🛡️ U.S. ARMS SALE AND REGIONAL MILITARY COORDINATION: A U.S. official told The Washington Post that the Trump administration is preparing to execute a $2.8 billion deal to sell 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, expected to be the largest deal of its kind in recent years.
CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said: “I am not concerned at all about a shortage of munitions. We are well-armed and ready for any contingency”. Asked whether he was worried about future threats, he replied: “I am not”.
According to Axios, senior military commanders from the U.S., Israel and eight Arab countries met privately in Germany last week to discuss the Iran war and broader regional security. The report named Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Egypt among the participants in the CENTCOM-organized meeting. Cooper said U.S. forces would remain in the region despite Iranian attacks and briefed commanders on plans to expand shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
⚓ CONTRADICTORY ACCOUNTS OF TANKER ATTACK NEAR HORMUZ: The IRGC Navy claimed the supertanker EL GAIA struck a sea mine while attempting to pass through a “prohibited zone” south of the Strait of Hormuz. It said firefighting efforts failed and the entire tanker was engulfed in flames.
“We have warned of the danger of the illegal southern passage, and we announce that the Strait of Hormuz is closed and remains under our control,” the IRGC statement said.
CENTCOM disputed the account: “The Panama-flagged oil tanker El Gaia was struck by an Iranian missile last month and rendered inoperable. This weekend, Iran struck the tanker again with a drone while the ship sat in waters of the coast of Oman. The tanker is currently being towed by a regional partner. The IRGC's false claim is yet another example of their lies and intimidation attempts while they try to impede commercial vessels in the strait”.
⚓ U.S. STRIKES BOATS AFTER REPORTED ATTEMPT TO SEIZE UNMANNED VESSEL: According to Axios, the U.S. military destroyed two Iranian boats after the IRGC allegedly attempted to seize a U.S. Navy unmanned surface vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. An American drone reportedly fired two missiles, killing most of those aboard. CENTCOM confirmed the attempted seizure and said the unmanned vessel remained under U.S. control.
Tasnim described the vessels as fishing boats struck by U.S. drones near Bandar Kargan in Iran’s Hormozgan province on Monday evening. It reported that several fishermen were missing and search-and-rescue operations were underway.
❌ MALAYSIA SEIZES MORE ISRAEL-BOUND CARGO: Malaysia seized three additional containers at Tanjung Pelepas Port carrying electric bike parts from China to Ashdod, Bloomberg reported. The containers were detained on August 19 and remain in custody.
An earlier container bound for Israeli defense company Elbit Systems was seized on August 7 on suspicion that it contained weapons. Malaysia bans direct trade with Israel, although transit cargo is normally exempt.
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