As part of Operation Economic Outcast against Iran, the U.S. Treasury Office of Foreign Asset Control sanctioned VTB Bank, Russia's second largest bank, under the Iran sanctions program.

VTB was already under extensive U.S. sanctions over Russia's war in Ukraine. Treasury now says the bank has helped Iran evade sanctions by establishing relationships with sanctioned Iranian banks, expanding operations in Tehran and creating financial channels for Russia-Iran trade. Treasury also says VTB helped move billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets.

President Donald J. Trump just made a lengthy post about the U.S. Supreme Court in a Truth Social post this morning, calling several of its recent decisions “horrible,” “destructive,” and potentially devastating to the country.

President Trump criticized the Court over rulings involving mail in voting, tariffs and birthright citizenship, arguing that the justices have repeatedly failed to support his administration and accusing some members of being intimidated by Democrats.

He specifically praised Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito for dissenting from the Court’s decision on mail in voting, while accusing the broader Court of issuing rulings that could cost the United States “trillions and trillions of dollars” and set the country back “at least a hundred years.”

Trump concluded by saying that criticizing the Court would “likely cost me dearly for years to come,” but that he considered it his “obligation and duty” as president to do so.

According to a report from WHRO, 90 sailors who were aboard the USS Kearsarge (LHD-3), including the ship's commanding officer, had their vehicles towed from a parking lot at Pier 14 on Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia as the base Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) office prepared for a concert while they were underway at the end of August.

“Naval Station Norfolk personnel also discussed the parking restrictions with USS Kearsarge security personnel and specifically identified the areas where vehicles could not be parked. Barriers were placed in the affected parking area in advance of the event in the restricted parking as well", according to Kelly Wirfel, a base spokesperson.

The report states that sailors did not have to pay the $180 impound fee.

Source: https://www.whro.org/military-veterans/2026-09-14/dozens-of-sailors-cars-were-impounded-on-naval-station-norfolk-while-they-were-at-sea

The new granite helipad on the White House South Lawn is now complete, paving the way for the U.S. Marine Corps’ VH-92A "Patriot" to routinely operate as "Marine One" from the White House grounds.

The VH-92A had seen limited use for White House arrivals and departures because its downward directed exhaust can generate enough heat to scorch or damage the South Lawn. The Marine Corps had therefore continued using the older VH-3D helicopter for South Lawn operations.

President Donald J. Trump approved construction of the permanent landing pad, with Sikorsky, the VH-92A manufacturer and a Lockheed Martin subsidiary, providing approximately $5 million to fund the project.

The VH-92A is intended to replace the legacy presidential helicopter fleet and provide the president with secure presidential airlift for both routine and contingency operations.

This image was posted to President Trump's Truth Social page yesterday.

Video purporting to show the Panama flagged, Qatar owned oil tanker El Gaia with black smoke rising from its superstructure is circulating online following an apparent attack on the vessel near Oman on September 13.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed the tanker struck a naval mine while making what it described as an unauthorized transit. That account has been disputed by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which says the vessel was previously struck by an Iranian missile and was later attacked by an Iranian drone while off the coast of Oman.

The available video does not appear to show obvious hull damage consistent with a mine explosion.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that 13 of the 14 Indian crew members aboard were rescued, with one Indian national remaining missing. Oman has since reported that 23 crew members were evacuated from the tanker, while search operations continue for two missing crew members. The vessel is being towed toward Oman.

Senior military commanders from the U.S., Israel and eight Arab countries secretly met in Germany last week to discuss the war with Iran and the broader regional security situation.

Axios reports the meeting, organized by CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper, included the military chiefs of Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Egypt.

It was the first such gathering since the U.S. and Israel went to war with Iran more than six months ago, and brought together Israeli and Arab military leaders from countries that in some cases still have no diplomatic relations.

Cooper reportedly reassured the group that the U.S. will maintain its military presence in the region and briefed them on plans to expand protected shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

The meeting also comes as the Houthis escalate attacks on Saudi Arabia and threaten the Bab al-Mandab. Axios reports Israel, Saudi Arabia and CENTCOM are discussing possible Israeli ISR support for Saudi operations against the Houthis.

Source: https://www.axios.com/2026/09/15/military-commanders-us-israel-arab-countries-iran-meeting-germany

According to U.S. Central Command, since the resumption of the U.S. blockade of vessels traveling to and from Iran, 103 vessels have been redirected.

The FBI arrested a 21-year-old Pennsylvania man allegedly preparing for an ISIS inspired mass casualty attack, according to the Justice Department.

Federal prosecutors say Jonathan Hunter Kramer had been investigated previously for a mass-casualty plot and, after his release from juvenile detention in March, resumed extremist activity online. Investigators say he claimed affiliation with ISIS, discussed explosive manuals and said he was preparing for a “mission” but needed a weapon.

The FBI arrested Kramer on Sept. 12 after observing him obtain a disposable phone, acquire a long black bag and visit a sporting-goods store's gun counter.

Searches allegedly recovered a semiautomatic rifle, five magazines, 190 rounds of ammunition, a bipod and scope, an entrenchment tool, pepper spray and approximately 30 knives.

He faces a federal charge for receiving a firearm or ammunition knowing or having reason to believe it would be used in a federal crime of terrorism. Prosecutors are seeking detention without bond.

A new Congressional Budget Office report on the costs of Operation Epic Fury was released today, and it contains a notable table detailing U.S. battle losses.

The table lists the loss of two KC-135 Stratotankers and one F-35A.

To date, the Department of War has publicly acknowledged the loss of only one KC-135, which was destroyed in a crash over western Iraq. The Department has also acknowledged that multiple KC-135s were damaged during an Iranian strike on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.

The inclusion of an F-35A in the CBO's battle-loss table also appears to confirm the first combat loss of an F-35.

Amidst ongoing reciprocal Saudi-Yemeni Government-Houthi strikes, as operations on the ground continue, a member of the Houthis’ political establishment has posted a singular word, “F15,” sparking speculation that a Saudi F-15 may have been engaged and/or shot down.

The U.S. fired 70+ high end air defense interceptors during Iran's latest ballistic missile attack on Jordan, some of which was captured in the video below.

The Wall Street Journal reports the U.S. fired 60–70 Patriots and more than a dozen THAAD interceptors against roughly 20 Iranian ballistic missiles. Iran used increasingly complex warheads designed to release multiple projectiles near their targets, and some missiles still struck aircraft at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base.

The expenditure comes after the U.S. had already fired roughly 1,700 Patriots, 200 THAADs and 150 naval Standard Missiles by mid-July.

The Pentagon says claims that U.S. interceptor stocks are depleted are false. But a new DoD inspector general report found that the war has produced strategic inventory shortfalls and exposed industrial-base bottlenecks in munition resupply.

Source: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/the-u-s-is-burning-through-its-supply-of-interceptors-to-counter-irans-attacks-f42c5ecd?st=5gnMfa

Reuters reports that U.S. officials held a previously undisclosed meeting with senior Houthi representatives in Oman over the weekend, just days after the Houthis seized effective control of Yemen’s Red Sea coastline and Perim Island in the Bab al-Mandeb.

The meeting took place at the U.S. Embassy in Muscat and was facilitated by Oman, according to five sources. The Houthi delegation reportedly included senior officials Mohammed Abdulsalam and Abdelmalik al-Ajri.

According to two sources, the Houthis told U.S. officials they do not intend to attack American vessels and remain committed to the 2025 U.S.-Houthi ceasefire. One source said the Houthis also said they would not target Israeli ships or commercial vessels, with the exception of Saudi vessels.

The meeting comes as Saudi Arabia seeks greater U.S. involvement against the Houthis. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly asked President Trump last week for U.S. military support as Houthi forces advanced along the Red Sea coast. Washington has so far declined to directly enter the fighting.

Reuters says the State Department did not confirm the meeting, but reiterated that protecting freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and preventing terrorism from spreading remain U.S. interests.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-officials-met-iran-backed-houthis-oman-over-weekend-sources-say-2026-09-16/

According to the Saudi Ministry of Defense, yesterday, the Houthis targeted the city of Mecca, a holy city within Saudi Arabia. Per the release, the drone was intercepted outside of city limits to the south of the city. A number of nations, including Pakistan and Bangladesh, have decried the move.

According to a release from U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), at the direction of SOUTHCOM, Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere (JTF-WHEM) conducted an operation where they interdicted a vessel in the Eastern Pacific Ocean that was being used by the narco terrorist organization, Los Choneros, as a floating refueling station. The station was in direct support of illicit at-sea drug trafficking operations. After apprehending the individuals on board and turning them over to Ecuadorian authorities, the vessel was destroyed.

Federal prosecutors and David J. Rush’s defense attorneys have been granted a third and final 21 day delay in indicting him, moving the deadline from Sept. 17 to Oct. 8, 2026, as the parties say they have made significant progress toward a plea agreement in principle.

The case involves classified information, and prosecutors say additional time is needed to prepare an agreed statement of facts, review classified discovery and obtain approvals from other government agencies. The parties also say an indictment and trial would likely require significant litigation over classified material, while resolving the case before indictment would conserve government and judicial resources. Rush has agreed to waive Speedy Trial Act objections during the extension.

Rush is currently charged with one count of theft of government money, but the filing makes clear that the government has been discussing the investigation and “likely criminal charges” with the defense. The filing does not specify what additional charges could ultimately appear in an indictment.

For background, Rush was a CIA officer who came under investigation by the agency before an FBI raid reportedly uncovered approximately $40 million in gold, $2 million in cash and dozens of luxury watches. The investigation allegedly found that Rush had invented an operation that gave him access to the gold and cash, embellished his résumé and claimed military leave during periods when he was not serving in the military. Those allegations led to the current theft charge.

The latest filing indicates that, rather than proceeding immediately to an indictment, the government and defense are working toward resolving the case before one is filed.

According to a new report from Fox News’ Trey Yingst, a U.S. contracted vessel carrying “U.S. personnel” was struck during an Iranian attack earlier this week near the Strait of Hormuz.

Yingst reports that the vessel was targeted with at least four drones and one missile, resulting in minor injuries among those aboard.