Deranged Trump continues as TACO Tuesday isn’t over. The Strait of Hormuz is still not as open as it was on 27 February. His wild territorial claims are illegal under international law, and aside from threatening Oman, talks between the US and Iran are at a standstill, even though Kushner failed in Monday’s talks with Netanyahu. Somebody is making money from the latest oil price surge. Iran attacked another vessel.

“There is a lot of money flowing through this vast ecosystem, and somehow the only thing all these people can agree on is more, more, more,” said Lyle Goldstein, a former professor at the U.S. Naval War College who is now investigating the costs of war at Brown University. “Unfortunately, I just think it might be in the nature of our system.”

https://www.propublica.org/article/how-navy-spent-billions-littoral-combat-ship

The Emirati Defense Ministry stated that Iran launched two ballistic missiles at the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on August 18.[11]

The Emirati Defense Ministry added that its air defenses detected one ballistic missile that fell outside Emirati territorial waters and another that landed within them.[12] Iranian regime media denied responsibility for the attack.[13] It is unclear at the time of writing whether Iran intended to attack a target within Emirati territory or a target in Emirati territorial waters, such as a vessel.

Iran has attacked Abu Dhabi National Oil Company tankers near the Emirati coast in recent days.[14] Iran has typically fired cruise missiles and drones to target vessels, however. Iran may have also attempted to attack the UAE to deter the UAE from assisting with US efforts to secure freedom of navigation in the strait, as it has previously.[15]

Key Takeaways

Russia has continued to provide direct military support to Iran through weapons and weapons components transfers. NBC News reported on August 18 that Russia has transferred drone components, ammunition, and TNT explosives to Iran via the Caspian Sea as of July 2026, citing a European government document that NBC obtained and that an unspecified Western official verified.
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Russia’s drone component transfers to Iran are indicative of the active military support that Russia has provided Iran and its drone program in recent months. Iran has reportedly used “Russian-enhanced versions” of Shahed drones and Russian targeting intelligence to attack US forces and assets during the war, according to US intelligence officials.
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The Emirati Defense Ministry stated that Iran launched two ballistic missiles at the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on August 18. The Emirati Defense Ministry added that its air defenses detected one ballistic missile that fell outside Emirati territorial waters and another that landed within them. Iranian regime media denied responsibility for the attack.
**
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq’s recently released list of preconditions for discussing militia disarmament with the Iraqi federal government indicates that Islamic Resistance in Iraq militias have no intention of disarming.
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Members of the Iraqi Parliament’s Security and Defense Committee reportedly failed to reach a consensus on Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Zaydi’s request for the committee to draft a law to restrict weapons to the state.

Russia has continued to provide direct military support to Iran through weapons and weapons components transfers. 

NBC News reported on August 18 that Russia has transferred drone components, ammunition, and TNT explosives to Iran via the Caspian Sea as of July 2026, citing a European government document that NBC obtained and that an unspecified Western official verified.[1] NBC added that Iran uses TNT in its ballistic missile warheads and drones, citing Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics.[2] The document and the official reported that over two dozen Russian ships have carried deliveries to Amirabad Port in Iran’s Mazandaran Province via the Caspian Sea.[3] Iran and Russia have historically used the Caspian Sea to trade military and non-military goods.[4] Israel struck sites in Bandar Anzali, including facilities to disrupt Russian shipments of military equipment to Iran, earlier in the war.[5] Ukraine more recently struck several sanctioned cargo vessels in the Caspian Sea on July 25 that Russia reportedly used to transport military cargo between Russia and Iran.[6]

This evidence of Russia’s drone component transfers to Iran is indicative of the active military support that Russia has provided Iran and its drone program in recent months. Iran has reportedly used “Russian-enhanced versions” of Shahed drones and Russian targeting intelligence to attack US forces and assets during the war, according to US intelligence officials.[7] Russia has also directly assisted with Iran’s attacks on US forces and bases during the war by providing Iran with “advanced drone tactics.”[8]

 The New York Times (NYT) reported on August 11 that Iran has learned and adopted drone tactics it observed in the Russia-Ukraine War to better evade US air defenses.[9] Regime media highlighted the NYT report on August 18.[10]

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