COMBATE Digest - combate-20260913-1200Z

🌍 WEST ASIA

US Strike Hits Iranian Ship in Hormuz; Vessel Catches Fire

An Iranian commercial container ship was hit by a projectile around 5 am Sunday near Hengam Island and the Shib Deraz coast off Qeshm; Iranian officials attributed the attack to the United States, saying one crew member was killed and four wounded — two of them Iranians and two Pakistanis among a 10-person crew (mehrnews, iribnews, tass_rss). Qeshm's governor identified the dead crewman as Jamshid Rajbari and said the type of projectile is still under investigation (sepah_pasdaran). Britain's UKMTO later reported the previously targeted vessel had caught fire and that local forces were evacuating its crew (mehrnews, irna_1313); Fars published images of the damaged ship (farsna).

IRGC Navy Dares US Fleet; Hormuz Traffic Down 97 Percent

The IRGC Navy's political deputy mocked Trump's claim to control Hormuz: "If the strait is in America's hands, then by all means — bring one of your ships to within 100 kilometers," adding that Americans know what answer met their vessels in recent days (farsna, sepah_pasdaran, rt_spanish_rss). Fars cited figures showing a 97 percent collapse in tanker transits — a single Chinese tanker passed Friday against 31 a year earlier — with US economist Steve Hanke saying that thanks to Trump the strait is "effectively and in every respect closed" (farsna); satellite imagery showed near-empty waters (farsna). Bloomberg data relayed by Mehr showed supertanker daily earnings tripling from $218,000 to $786,000 since the war began (mehrnews). After an attack launched from Iraq struck Saudi oil infrastructure and the fresh Hormuz ship attack, oil climbed back above $100 (rtde_live_rss, rt_french_rss). Studies warned strikes on tankers could cause long-term pollution in the semi-enclosed Gulf (sputnikserbia_rss).

Araghchi: Oman Deal "In No Way" Reopens Hormuz; Salalah Meeting Monday

Foreign Minister Araghchi told Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed that Monday's Oman meeting will present the new shipping route and its maps to participating countries, stressing the accord with Oman "in no way" reopens Hormuz — Iran's condition is Washington's return to its commitments under the Islamabad memorandum, and regional security is solely the region's responsibility (irna_1313, mehrnews, presstv). Parliamentary security committee member Behnam Saeidi described a "traffic separation plan": the inbound lane in Iranian territorial waters, the outbound in Omani waters with a stretch in Iranian coastal waters (akhbarefori). IRNA reported the Salalah gathering of Iran, Iraq and several Gulf states — with the Iran-Oman corridor signed Monday in the presence of Arab foreign ministers and notified to the IMO — is the most important regional meeting since the war began (irna_1313, irna_1313); Al Jazeera's Nur al-Din al-Daghir said Tehran views the Muscat meeting as trust-building and Iraq's attendance matters despite one state's objection (seday_teh). Reuters, relayed by Iranian media, called mutual Iran-UAE backing of the BRICS declaration a sign of diplomatic progress between countries estranged by the war (sepahcybery); former Qatari PM Hamad bin Jassim urged GCC states to negotiate with Iran collectively and directly (mehrnews). Turkey's energy minister called on Qatar and Europe to muster the will for the long-mooted 2,000–2,200 km pipeline carrying Qatari gas to Europe via Turkey as a Hormuz bypass (akhbarefori, parstodayrussian).

Yemen: Yanbu Oil Loading Halted; Saudi Strikes Continue; Tribes Eye Marib

After the Ansar Allah strike on the pipeline feeding the Yanbu terminal, oil loading at the Red Sea terminal stopped — the line had carried the largest share of Saudi oil bypassing Hormuz during the war (akhbarefori); a suicide drone "precisely struck" Aramco facilities in Yanbu, some 1,300 km from Yemeni territory (iswnews_en), and new satellite imagery showed fresh damage at Aramco's Jazan facilities (farsna). Saudi warplanes struck al-Rabie in Taiz and the border district of Baqim in Saada (mehrnews, farsna); video showed long columns of armed pickups and Bani Hashish tribesmen shouting calls to fight Saudi Arabia (rt_spanish_rss), with tribal forces declaring readiness to move on Marib (gordanesam313). Yemen's Transportation Ministry said 73 ships transited Bab el-Mandeb in two days — 36 on September 10 and 37 on September 11, roughly pre-ban volumes — with the ban applying only to Saudi-linked vessels (mehrnews). The armed forces' statement said the coastal operation, which ran September 3–10, liberated 5,400 sq km in Taiz and Hodeidah, attacked 38 Saudi brigades and ended with the entry to Mayyun island (farsna); militia commander Tareq Saleh fled to Riyadh after the coastal defeat (farsna), and Yemen's blockade is forcing Saudi shipping around Africa, stretching voyages from 4 to 34 days (farsna). Pezeshkian said Iran has "no logic or reason" for conflict with regional countries and that Yemen's Ansar Allah "has its own problems" (rt_spanish_rss); the Kremlin said destabilization in Yemen poses threats to the world economy (rt_spanish_rss), and mass displacement is mounting (rt_spanish_rss).

Israel Bombards South Lebanon; Broader West Bank Operation Planned

Israeli jets bombed Nabatiyeh al-Fawqa three times and struck Kfar Tibnit (mehrnews, mehrnews); a large explosion in al-Khiam shattered windows in neighboring towns (irna_1313). Al-Masirah framed the escalation against "67 days of futile negotiations" and Lebanese-Iranian red lines (Almasirah_En). Israeli sources reported the army is preparing a broader West Bank operation as raids hit several towns, and the crossings authority closed Rafah and Kerem Shalom to passengers and goods (mehrnews). Ansar Allah's political office condoled the assassination of Qassam Brigades Khan Younis commander Mohammad Abdulsalam al-Yazouri, saying assassinations "never weaken the resistance's will" and that ceasefire violations proceed with direct US backing (mehrnews). A Lebanese Loyalty-to-the-Resistance MP said any solution for Lebanon's crisis is tied to Iran's future negotiations (irna_1313).

Iraq Reopens Iran Borders; Lawmaker Says US Exit September 30 Certain

Iraq's Security Media Cell said passenger and trade movement resumed at Shalamcheh, Chazabeh and Mandali on PM Ali Faleh al-Zaidi's orders, after the crossings were shut since Friday for "administrative and security" arrangements; trade restarts Monday at Shalamcheh, Tuesday at Mandali and Thursday at al-Shib (mehrnews, farsna, meo_verified, irna_1313). Khuzestan officials said passenger traffic is flowing while talks continue on reopening the trade lanes (mehrnews). An Iraqi analyst said no evidence supports Riyadh's claim that the Saudi pipeline was attacked from Iraqi soil (irna_1313). Parliamentary security committee member Javad al-Saadi insisted the US troop withdrawal by September 30 is certain and Iraq no longer needs foreign forces (irna_1313). Separately, fighter jets, presumed Turkish, bombed the village of Kalala in northern Sulaymaniyah province (mehrnews).

Iran Opens 12-Day War Court; 400,000 Register for Mass Popular Drill

The first hearing at Tehran's international court (Branch 55) opened on the US-Israeli 12-Day War, with PressTV reporting 352,983 people seeking justice and the judiciary spokesman citing 300+ lawsuits from more than 302,000 plaintiffs (presstv, akhbarefori, mehrnews). IRGC Tehran commander Hassanzadeh said registration for Friday's 313,000-strong "Janfadayān-e Iran" drill passed 400,000, with 1,000 organized national resistance battalions beginning training and the route running from Imam Hossein Square to Enqelab Square (mehrnews, mehrnews, iribnews); a new Enqelab Square mural depicts US tankers and warships sinking under the slogan "Satan's legion will drown in the Persian Gulf" (mehrnews). Images were released of a US strike on a wedding hall in Kuhistak, Hormozgan, which killed five people including a five-year-old child (sepah_pasdaran), and Foreign Ministry spokesman Baghaei displayed photographs of the Lamerd victims at the site (rt_spanish_rss). Pezeshkian told India Today that Iran's relations with neighbors including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Russia and China are friendly and "the main problem is US bases in the region," adding Iran would never have joined the NPT if it sought nuclear weapons (farsna); in another interview excerpt he said Americans "kill whomever they want" and then claim the victims were terrorists (rt_spanish_rss). The commander of the US Army Combined Arms Center admitted Iran's attacks changed how the US Army operates and that it must relearn "hiding" from the enemy after decades of secure bases (farsna). Iran is sending the Amir Kabir semi-submersible rig back into deep Caspian waters after nearly a decade, opening a northern energy frontier spurred by the war (presstv); Shahrivar oil revenues passed $2.5 billion, after more than $10 billion in the first five months of the year (farsna), and central bank chief Hemmati traveled to Istanbul for an Islamic central banks summit on new banking exchange mechanisms (mehrnews).

🌍 EAST ASIA

BRICS Wrap: Xi Unveils Bloc AI Platform; Putin Cites 49% of World Growth

Xi announced China will build an open-source AI platform for BRICS to develop language models and training inside the bloc (rt_spanish_rss), warned that "a world without rules is like an intersection without traffic lights" (rt_spanish_rss) and urged BRICS to stand firmly "on the right side of history" (yt_cgtnespanol). Modi said "BRICS does not act against anyone" (yt_jpmas) and proposed the bloc drive reform of global governance (yt_jpmas); members agreed to build an integrated system against epidemic outbreaks (sputnikvietnam_rss). Putin told the BRICS+ session the bloc accounts for 49 percent of global GDP growth with mutual trade effectively at $1.2 trillion, saying members can build economic relations without regard to sanctions (rt_spanish_rss, mehrnews, sputnikglobe_rss). Leaders underlined the importance of creating a common BRICS grain exchange (sputnikbrasil_rss); Peskov said the Kremlin is happy the declaration's wording proved acceptable to both Iran and the UAE, which "many pessimists" had doubted possible (tass_rss). Russia's and India's central banks are working on settling bilateral trade in digital currencies (rtde_live_rss).

🌍 EUROPE

UAE to Host Russia-US-Ukraine Talks; Kremlin Eyes October

Presidential aide Ushakov said Abu Dhabi confirmed readiness to host the trilateral talks on Ukraine and Moscow finds the venue acceptable, adding that Americans now better understand Russia's position after the multi-hour talks with Putin (sputnikserbia_rss, sputnikindia_rss). Peskov did not rule out the trilateral format resuming in October (sputnikindia_rss, sputnikserbia_rss) and said Modi and Xi "actively offered" their good offices on Ukraine to Putin on the summit sidelines (sputnikglobe_rss, rt_french_rss). Kushner called his Moscow and Kiev visits "very successful" while pointing to the Donbass withdrawal as the hardest outstanding issue (rt_french_rss, rt_spanish_rss); Dmitriev said Kushner understands Russia's position and conveyed Moscow's settlement plan to Kiev (sputnikarabic_rss). The Kremlin warned that stationing nuclear weapons in Lithuania would not protect it but turn it into a target of Russian nuclear weapons (sputnikserbia_rss).

Battlefield Roundup: Kharkiv Village Taken; Taganrog Depot Burns; Zaporozhye Trucks Hit

Russia's Sever group is tightening its encirclement of Ukrainian forces in the Kharkiv region and took the village of Chernyakov (sputnikbrasil_rss, sputnikvietnam_rss). Overnight Russian combined strikes hit logistics centers and railway infrastructure in western Ukraine used to move European military supplies, along with supporting energy facilities (iribnews, rt_spanish_rss). Ukrainian drones overnight set fuel tanks ablaze at Taganrog air base, with Ukrainian sources saying drone production and storage sites were also struck (farsna). Kiev's strike on diesel tanker trucks supplying the Zaporozhye nuclear plant left dead and wounded; Rosatom chief Likhachev said Kiev has "openly chosen the path of provoking a nuclear incident with unpredictable consequences" (rt_spanish_rss, sputnikindia_rss); a retired Russian colonel claimed Ukraine is concentrating men and equipment at Chernobyl to create "bunkers Russia won't attack" (sputnikvietnam_rss). A Russian drone struck a truck roughly 800 meters from the Polish border — officially confirmed after footage sparked claims the drone entered Polish airspace (farsna). Ukraine's navy claimed one of its naval drones destroyed a Russian drone over the Black Sea (mehrnews). Ex-congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene claimed Zelensky intends to legalize pornography to fund 30,000 drones amid forced mobilization (Slavyangrad); Patrushev said Russian navy escorts now shield merchant ships from seizure (sputnikserbia_rss).

Kaliningrad Row and Germany's Merz Problem

Polish foreign minister Sikorski urged "more aggressive" NATO exercises near Kaliningrad; Peskov replied that Russia is taking all necessary measures to protect the exclave (sputnikserbia_rss, rtde_live_rss). Only 14 percent of Germans consider Merz fit for the chancellorship, with 78 percent opposed (sputnikmundo_rss); Söder ruled out a CSU move to topple him but warned of a "serious slump" in the coalition and demanded faster reforms (rtde_live_rss). Germany revoked weapons licenses from AfD members (rt_spanish_rss), and after the AfD's Saxony-Anhalt election win some 15,000 people protested in 20 cities demanding the party be banned (irna_1313).

Europe Briefs

German firms invested €5.6 billion more in China in the first half of 2026 while retreating from the US (irna_1313). Fico blasted the European Commission's "stupid energy policy," warning electricity and gas prices are destroying Europe's competitiveness (sputnikindia_rss, sputnikbrasil_rss) as the continent faces a grim winter (sputnikserbia_rss). European leaders gathered in Rovaniemi to forge a common EU Arctic strategy (irna_1313). Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish leaders are planning a break from the UK, with the SNP leader saying Burnham could go down as "the last prime minister of the United Kingdom" (rt_spanish_rss); Orbán reappeared to declare battle on "the neocommunists" (rt_spanish_rss). Workers at a French nuclear plant cut output ahead of a strike (rt_spanish_rss). Belgrade prosecutors found the "sound cannon" was never used at the March 2025 protest — a doctored video was involved — and said those who spread the claims will be prosecuted; Vucic said this was known from the start (sputnikserbia_rss, sputnikserbia_rss).

🌍 NORTH AMERICA

US Briefs

The US commerce secretary said Trump's $5,000 dividend pledge cannot be financed through the budget deficit or taxes (irna_1313). The week's other headlines: Washington approved a smart-bombs sale to Israel, Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs on the US, the Treasury sanctioned a major bank, and California diesel neared $10 a gallon (irna_1313). Anthropic said it blocked Iranian users who tried to use Claude for military purposes against the US and passed the information to US authorities (rt_spanish_rss). Former Canadian PM Jean Chrétien warned Americans: Canadians may be patient and kind, but "never mistake generosity for weakness" (irna_1313). Trump charged that "Europe is killing itself" over immigration, energy and trade (yt_jpmas); protesters in Dublin burned a US flag during his Ireland visit (farsna). The Washington Post reported Al-Qaeda is again operating training camps in Afghanistan (rt_spanish_rss); US surveillance aircraft, tankers and a Poseidon squadron were reported leaving Prince Sultan base and Jordan for Germany and the US (gordanesam313). Democrats plan to revive the Jeffrey Epstein case and Trump-era corruption allegations ahead of the midterms (mehrnews).

🌍 SOUTH AMERICA

US Sells Black Hawks to Argentina as Malvinas Tension Simmers

The Telegraph reported the US will sell four Black Hawk military helicopters to Argentina for $140 million — a first — amid London-Buenos Aires tensions over the Malvinas and following Trump's remark that he would not defend London in an attack on the islands (iribnews). Milei's government is reviving the Tierra del Fuego Integrated Naval Base project in the South Atlantic (rt_spanish_rss). In Ecuador, Luisa González declared "only with fraud" can Noboa beat her after a judicial reversal (rt_spanish_rss), and Noboa dismissed the air force chief who had asked for guidelines on US military flights (rt_spanish_rss). The US and Mexico reinforced anti-drone operations on the Tijuana-San Diego border (rt_spanish_rss); gunmen hit a Chihuahua police helicopter with .50-caliber fire, wounding an officer (sputnikmundo_rss); Peru is hosting US military exercises alongside three regional militaries (rt_spanish_rss).

🌍 AFRICA

Libya's Fezzan Forces Blockade Southern Border

The Fezzan Revolutionary Forces announced a total blockade of Libya's southern border, barring trucks and commercial transport from entering or leaving the country, in response to the "siege" of the town of Qatrun by the Haftar-led eastern government and the killing of a young Toubou man at a gas station there (tabzlive). Nigeria's electoral commission published the final list of 18 candidates for the January 2027 presidential election, including President Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, with former president Goodluck Jonathan's candidacy rejected (rt_french_rss); Nigeria's parliament suspended visits to South Africa and ordered a boycott of its legislative activities over violence targeting Nigerians and other African migrants (rt_french_rss).

💬 NOTABLE QUOTES

"If the Strait of Hormuz is in America's hands, then by all means — bring one of your ships to within 100 kilometers." — Deputy Political Commander of the IRGC Navy (farsna)

"The agreement with the Sultanate of Oman in no way means the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz." — Abbas Araghchi, Iranian Foreign Minister (irna_1313)

"If we were after nuclear weapons, we would not have joined the NPT." — Masoud Pezeshkian, President of Iran (farsna)

"Kiev has openly chosen the path of provoking a nuclear incident with unpredictable consequences." — Alexei Likhachev, Rosatom CEO (sputnikindia_rss)

"Never mistake our generosity for weakness." — Jean Chrétien, former Prime Minister of Canada (irna_1313)