Globalsecurity.org

An oil tanker under US sanctions for allegedly transporting Iranian petroleum products has been seized off Yemen and diverted toward Somalia, the latest sign of a resurgence in Somali piracy.

In an implicit warning about Iran's economic conditions, the country's parliament speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, has said "no matter how much military power we have, if the people are hungry and we do not have financial activity, economic growth, and domestic production, we cannot survive."

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remained at low levels on August 20, with just seven commodity vessels transiting the key energy route, according to data from the ship-tracking firm Kpler.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's latest remarks that Washington will impose "the toughest sanctions in history" on Iran while urging China to cooperate reflect an attempt to shift responsibility for the prolonged Iran war and the failure of US pressure tactics. By trying to drag China into the discussion, Washington is essentially resorting to the ploy of "making others take medicine for one's own illness." This amounts to the US' making excuses for its own erroneous policy toward Iran, said Chinese experts.

The Treasury Secretary warns any remaining economic relationship with Tehran will "hasten a nation's economic oblivion."

Commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Army, Major General Amir Hatami, says Iranian defense capability changed the enemies' calculations.

Iran's navy commander emphasized that the Armed Forces are standing firm against enemies with full strength and will not allow them to take even a single step forward.

Iran's acting defense minister says that the country's defense power is aimed at preventing war and aggression and that Iran will never allow any military aggression against its territory, independence, and national security.

Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Ali Abdollahi has warned that any "miscalculation" from adversaries would be met with "revolutionary, crushing, regret-inducing, and devastating responses."

China opposes illegal unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law and are not authorized by the UN Security Council, a spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday, calling on relevant parties to act responsibly and seek a solution through political and diplomatic means.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian has offered China's opposition to illegal unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law and are not authorized by the UN Security Council.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that US sanctions against Iran had repeatedly failed, recalling threats made by former US President Barack Obama.

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High heat, constant humidity, heavy rainfall, dense vegetation, dangerous animals and countless insects are what Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade endured at the Combined Jungle Training Center-South in Panama from June 13 through July 3.

Readiness, modernization and cutting-edge aviation technology brought Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink to McConnell Air Force Base, Aug. 12.

The U.S. Coast Guard awarded a $60 million contract on Aug. 13, 2026, to repair, recapitalize and improve waterfront facilities at Sector St. Petersburg in St. Petersburg, Florida.

In a decisive move to accelerate warfighting capability and eliminate industrial bottlenecks, the Navy released new technical requirements on August 11 designed to rapidly scale the use of metallic 3D-printed materials across the submarine enterprise. The new standards strip away legacy administrative and engineering hurdles, clearing the launchpad for Additive Manufacturing (AM) to be integrated directly into submarine construction, maintenance, and combat-ready repair at unprecedented speeds.

Estonian Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur met with Swedish Minister for Defence Pål Jonson in Stockholm to discuss strengthening defence cooperation between Estonia and Sweden, the defence of NATO's eastern flank, and enhancing regional security.

On Friday, 21 August, two Turkish F-16 fighter jets arrived at the National Armed Forces' Lielvārde Military Base, demonstrating NATO's presence in the region.

From 26 August to 4 September, the Norwegian Armed Forces will train alongside British and US forces on and around Jan Mayen.