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Russian Army Advances 19 Kilometers Into Ukrainian Defenses in Huliaipole

30 October 2026 at 21:05

File image.

In the Zaporozhye sector Russian forces are intensifying pressure in Orikhiv, advancing towards the mouth of the Konka River and expanding their penetration in the Huliaipole direction. In the Kupyansk direction Russian units continue positional fighting and are gradually forcing Ukrainian forces back along the Velyka Shapkovka–Palamarevka line. In the Slavyansk direction Ukrainian units are counter-attacking from the Kramatorsk area in an attempt to dislodge Russian forces from Vasyutino, while in Dibrova Russian assault groups have advanced into the western part of the settlement. In the Sumy direction aviation, artillery and drone crews of the “North” grouping are increasing the intensity of their strikes in support of assault groups near Khotyn, Velyka Rybitsa and Korenok. In the Kharkiv direction Russian assault units are maintaining a high rate of advance, fighting near Prykolotne, Malyi Burluk and Buhaivka. The US State Department has approved the potential sale to Ukraine of 500 PAC-3 MSE air-defence missiles for Patriot systems, valued at approximately $2.1 billion and financed by Canada, Germany, Norway and an EU credit line, without the use of US budget funds.

Kupyansk Direction

In the Kupyansk direction fighting remains predominantly positional. Russian units have achieved tactical successes along the Velyka Shapkovka–Palamarevka line. Troops are gradually forcing Ukrainian forces back on the sector from Velyka Shapkovka to Blahodatovka. In Kupyansk clearance operations continue, together with the detection of groups attempting to infiltrate from the direction of Osynovo. In the Hlushkivka area the pocket and Ukrainian fortifications are being cleared.

On the southern flank of the direction, positional fighting continues in the Bohuslavka and Borovska Andriivka area. The sector is complicated by a large number of fortified bunkers belonging to Ukrainian units situated along the main logistical routes, which allow the Ukrainian side to carry out rotations. Russian drone operators are conducting reconnaissance during which they identify and destroy groups of Ukrainian personnel, robotic systems and vehicles.

Slavyansk Direction

Ukrainian units are mainly counter-attacking, relying on Kramatorsk. They are attempting to drive Russian units out of the Vasyutino area, where extremely fierce fighting is under way. Using Orekhovets as a base, the Ukrainian side is attacking in the Raiska Sloboda area in an effort to drive a wedge towards Kalenyky and cut off the salient near Kryva Luka. These attempts have so far produced no result.

In the Krasnyi Lyman direction, in the sector of the 25th Army, heavy meeting engagements continue. Ukrainian units are attempting to infiltrate into Yampil along the Siverskyi Donets river floodplain in the Ozerne area. In the Krasnyi Lyman direction, in Dibrova, Russian units have succeeded in capturing a number of new positions and advancing into the western part of the settlement. On individual sectors the advance has reached up to one kilometer. In the forests east of Krasnyi Lyman the greater part of the woodland remains under Russian control. In Krasnyi Lyman itself fighting is taking place in the central and southern districts of the town.

Sumy Direction

Russian aviation, drone crews and artillery of the “North” grouping are increasing the intensity of strikes against concentrations of Ukrainian personnel and equipment in support of the advance of assault groups. The Ukrainian side is attempting to transfer reserves covertly from other directions. The 74th Separate Reconnaissance Battalion of the Ukrainian forces has been redeployed from the Donetsk People’s Republic to Sumy region in order to intensify diversionary activity.

In the Sumy district assault groups of the “Northerners” are conducting small-arms fighting in the Khotyn and Velyka Rybitsa area. In the Shostka district Russian assault troops have advanced approximately 100 meters in the Korenok area. In the Krasnopillia district drone crews and artillery of the “Northerners” have continued to dismantle Ukrainian positions in the Novodmytrivka area.

Kharkiv Direction

Assault units of the “North” grouping are maintaining a high rate of advance on the attack sectors. The Ukrainian side has not undertaken active operations and is offering fierce resistance in defense.

Russian Aerospace Forces aviation and drone crews have struck concentrations of Ukrainian personnel and equipment in the areas of Kharkiv, Velykyi Burluk, Odnorobivka, Buhaivka, Kurhane, Rubezhne, Shevchenkove Pershe, Berezhne, Podsrednie, Vodiane, Kolodezne, Lebedyn, Derhachi, Martove, Shovkopliasy and Moskalevka. In the Lyptsi direction Russian troops have advanced on three sectors in the Nova Kozacha area. On the Vovchansk and Velykyi Burluk directions heavy fighting continues in the Prykolotne and Malyi Burluk area. There have also been advances in the Buhaivka area. Overall progress has reached up to 700 meters.

Zaporozhye Direction

On the western flank of the Zaporozhye direction local clashes continue in the Prymorske and Stepnohirsk area. In Orikhiv itself stubborn fighting is under way, so far without significant changes to the line on the ground. Russian units are intensifying pressure. West of Orikhiv the “Dnepr” grouping continues its advance northwards towards the mouth of the Konka River. Gradual progress is being made. In the Prymorske area Russian groups have already reached the mouth of the Konka.

In Preobrazhenka fighting is taking place with Ukrainian special-forces units. In the Mykilske and Krasnyi Yar area units of the 5th Army are operating. Further south, near Omelnyk, the 35th Army is active. They are co-operating with the “Dnepr” grouping in the envelopment of the Orikhiv grouping. Russian troops have penetrated Ukrainian defenses to a depth of up to 19 kilometers in the Huliaipole direction. The greatest successes have been achieved north-east of Mala Tokmachka, where the main forces have advanced 2.5 kilometers. Russian units are already present in the area of Charivne, south-east of Krasna Krynytsia and even near Omelnyk.

In the direction of Vozdvizhivka Russian units have advanced approximately four kilometers, reaching the southern outskirts of the village. In their assessment, Russian forces have identified a weak sector between Mala Tokmachka and Huliaipole. On the eastern flank Russian forces are attempting to break through the defenses in the Omelnyk area. Reports from the ground indicate that west of Chervonyi Yar, Mykilske and Novosoloshyno Ukrainian units have been driven out of a number of strongpoints.

Conclusion

In the Kupyansk direction Russian units are methodically improving their tactical position along the Velyka Shapkovka–Palamarevka line, while clearance operations continue in Kupyansk and the Hlushkivka area. In the Slavyansk direction Ukrainian counter-attacks from the Kramatorsk and Raiska Slaboda areas have produced no decisive result, while in Dibrova Russian forces are expanding their control and advancing into the western part of the settlement. In the Sumy region strikes by aviation, artillery and drones are combined with the actions of assault groups near Khotyn, Velyka Rybitsa and Korenok; the Ukrainian side is intensifying diversionary activity with a redeployed reconnaissance battalion. In the Kharkiv direction Russian assault units are maintaining their rate of advance, employing aviation and drone strikes and developing success near Nova Kozacha, Prykolotne, Malyi Burluk and Buhaivka. On the Zaporozhye front Russian forces are increasing pressure in Orikhiv and on the approaches to the mouth of the Konka, expanding their penetration in the Huliaipole direction and creating threats to the supply lines of the Ukrainian grouping.

Particular attention is warranted by the US State Department’s decision to approve the potential sale to Ukraine of 500 PAC-3 MSE air-defense missiles for Patriot systems. According to the press release, the estimated total value of the transaction is approximately $2.1 billion and is being financed entirely by partners and allies. In addition to the missiles themselves, Kyiv has requested spare parts for the PAC-3 MSE as well as related logistics and software support. Payment is to be covered by contributions from Canada, Germany and Norway under the JUMPSTART initiative, together with national funds allocated under the European Union credit line, without the use of US budget resources.

Last week, however, the Axios portal reported that Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a conversation with American senators, complained of an almost complete absence of ammunition for Patriot air-defense systems. According to him, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth has allegedly withheld approval for the delivery of interceptor missiles.

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Houthi Footage Shows Saudi-Backed Forces Routed, Weapons Captured in Al-Jawf

30 October 2026 at 18:24

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The Houthis (Ansar Allah) released video footage on October 30 showing their fighters repelling an attack by Saudi-backed forces east of Yemen’s al-Jawf province.

Houthi fighters targeted the attackers with various heavy weapons, including anti-tank guided missiles and first-person-view suicide drones.

Several vehicles, including armored bulldozers and pickup trucks armed with heavy machine guns, were seen burning in the video after being struck. The footage also showed successive explosions following a strike on a vehicle carrying weapons and military equipment.

The Houthis revealed that the failed advance attempt by Saudi-backed forces was commanded by senior Saudi officer Fares al-Shammari.

In an intelligence report released earlier in the day, the Houthis identified al-Shammari as the officer overseeing a Saudi military advanced operational base in Marib province. The report details Saudi Arabia’s command-and-control structure in Yemen.

The footage also showed Houthi fighters taking control of abandoned military vehicles and seizing quantities of light and medium weapons.

Other scenes from the footage showed Saudi-backed forces attempting to evacuate their dead and wounded. The Houthis noted that their fighters allowed the evacuation to proceed so that wounded enemy personnel could receive medical treatment.

No casualty figures were provided, but the group claimed the operation resulted in heavy losses in personnel and equipment and prevented the attacking forces from achieving their objectives.

The attack, like many other recent advance attempts by Saudi-backed forces in al-Jawf and Marib, was likely meant to distract the Houthis, who continue to make gains in Taiz and Lahij. These attempts appear to be making the situation even worse for the kingdom and its allies in Yemen.

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Explosion Rocks Spanish Ammunition Factory Supplying Ukraine (Videos)

30 October 2026 at 15:49

Click to see full-size image. (X)

A powerful explosion rocked an ammunition factory in southern Spain on October 30, injuring three workers and sending a large plume of smoke into the sky above the city of Granada.

The plant produces ammunition and missile components for Ukraine, making the incident the latest in a series of explosions and fires to hit European facilities linked to Kyiv’s arms supply chain.

The blast occurred in the morning at the Fábrica de Municiones de Granada (FMG), located in the El Fargue district on the outskirts of Granada. The blast was heard in nearby towns, including Fuente Vaqueros and La Zubia.

The regional emergency service said three workers, aged 40, 51 and 58, suffered minor hearing injuries and were taken to the Hospital Virgen de las Nieves for evaluation. Spain’s Civil Guard, National Police, firefighters, medical teams and bomb-disposal specialists were dispatched to the facility.

The Spanish trade union UGT state that a routine test was apparently being conducted at the factory when something went wrong.

“The site was cordoned off and there were no people nearby,” the union said, according to Spanish news agency EFE.

The factory’s owner, Czechoslovak Group (CSG), said the explosion occurred in its demilitarization area, which is used to dispose of old, damaged or unusable ammunition. The company added that the area was located at a safe distance from production facilities and civilian property, noting that workers had been evacuated and emergency protocols activated.

CSG also said there was no damage to production facilities or nearby civilian property and that the incident was not expected to have a long-term impact on operations.

The Granada facility has been producing ammunition of various calibers and missile components for Ukraine since the start of the Russian special military operation, according to Ukrainian media.

The facility is owned by Slovakia’s MSM Group, part of CSG, which is one of the main industrial participants in the Czech-led ammunition initiative for Ukraine. The program has delivered millions of artillery shells to Ukrainian forces since its launch in early 2024.

The explosion was the latest in a series of incidents at other European ammunition facilities supplying or supporting Ukraine. On August 13, a powerful explosion and fire struck a KNDS Ammo Italy factory in Colleferro near the Italian capital, Rome. The facility produces 155 mm artillery shells supplied to Ukraine through European partners. No injuries were reported.

In Bulgaria, explosions and fires struck ammunition facilities operated by arms manufacturer EMCO on August 10 and September 11-12. The September incident triggered an investigation into possible sabotage, although Bulgarian authorities had not established its cause.

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Houthis Expose Saudi Commanders in Yemen, Threaten Targeted Attacks

30 October 2026 at 13:58

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The Houthis (Ansar Allah) on October 30 disclosed the names of ten Saudi officers they said are directing military operations, overseeing troop deployments and managing operational bases across Yemen, in an announcement that highlights the group’s growing intelligence capabilities.

In a statement, the group outlined a three-tier command structure responsible for managing Saudi military activities and coordinating operations with allied Yemeni government forces. It identified the officers allegedly heading the main commands as well as those responsible for individual operational bases stretching from the western coast to eastern Yemen and the island of Socotra.

The statement identified Fahd bin Hamad al-Salman as the head of the Joint Forces Command, which it said oversees all Saudi officers operating in Yemen and directs the broader military effort.

Ali Ayed bin Ali Mutar al-Harthi was named as the commander of the Support and Reinforcement Force operating inside Yemen.

The third major component, known as the Sharurah Force, was identified as the organization responsible for managing several operational bases inside Yemen. The statement named Abdullah bin Fahd al-Suhaili as its commander.

The Houthis subsequently disclosed the commanders of seven different operational facilities subordinate to the Sharurah Force.

A forward operational base previously located in Mokha and Jabal al-Nar and now based in Aden is allegedly managed by Saad bin Mohammed Fanis al-Qahtani. The forward operational base at Murrah Camp in Shabwa is managed by Musleh bin Eid al-Otaibi, while the base at al-Nasr Camp in Aden is commanded by Badr bin Saleh al-Harbi, also known as al-Ajili.

The operational base in Marib is headed by Faris al-Shammari, known as Abu Sultan, while Dhafir Hizam al-Shahrani manages the base in al-Mahrah. Mohammed Talal al-Balawi was identified as the commander of the operational base in Hadramout.

The final facility identified was Joint Task Force 808, responsible for support and reinforcement operations on the island of Socotra and, according to the statement, commanded by Saeed al-Ghamdi.

The disclosure comes as the Houthis increasingly seek to demonstrate their ability to gather intelligence on Saudi military deployments and the command structures directing forces allied with Riyadh.

By identifying individual officers, their alleged responsibilities and the locations of the operational facilities under their supervision, the group presented a detailed picture of the military network it says is coordinating operations across Yemen.

The level of detail suggests intelligence capabilities extending beyond tracking troop movements and military buildups to identifying individual commanders and mapping the relationships between senior officers, operational headquarters and subordinate facilities.

Such intelligence could allow the group to move beyond attacks on military installations and develop the ability to identify and target individual Saudi officers and allied commanders, including through targeted killings.

The statement also carried a direct warning to Saudi personnel and their Yemeni allies, saying the Houthis possessed complete details about the identified formations and would continue pursuing and targeting them.

“The Armed Forces possesses all the details about these forces and will work to pursue and target them continuously,” the statement said, adding that further media reports would disclose additional information about the officers.

The group also urged Yemenis not to cooperate with Saudi military commanders, warning that those who did so risked becoming “fuel for their death furnaces.” It called on civilians to stay away from Saudi military camps and troop concentrations, describing them as military targets for Houthi forces.

Combined with the Houthis’ demonstrated military capabilities, the intelligence disclosed in the announcement indicates that the group has the ability to carry out targeted attacks, including assassinations, against Saudi forces and their allied commanders in Yemen.

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Russian Drones Destroy 28 Ukrainian Armed Robots in Failed Assault on Lyman (Video)

30 October 2026 at 13:11

File image.

Ukraine’s 3rd Army Corps launched a large assault involving 28 armed and explosive-laden unmanned ground vehicles in the Lyman direction in Donetsk region, but the Russian military repelled the attack and wiped out all the robotic platforms.

The assault involved three types of ground vehicles. Two vehicles were equipped with automatic grenade launchers, 18 carried rocket-propelled grenades, and eight were loaded with explosive charges for one-way kamikaze attacks.

Russia’s 3rd Motor Rifle Division stopped the assault using first-person-view (FPV) suicide drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with grenade-dropping mechanisms. It said all 28 ground robots were destroyed before they could accomplish their objectives.

The precise location and date of the failed drone assault were not disclosed by the division, which shared footage of the battle.

The operation highlights Ukraine’s expanding reliance on unmanned ground vehicles to compensate for a shortage of troops.

Rather than relying exclusively on conventional assault groups, Kyiv forces have increasingly experimented with remotely operated platforms carrying explosives and weapons to attack fortified positions.

However, the reported failure also illustrates the limitations of the technology. Despite deploying a relatively large number of armed ground vehicles in a coordinated assault, Kyiv forces were unable to overcome Russian defenses without direct human involvement on the battlefield.

The systems remain vulnerable to aerial surveillance and attack drones, which can intercept them before they reach their targets.

The Russian response also points to the growing adaptation of Russian drone units to the threat posed by armed ground robots.

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Kim Jong Un Vows ‘Absolute Superiority’ in Drones as North Korea Unveils New Arsenal (Photos)

30 October 2026 at 11:50

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called for the country to achieve “absolute superiority” in drone technology, declaring unmanned weapons and artificial intelligence (AI) central to modern warfare as Pyongyang showcased an expanding arsenal of drones, cruise missiles and multiple rocket launchers.

Kim made the remarks during an exhibition and weapons demonstration of unmanned aeronautical technology, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on October 29.

The event featured tactical suicide attack drones, tactical cruise missiles, multipurpose drones and a battalion of 600 mm multiple rocket launchers.

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

Pursuing superiority in drone technology was “an indispensable option” given the changing nature of modern warfare, Kim said, according to KCNA. The leader also called for the use of advanced AI in unmanned weapons systems to become a top priority in building the country’s modern armed forces.

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

The exhibition came as North Korea increasingly incorporates drones and AI into its military modernization efforts, drawing lessons from Ukraine and other recent conflicts.

KCNA photographs showed Kim inspecting rows of unmanned aerial vehicles alongside senior military officials. Other images depicted a drone crashing into a military vehicle positioned on a hillside and exploding in a ball of flame as part of the weapons demonstration.

South Korea’s military said a day earlier that North Korea had fired around 10 projectiles, including short-range ballistic missiles.

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

The display also offered a glimpse of several weapons that could significantly expand North Korea’s drone capabilities. State media showed for the first time a tailless, flying-wing stealth drone. Other photographs depicted racks of fiber-optic-guided first-person-view attack drones and loitering munitions resembling the U.S. Switchblade 600.

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

Mock targets resembling South Korean-made K9 self-propelled howitzers, American-made M1 Abrams main battle tanks and radars suggested that the weapons were designed for use against South Korean and U.S. forces.

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

Click to see full-size image. (Korean Central News Agency)

Kim has repeatedly called for expanding the military’s drone capabilities. In November 2024, he ordered the mass production of suicide attack drones, followed by tests of AI-equipped versions in March 2025. He subsequently identified AI as a top priority for weapons modernization in September of the same year.

North Korea’s military has also gained battlefield experience through its participation in defensive actions in the Russian special military operation.

The exhibition came amid deteriorating relations between the two Koreas. Seoul has vowed to respond firmly to what it considers North Korean violations of the military border, while Pyongyang has condemned joint South Korean-U.S. air defense drills.

North Korea’s Defense Ministry said the exercises were increasing tensions on the peninsula and warned that there was “no limit” to its options for maintaining a strong deterrent posture, KCNA reported.

Tensions have also risen following a landmine explosion inside the Demilitarized Zone last month that seriously wounded several South Korean soldiers. Seoul blamed a North Korean mine, an accusation Pyongyang denied. Earlier in October, Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, said North Korea would activate anti-South Korean propaganda loudspeakers along the countries’ entire border by the end of the month.

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Iran Turns to Hull-Mounted Explosives in New Tactic Against Tankers in Hormuz

30 October 2026 at 09:27

File image.

A tanker caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after a small boat approached the vessel and attached two explosive devices directly to its hull, temporarily disabling it in an attack that marked a departure from previous strikes on commercial shipping in the waterway.

The attack occurred on October 29, approximately 25 nautical miles northeast of the port city of Khasab in Oman, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency.

UKMTO said the tanker was approached on its port side by a small boat that attached two explosive devices above the waterline before departing.

Maritime security firm Vanguard Tech identified the vessel as the Panama-flagged Louise 1, a 159,092-deadweight-ton tanker owned by Panama-based Aquarius Maritime Ventures.

“The subsequent blasts resulted in a fire in the engine room which temporarily disabled the vessel. The fire is now reported as extinguished and vessel is continuing to its next port of call,” UKMTO said, noting that all crew members were safe.

The method differs from previous Iranian attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, which have mainly involved anti-ship missiles and one-way attack drones.

The incident was the latest in a series of maritime security emergencies reported on October 29. Earlier in the day, UKMTO received a report from a company’s security officer that another tanker had been struck by an unidentified projectile while completing an outbound transit of the strait.

An even earlier vessel-fire report by the agency was subsequently attributed to a regional trading dhow that caught fire, listed and sank.

“Regional authorities have identified the vessel as a dhow, which was involved in a maritime security incident, igniting a large fire onboard causing the dhow to list and sink. Local authorities have confirmed that the crew have been safely evacuated,” UKMTO said.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said three oil tankers had exploded and caught fire after striking naval mines while attempting to pass through what Tehran described as the unauthorized southern route of the strait.

The Corps said in a statement the vessels had “switched off all their radar and navigation systems” and ignored warnings from Iranian forces before hitting the mines.

Iran’s regular army subsequently announced that a fourth tanker had struck mines east of the strait while operating in what it described as a “restricted and dangerous area.”

The developments come as the United States maintains that its forces have cleared the internationally recognized primary shipping routes of naval mines.

IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebi challenged that assertion earlier in the week, writing on X: “Prove your Hormuz mine-clearing claim with independent evidence, not statements!”

The International Maritime Organization recorded 34 confirmed attacks on vessels between September 28 and October 27, most of them in the Strait of Hormuz.

Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remained severely restricted on October 30, with AIS-based tracking recording just five commercial vessel crossings by the morning, compared with a pre-crisis average of approximately 85 per day.

Eight vessels had crossed in the preceding 24 hours, while 497 ships were waiting outside the strait and another 163 were stationary inside the Gulf.

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U.S. Strikes on Iranian Missile Sites Reported Amid Fighter Jet Confrontation (Photos)

30 October 2026 at 08:19

Click to see full-size image.

Axios correspondent Barak Ravid on October 30 deleted a post reporting that the United States carried out what he described as “self-defense strikes” against missile-launch sites in southern Iran, as Iranian media reported an encounter between the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and a hostile fighter jet near the Strait of Hormuz.

Ravid also stated that the U.S. has been carrying out such attacks since last week. He did not, however, publicly explain why he deleted the post.

Separately, Iran’s Tasnim and Mehr news agencies reported that the IRGC Aerospace Force intercepted a hostile fighter jet near Qeshm Island and forced it to withdraw from the area.

Neither agency identified the aircraft’s nationality or model, and no details were provided about whether it sustained damage.

Click to see full-size image.

Iran’s Fars News Agency separately reported explosions near Qeshm and Sirik overnight, while the official IRNA news agency reported that residents of Qeshm had heard explosions and observed flashes in the sky and over surrounding waters.

Local sources cited by IRNA said air defense systems on the island had been activated. The agency also suggested that some of the sounds could have been warning shots fired at vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

Click to see full-size image.

The developments come amid growing preparations for a possible resumption of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. Axios reported earlier in the week that Washington and Israel were coordinating plans for a week-long bombing campaign targeting Iranian leadership, energy facilities and nuclear infrastructure. The Associated Press separately reported that Washington had warned regional allies to prepare for renewed strikes and Iranian retaliation.

More recently, The Wall Street Journal reported that the commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East briefed President Donald Trump at the White House on military options for Iran.

Taken together with recent developments, the reports suggest that renewed attacks could begin in the days following the November 3 U.S. midterm elections.

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