According to a report from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre, a vessel 8nm east of Limah, Oman was struck by an unknown projectile as it traveled southbound away from the Strait of Hormuz. No casualties have been reported at this time. @_MartinKelly_ reported earlier that the vessel, a Nakilat Shipping Qatar Limited tanker, which was loaded, reported being struck in the engine room.

Based on position of the strike, it’s fair to assess that the vessel was traveling in the proposed Oman-International Maritime Organization (IMO) transit lanes and not the lanes proposed by Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA). This may have induced an Iranian strike, as Iran continues to maintain that their PGSA transit routes are the only viable option for commercial maritime traffic.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired at least two missiles earlier at a pair of commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, with both ships being hit and suffered significant damages, but no casualties, according to Axios’ Barak Ravid.

The U.S. State Department has published a statement responding to yesterday’s test launch of a nuclear-capable submarine-launched intercontinental ballistic missile towards the Southern Pacific Ocean by China, with the statement reading:

“The United States monitored China’s test launch from a submarine of an unarmed intercontinental-range ballistic missile, which landed in the Southern Pacific Ocean. At a time when the United States is working harder than ever to prevent nuclear proliferation, China is doing the opposite. Beijing’s rapid and opaque nuclear weapons buildup is of great concern to the region and the world. We continue to urge China to engage in meaningful arms control discussions and commit to a regularized notification arrangement for all intercontinental-range ballistic missile and space launches consistent with commitments made by all other P5 members. The United States remains steadfast in our defense commitments to our allies and partners.”

U.S. President Donald J. Trump boarded Air Force One just earlier to leave for Ankara, Turkey for the much anticipated NATO summit. In the weeks and days working up to the summit, European leaders, have been keen to highlight new defense commitments and financing frameworks, as President Trump has long pushed the NATO alliance to increase burdensharing and defense spending. Most recently, today, the UK, Finland, the Netherlands, and Poland announced a new Multilateral Defense Mechanism that is meant to “accelerate defense investment, stimulate joint procurement, and aggregate demand in critical defence capabilities, with the ultimate objective of meeting the military needs of like-minded allies.”

The U.S. Men’s Soccer National Team is now out of the World Cup after losing to Belgium 1-4.

Several explosive devices detonated this morning in the Syrian capital of Damascus, close to the Four Season Hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron is currently staying, resulting in injuries to at least 18 people though no fatalities, according to Syria’s Interior Ministry. Macron was not present at the hotel when the blasts occurred, instead being at the Presidential Palace for a meeting with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa.