PM EDT –
The IRGC claims it has not attacked the UAE.
“In recent days, the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran have not carried out any missile or drone operations against the United Arab Emirates,” the IRGC’s spokesman claimed. “Had any such action been taken, we would have announced it with full firmness and clarity. Therefore, the report from that country’s Ministry of Defense is categorically denied and is entirely devoid of truth. Should any measures be taken against Iran from Emirati territories, our response will be severe.”
UPDATE: 3:37 PM EDT –
During an afternoon press conference, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered an explanation of why the U.S. attacked Iran.
“If Iran had a nuclear weapon, and they decided to close the Straits… we wouldn’t be able to do anything about it,” Rubio told reporters. “A nuclear-armed Iran could do whatever the hell they want with the Straits, and there’s nothing anyone would be able to do about it.”
Rubio noted there is no ‘international law’ allowing Iran to say, ‘I’m going to put mines in an international body of water and I’m going to blow up ships that don’t listen to us…’ That’s what Iran is doing.”
Project Freedom “is not an offensive operation,” Rubio stated. “This is a defensive operation, and what that means is very simple: there’s no shooting unless we’re shot at first. We’re not attacking them, but if they’re attacking us or they’re attacking a ship, you need to respond to that.”
Iran shouldn’t test Trump, the secretary avowed.
“They really shouldn’t test the will of the United States, at least not under President Donald Trump,” Rubio proclaimed. “He has proven, time and again, that he will back up what he says — and if they test him, ultimately, they will lose.”
UPDATE: 3:15 PM EDT –
There are currently “multiple” U.S. Navy warships operating in the Arabian Gulf, CENTCOM spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins confirmed to TWZ.
“They were and are there,” he told us.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) – the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships – responded to our request for comment about Project Freedom.
“We welcome the growing attention to the plight of innocent seafarers caught in this conflict, as well as any initiatives aimed at evacuating them safety.
De-escalation, alongside a long-term agreement that ensures the freedom of navigation and the safety of seafarers is the only way forward. Naval escorts are not a sustainable long-term solution.
We remain in regular dialogue with all parties and relevant stakeholders. IMO stands ready to roll out its evacuation plan once it is safe to do so. This requires clear safety guarantees from all parties involved.”
As a way to counter Hezbollah’s growing FPV drone threat, the IDF is preparing to introduce fragmentation rounds into the forces’ magazines in Lebanon, Israel’s KAN news outlet reported.
“The new ammunition is expected to arrive in Israel from the US next week,” the outlet added, noting that this was “a measure proven effective in the Russia-Ukraine war.”
UPDATES
During his press conference, Trump expressed frustration with Iranian negotiators.
“I can say this — Iran wants to make a deal,” the president proclaimed. “What I don’t like about Iran is they’ll talk to me with such great respect, and then they’ll go on television and say, ‘We did not speak to the president!’ They play games.”
Despite repeated and relatively extreme threats against Iran, Trump also expressed reluctance to kill people.
The new commander of the Israeli Air Force said he is ready to attack Iran again if needed.
“We are closely monitoring developments in Iran and ready to move the entire Air Force eastward if required,” said Maj. Gen. Omer Tishler.
Pakistani officials, who have been moderating stalled peace talks, are urging restraint between the U.S. and Iran.
As things are heating up at home, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will visit China tomorrow, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced.
“Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi will hold talks with him,” the ministry stated.
As we have previously reported, China relies heavily on Iranian oil and is also suspected of aiding its war efforts.
The trip is the diplomat’s first visit to China since US and Israeli strikes sparked the most severe global oil supply shock in history, Bloomberg News noted.
Araghchi’s visit to China comes as Trump prepares to make the first trip to China of a US president in nearly a decade next week.
Electronic interference in the Strait of Hormuz is intensifying, the maritime intelligence firm Windward stated on X. “Following attacks on the [UAE] Port of Fujairah, there has been a surge in vessels switching off AIS and the return of critical GPS jamming,” Windward stated.
The firm did not attribute the cause of the jamming.
The Trump administration is pushing ahead with efforts to broker a deal between Lebanon and Israel, despite Hezbollah’s attempts to derail the process, a State Department official told Al Arabiya English on Tuesday.
“Washington has facilitated two rounds of direct negotiations between the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to the United States in recent weeks, the publication noted. “A third round is expected in the near future, according to Lebanon’s president.”
Meanwhile, Israel continues to attack Hezbollah positions.
As we have previously reported, Hezbollah has been increasing its use of first-person view (FPV) drones against Israel. The IDF is using these weapons as well. The following video purportedly shows a Hezbollah operative on a motorcycle being targeted.
Contact the author: howard@twz.com
