COMBATE Digest - combate-20260927-0000Z

🌍 WEST ASIA

IRGC Fires Missiles Toward Hormuz as Blasts Rock the Strait

The IRGC said it fired six missiles toward the Strait of Hormuz (sepah_pasdaran), after the channel reported an explosion heard in the strait (sepah_pasdaran) and then "renewed and intense explosions" moments later (sepah_pasdaran). Armed forces spokesman Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi warned that any ship transiting Hormuz outside the route designated by Iran "will not be safe" (farsna), said the US would receive a "strong slap" if it intervened in managing the strait and must leave the region (farsna, mehrnews), and said Iran's missiles and drones are upgraded with new military technologies and "surprises" for any enemy miscalculation (farsna). Flight-tracking channels reported seven US military aircraft over the Middle East — six tankers and an MQ-4C reconnaissance plane — assessed as supporting counter-drone operations and the naval blockade (MBSRsi98), plus five US C-130H cargo aircraft heading toward the region (S0nia10).

Trump Says He Rejected Iran's Deal, Claims "Total Control" of Hormuz

Trump told reporters at the White House: "I'm rejecting their deal. They want to make a deal where they open the Strait of Hormuz immediately because they're losing so badly... We have total control of the Hormuz Strait. Massive amounts of oil are coming out of the Hormuz Strait. Last night, we had 29 ships come out" (tabzlive, tabzlive). Axios, described by Iranian media as close to Trump, quoted a US official assessing the exchange of messages through mediators positively, questioning Trump's claim of rejection (mehrnews). An informed source said Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and the negotiating team will likely remain in New York until Wednesday, after technical experts joined the talks following the first Araghchi–Witkoff meeting (irna_1313). Araghchi told UN media that US-Israeli aggression has killed more than 5,000 Iranians, including hundreds of women and children, calling the assassination of the Leader and senior officials blatant crimes (1087968996).

US Treasury Campaign Squeezes Iran's Air Links; Iraq Pushes Back

The Wall Street Journal, relayed by Iranian media, reported that Treasury official Jonathan Burke — a former Citibank executive — made a confidential tour of countries warning that continued cooperation with Iran carries financial consequences; after the campaign, Oman, the UAE and Türkiye restricted Iranian flights (tabzlive, mehrnews). In Iraq, Islamic Supreme Council chief Humam Hamoudi condemned the flight bans as compliance with US designs and called an emergency session of Coordination Framework leaders (mehrnews), as protests demanding the flights' return spread from Basra to Sulaymaniyah with calls for gatherings in Basra and Najaf (farsna). Trump praised Iraqi PM al-Zaidi after their meeting: "It was very good. He's an amazing man and my friend... I've supported him" (sepah_pasdaran, mehrnews). Iraq's ambassador to Tehran called the suspension temporary and said a new decision may be announced soon, noting 12,000–13,000 people fly between the two countries daily (irna_1313); a senior Iraqi commander said the Victory base has been emptied of US forces ahead of the coalition HQ closure on September 30 (irna_1313). Badr Organization chief Hadi al-Amiri, marking the Nasrallah anniversary in Baghdad, condemned "the unjust blockade on Iran, especially the recent blockade on flights" (meo_verified).

Yemen: Saudi Strikes Pound Telecom Towers; PLC Warns of Modified Missiles

Saudi warplanes struck telecom towers in al-Jubah district of Marib, attacking three times in a single day (mehrnews); Sepah News counted 27 Saudi airstrikes on Yemen over the past 24 hours (sepahnewsir403). Yemen's Saudi-backed PLC government accused Ansar Allah of deploying Iranian air-defense weapons converted into cruise missiles — with IRGC expert assistance, launched from Hodeidah and able to stay airborne up to 25 minutes — warning they threaten civilian aircraft over the southern Red Sea (tabzlive). Israel's Channel 12 reported another fuel price jump in Israel, citing world oil prices and Ansar Allah's control of Bab el-Mandeb (mehrnews).

Nasrallah Anniversary Marked in Beirut and Baghdad

Crowds in Baghdad's Tahrir Square chanted anti-US and anti-Zionist slogans on the second anniversary of the martyrdom of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine (mehrnews), with a paraglider flying a giant image of Nasrallah over the city (mehrnews); Beirut hosted a youth forum commemoration (alahadtvofficial). Al-Manar released previously unseen footage of Nasrallah walking the streets of Dahieh (sepah_pasdaran, mehrnews); Islamic Jihad praised his legacy of building a united front (presstv).

Around West Asia

The death toll in Gaza since the war began reached 74,016, according to circulating reports (MBSRsi98). The UN human rights office added 61 companies to its blacklist over business ties with Israeli West Bank settlements, bringing the total to 214 (irna_1313, sputnikserbia). Hamas said the "Peace Council's" refusal to work with UNRWA aligns with Israeli efforts to end the agency's role (sputnikarabic), and its leader Khalil al-Hayya said he met the Americans repeatedly, with meetings described as positive (presstv). IRGC-linked media detailed an alleged Israeli-planned operation codenamed "Goliath's Dagger" — simultaneous attacks on Kurdish military posts during the war — said to have been thwarted by Iranian intelligence (sepah_pasdaran). Military Watch Magazine reported Iran will study and reverse-engineer a captured US unmanned submarine for Persian Gulf operations (sputnikbrasil). Iran completed the 730 km Chabahar–Zahedan strategic railway, opening a new path for landlocked Central Asia to the Indian Ocean, to be fully operational in three to four months (sputnikserbia). Saudi FM Faisal bin Farhan told the UNGA the region suffered "flagrant Iranian attacks" and demanded Hormuz return to pre-war conditions with no tolls (tabzlive, mehrnews); Oman's FM said Hormuz shipping security requires all parties' cooperation (sepah_pasdaran); Erdogan said war criminals belong in court, not the UN podium (mehrnews).

🌍 EUROPE

Lavrov at UNGA: Condemns Killing of Iran's Leader, Urges Hormuz Trust

Russia considers the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, members of his family and Iran's military-political leadership "an unacceptable act of coercive diktat," Lavrov said (tass_rss, smotri_media); strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities dealt an "irreversible blow" to the IAEA's credibility, and resolving the Hormuz crisis requires restored trust between the Gulf's Arab states and Iran (tass_rss, sputnikglobe). The US-Iran Islamabad memorandum is a "fair deal" worth returning to (tass_rss), and Russia remains ready to return to the Anchorage agreements (sputnikvietnam). Lavrov said the Western minority endangers billions of lives with adventurous, unpredictable policies (sputnikbrasil, sputnikserbia), that "Europeans are preparing for war with Russia," which "may become a self-fulfilling prophecy" (smotri_media), and asked why Ukraine — unlike Greenland under Denmark — is denied a "self-determination" option (smotri_media). He demanded the immediate release of Maduro and his wife (tass_rss) and said the West is overrepresented in the Security Council (sputnikserbia).

Lavrov Meets German Foreign Minister for First Time Since January 2022

The roughly 20-minute meeting with Johann Wadephul at the UN came at Berlin's request, with media access restricted and no questions permitted (rt_french_rss, rtde_live_rss); Wadephul refused to answer whether Germany would keep "fighting to the last Ukrainian" (rt_spanish_rss). Lavrov said he learned nothing new from the German minister's remarks and that Kiev has failed to prove it can be trusted (tass_rss). Wadephul separately said Putin's invitation to the G20 summit in Miami "must be used" to test whether Moscow is ready for serious talks (rtde_live_rss).

Putin: Russia Has "No Reason" to Attack Europe

Putin told journalists in St. Petersburg that Russia is not preparing military action against Europe: "We have no such plans. Most importantly, there is no reason to" — after European governments alleged Russian involvement in drone incidents; EU officials cited by AFP said intelligence services found no sign of a planned Russian attack on NATO members (1087968996).

Ukraine: 105 Drones Downed; MP Warns of Bankruptcy

Russia's military said air defenses downed 105 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones over the Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Oryol and Krasnodar regions, Crimea and the Black Sea between morning and evening (tass_rss). MP Oleksandr Dubinsky warned that human losses have multiplied by 2.5, the state is heading to bankruptcy and cannot pay its soldiers, calling further financial infusions futile (rt_french_rss). Trump said the conflict could be resolved before the European winter (sputnikbrasil).

Europe Braces for Energy Rationing

EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen warned energy ministers of an approaching crisis, with gas storage at about 70% — 12 percentage points below last year — urging governments to consider limiting gas and electricity demand, including possibly mandatory rationing (SolovievLive, rt_french_rss); proposed savings include switching off public lighting earlier (rtde_live_rss).

Europe Briefs

About 175,000 people protested the Merz government's social reform course in over a dozen German cities at the DGB unions' call (rtde_live_rss). Some 20,000 marched in Madrid in the second "March for Dignity" against the government's handling of the Ceuta migration crisis, demanding early elections (sputnikmundo, yt_france24es). Ten UK trade unions demanded London halt military cooperation with Saudi Arabia over Yemen ahead of Labour's conference (irna_1313), as pro-Palestine demonstrators rallied in Liverpool against UK arms sales (irna_1313); former UN diplomat Michael von der Schulenburg, now an MEP, said the EU "will not survive" the Ukraine conflict in its current form (rtde_live_rss).

🌍 NORTH AMERICA

Canada Sanctions Iran; Cuba Denounces Blockade at UNGA

Canada's FM Anita Anand told the General Assembly that Iran is "the principal threat to peace and security in its region," must never acquire a nuclear weapon, and announced targeted sanctions while condemning threats to navigation in Hormuz (tabzlive). Cuban FM Bruno Rodríguez called the US blockade "an act of collective punishment" (yt_telesurenglish), asking why a small developing nation is presented as a threat to the world's largest power (yt_lajornada); the US delegation walked out of the chamber as he spoke (yt_jpmas). Cuba said it is ready for dialogue with Washington provided its sovereignty is respected (sputnikglobe). China's Vice President Han Zheng demanded an immediate end to the blockade and sanctions on Cuba (yt_telesurenglish), rejected unilateral military actions (yt_telesurenglish), and backed Gaza reconstruction and a two-state solution with "Palestinians governing Palestine" (yt_telesurenglish).

US Briefs

Sputnik calculations based on FAO and Congressional Budget Office data found the roughly $40 billion the US has spent on military operations against Iran would have financed the fight against hunger in Africa for a year (sputnikmundo, sputnikvietnam). The Economist warned a US diesel export ban would be economically senseless — building domestic fuel stockpiles, cutting refinery output and raising gasoline and jet fuel prices at home and abroad (mehrnews).

🌍 SOUTH AMERICA

Sheinbaum: No Foreign Power Determines Mexico's Destiny

President Claudia Sheinbaum emphasized national sovereignty amid repeated US threats to deploy military forces to Mexico, ostensibly to fight cartels (sputnikmundo).

Brazil Campaign: Lula's "Red Tide" and the Rare Earths Battle

Hundreds of thousands filled Recife's Marco Zero square for a Lula campaign rally ahead of the October 4 election (rt_spanish_rss, yt_telesurenglish); Brazil's vast rare earths reserves have become a central campaign issue, with Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro split on extraction, domestic processing and the role of foreign firms (rt_spanish_rss).

🌍 CENTRAL ASIA

Afghan–Pakistan Border Clashes; Uzbekistan Receives Brazilian Airlifter

Heavy fighting between Taliban and Pakistani forces erupted at the Kharlashi crossing in Danda Patan, with both sides using heavy weapons (mehrnews). Uzbekistan became the first Central Asian operator of Embraer's C-390 Millennium transport aircraft (sputnikbrasil).

🌍 AFRICA

Ethiopia: New Fronts Near Tigré as Army Blames "External Parties"

New fronts have opened in northern Ethiopia and near the Tigré border; the chief of general staff pointed to the involvement of outside parties in inflaming the situation (rt_french_rss).

💬 NOTABLE QUOTES

"I'm rejecting their deal... We have total control of the Hormuz Strait. Massive amounts of oil are coming out of the Hormuz Strait." — Donald Trump, US President (tabzlive)

"Any ship that transits the Strait of Hormuz outside the route designated by Iran will not be safe." — Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi, Iranian Armed Forces spokesman (farsna)

"We consider the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, members of his family, and members of the Islamic Republic's military and political leadership an unacceptable act of coercive diktat." — Sergey Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister (tass_rss)

"Cuba is not a threat, the blockade is." — Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Cuban Foreign Minister (yt_lajornada)