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Commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz rose again this week after a slump caused by exchanges of fire between Iran and the U.S. over the weekend.

The news suggests that oil producers and tanker operators are testing the waters again in one of the world’s most important waterways.

Aircraft Carrier USS Nimitz Coming Home. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

While Iran continues to make threats to shipping companies and vessels considering using alternative routes through Omani waters, operators appear to be willing to keep moving vessels through the Strait as the U.S.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz sparked concern about renewed fighting with Iran on Monday, warning that Israel could resume military operations against Iran “within two days.”

Katz did not indicate that Israel was looking to initiate aggression, but warned that Iranian missiles or drones targeted at Israeli territory would be enough to reignite the war, regardless of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) and the Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire.

U.S. Special Operations Command is conducting market research on industry’s ability to develop a long-range, air-launched loitering munition.
According to a request for information posted Friday, SOCOM is eyeing an Air Loitering Munition (ALM) that has an extended range and additional capabilities beyond its current stand-off precision guided munitions (SOPGM). The weapons would be launched from the command’s fixed-wing aircraft, such as the AC-130J Ghostrider, according to the RFI.

When Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 without firing a shot, the world was impressed with Vladimir Putin and his use of hybrid warfare, which was seen as a revolutionary development in defense capabilities.

Putin was described as a 4D chess player who could easily outsmart the West. His favorite general, Valery Gerasimov, was considered a 21st-century military genius for developing his own doctrine, employing “Little Green Men” insurgents and a new brand of cognitive warfare to execute successful sneak attacks to great propaganda effect.

T-90M. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei says Tehran will respond to any future US violations of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at ending the recent regional war. The statement comes as indirect US-Iran technical negotiations continue in Qatar, with Tehran specifically citing alleged violations of Article 1 and warning that future breaches could jeopardize the entire diplomatic process. Baghaei’s comments illustrate the fragility of the US-Iran ceasefire framework.

Understanding Article 1

Boeing B-52H Stratofortress. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

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The ongoing military conflict with Ukraine has resulted in severe fuel shortages in Russia and Crimea, with increasing drone strikes cutting the Russian supply line to the Crimean peninsula.

Intensifying Ukrainian drone strikes and the resulting state of emergency have made Crimea a severe strategic and symbolic liability for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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The Kurds’ fortunes have ebbed and flowed in recent years, but the fall of the Assad regime in Syria in December 2024, the 2025 decision by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to dissolve and engage in talks with the Turkish government, and the 2026 U.S.-Israeli war with Iran had enormous ripple effects on the lives of Kurds in the Middle East and Kurdish hopes for autonomy. We asked four experts to assess how recent regional events are presenting risks and opportunities for the Kurds in Turkey, Iraq, Syria, and Iran.Read more below.

The Ukraine War Comes from Moscow: Russia’s Vladimir Putin is scared. It seems like every night comes a frightening Ukrainian bombardment by one-way drones and ballistic missiles.

These strikes have sent the dictator and many of his citizens cowering in shelters while the projectiles punish Russian energy infrastructure to make gasoline more expensive. Ordinary Russians are reeling.

MiG-29 Fighter. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

To better protect the Kremlin and civilian sites, Russia is now bolstering its aerial defenses.

In January of this year, Iran’s regime faced its biggest protests in years as anger spread over spiraling prices and a crumbling economy.

The regime murdered thousands in a vicious crackdown.

Iran’s Drones That Russia Is Using. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Now, despite its bellicose talk, the country’s military has been battered by war and suffocated by a U.S. naval blockade; the country is now in even worse shape economically as Washington and Tehran once again have an uneasy truce after fresh fighting last week.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov admitted on Tuesday, June 30, that Moscow is considering importing fuel to address domestic shortages. Peskov framed the problem as a matter of panic buying rather than a major supply shortage and distribution bottlenecks. Russia is facing growing pressure from Ukraine as its long-range strike campaign continues through the summer.