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Is Iran Preparing to Charge An Hormuz Toll?: After initially announcing that a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Washington and Iran would be signed during a ceremony on Friday, the Trump administration announced on Monday that the agreement had been signed by President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf.

See video below.
Earlier this month, WTOC TV news (Savannah, GA) reported on an event involving the Atlanta Falcons at Parris Island, a Marine Corps training facility for recruits in Port Royal, South Carolina.
Current and former Atlanta Falcons participated at the event.
The Falcons got a taste of what it is like to train to become a marine, also giving marines and their families a chance to take photos and get photographs.
There was a bit of yelling by the instructors.
Some Falcons could be seen going down the rappel tower. Then there was a shooting competition.

After four months of war, Washington and Tehran have agreed to a 60-day framework designed to halt the fighting and reopen maritime commerce through the Strait of Hormuz.

The deal offered immediate relief—financial markets welcomed the announcement, shipping companies gained some clarity, and regional tensions cooled—but the agreement contains structural flaws and should accordingly be viewed as an interim framework rather than a permanent settlement.

The 461st FLTS, F-35 Integrated Test Force, at Edwards Air Force Base in California received a newly instrumented F-35A aircraft.

Last night, Russia launched another large-scale missile/drone attack against large portions of Ukraine. The attack featured around 600 drones and various cruise/ballistic missiles, including Zircon hypersonic cruise missiles.

As a result of the attacks, various civilian and cultural sites were hit or damaged. Amidst the destruction, Dormition Cathedral, a UNESCO site and one of the holiest sites in Ukraine, was struck, causing a fire to burn a large portion of the outside structure.

Typhon Hypersonic Missile. Image Credit: YouTube Screenshot.

Welcome to The Ukraine Compass, a weekly digest of Ukrainian commentary and analysis from across the political spectrum only for War on the Rocks members. Each Monday, we bring you a curated selection of articles from Ukrainian media offering insight into how Ukrainians themselves debate the issues shaping their country.American coverage often narrows the view to the battlefield — these pieces widen it, revealing the texture of daily life, politics, and public argument in a nation at war.

With a deal allegedly finalized between the United States and Iran, and a signing ceremony expected in Switzerland on Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump is signaling to the world that the Strait of Hormuz is open and the oil crisis is over.

But while Washington insists a diplomatic breakthrough has been made, the chances of the global economy returning to normal in the near future are slim to none.

Oil fields. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Oil Platform. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

One of the primary points of friction in the emerging US-Iran peace framework is the Strait of Hormuz. The framework appears to contain structural flaws in the future governance of the Strait.

While Washington says the agreement guarantees permanent free navigation, Tehran says shipping will be free for 60 days, before maritime service fees are then introduced.

A 35th Fighter Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcon flies near the Korean peninsula during a dogfighting training scenario during exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield 25 at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Aug. 20, 2025.

Reporting about the 60-day Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Trump administration and the leadership of the Islamic Republic of Iran is convoluted, and people globally are confused. That’s because the Israelis keep bombing targets in Southern Lebanon and insist the MoU does not bind them.

Plus, the Americans released the terms of the MoU on social media, which did not align with what the Iranian leadership was telling the world that they agreed to. One of the biggest points of concern for the whole world was whether the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened toll-free.

Crimea has been turned into a “peninsula of fear”, trapped between severe political repression by Russian occupying forces and a tightening war zone caused by Ukrainian drone and missile strikes.

The Ukrainians are transforming the Crimean peninsula into an isolated Russian military outpost that is proving increasingly less and less able to protect and feed itself, as the supply lines are choked by drone attacks.

Lancet Drone. Image Credit: Russian State Media.

When Ethan Cobb graduated from high school and started college, he felt that his life lacked purpose. Since his grandfather had served in the Air Force, he decided he wanted to enlist to find a sense of duty.
But Cobb weighed 398 pounds at the time. In order to join the military, he needed to lose nearly half his body weight. He accepted the challenge, and over the course of two years he dropped about 200 pounds so he could ship to Air Force Basic Military Training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.