Part II: The Sour Crude Problem: How Long Can the Salt Caverns Keep Bridging the Gap? https://sonar21.com/part-ii-the-sour-crude-problem-how-long-can-the-salt-caverns-keep-bridging-the-gap/

US has started bombing Iran

—❗️🇺🇸/🇮🇷 NEW: Iranian special forces are currently deploying mines in the Oman-designated shipping lane

@Middle_East_Spectator

—❗️🇺🇸/🇮🇷 UPDATE: The ship was hit and sustained heavy damage

@Middle_East_Spectator

Iran Attacks Ship, Closes Hormuz

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy announced late on July 11 that the Strait of Hormuz had been closed until further notice, accusing foreign powers of interfering with shipping routes in the strategic waterway.

In a statement, the IRGC said one commercial ship was struck by a warning shot after ignoring orders to change course, adding that any further United States or allied action in response would face a "severe" retaliation.

Axios correspondent Barak Ravid confirmed on X, citing a U.S. official, that the IRGC fired missiles at commercial ships attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The official said the ships were hit and suffered damage.

Read more HERE

❗️The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says "in our previous statement, we made it clear that foreign interference and the unlawful designation of shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz would be met with a firm response and would disrupt the increasing flow of maritime traffic through the strait."

It added that a few hours ago "these warnings were ignored" and that "encouraged by foreign actors, several vessels attempted to navigate through an unauthorized route and disregarded our warnings and instructions to correct their course and proceed via the approved shipping lane."

"As a result, one vessel that had switched off its onboard tracking systems, thereby endangering maritime safety, was struck by a warning shot and brought to a halt," the statement went on to say.

The IRGC warned that "if the aggressor uses this incident—which it itself caused—as a pretext for further hostile action against us, it will be met with a forceful response, and additional enemy bases in the region will be targeted."

The IRGC statement stressed that "consequences of such interference rest with the US-Zionist enemy and with the countries that have allowed their territory to be used [by the enemy]" for attacks on Iran.

BREAKING | Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announces that "the Strait of Hormuz has been completely closed until further notice," adding that "US intervention has come to an end, and no ships will be allowed to pass."

—❗️🇺🇸/🇧🇭/🇮🇷 NEW: HIMARS launches from Bahrain towards Iran

@Middle_East_Spectator

—❗️🇺🇸/🇮🇷/🇧🇭 WATCH: More footage of the HIMARS launches from Bahrain

@Middle_East_Spectator

🇮🇹🇷🇺🇺🇦 A Russian spy network has been uncovered in Italy, gathering information on the supply of air defense systems to Ukraine.

Italian investigators reported the discovery of a suspected spy network in Rome, in which Russia tasked one of its spies in Europe with gathering more information on the air defense systems that Western countries are supplying to Ukraine.

Police, who were intercepting the communications of a suspected Russian military intelligence agent, reported hearing him demand information on systems such as the European SAMP/T and the "Michelangelo Dome," an air defense system developed by the Italian company Leonardo, which is scheduled to be tested in Ukraine in November.

The Russian citizen was under surveillance while meeting with Gavino Piras, a former Italian intelligence agent, who was arrested this week along with another former Italian intelligence agent.

Piras is accused of using cash provided by Russian official Mikhail Astakov to recruit informants within the Italian armed forces, who then passed confidential information to him at Astakov's request. Five alleged informants are under investigation.

In response to an inquiry about the European Samp-T air defense system, which Italy and France have supplied to Ukraine, Piras provided details about a battery and answered questions about the MBDA CAMM-ER anti-aircraft missile, the production of which is being negotiated by Ukraine.

In one of the notes sent in September 2025, information was requested on a range of topics, including "the effectiveness of attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, the damage caused to the program, and the prospects for resuming activity," as well as Italy's plans to purchase Storm Shadow missiles, the rearmament plans of Italy, the EU, and NATO, "the EU's defense priorities and objectives," and "assistance to Ukraine in developing long-range missiles."

In the transcripts presented in the court documents, Piras tells the Russian that it is British intelligence, not Italian, that is helping Ukraine attack Russian oil facilities.

Piras also claims that Italian experts are studying the design of the Russian T-90 tank. "They don't understand how the machine gun mounted on it works. If they manage to steal that secret, they will, so be careful," he tells Astakov.

In April 2025, Astakov requested information about the Italian company Avio, which specializes in engine manufacturing, just months after it signed a cooperation agreement with the U.S. military for the supply of solid-fuel rocket motors.

On July 9, the Italian Foreign Ministry announced the expulsion of two Russian diplomats, allegedly involved in espionage activities.

کارشناس فاکس نیوز:ترامپ ضربه اصلی به جمهوری اسلامی ایران را برای بعد انتخابات مجلس آمریکا (آبان) برنامه ریزی کرده است و تا آن موقع تنش‌ها در همین سطح باقی میماند

Fox News analyst: "Trump has planned the main strike against the Islamic Republic of Iran for after the US House elections (November), and until then, tensions will remain at the current level."

Part II: The Sour Crude Problem: How Long Can the Salt Caverns Keep Bridging the Gap? https://sonar21.com/part-ii-the-sour-crude-problem-how-long-can-the-salt-caverns-keep-bridging-the-gap/

It is Ground Hog Day in the Strait of Hormuz… Again! https://sonar21.com/it-is-ground-hog-day-in-iran-again/

⚡️🇺🇸🇮🇷U.S. President Trump accused Iran of giving up on the deal.

"We had meetings with them for the last, they agreed to a deal yesterday, a perfect deal for us. No nuclear, no this, no that, no nothing. They gave up everything.
And then after that, they left the room. And then, within an hour, they launched a drone and a ship.

I said, you people are sick. You're sick people. And so it's one of the..."

@wfwitness

⚡️🇺🇸🇮🇷U.S. President Trump on the U.S. strikes on Iran last night:

Reporter:

"And you obviously launched a fresh round of strikes overnight. Iran said overnight the Strait of Hormuz is closed.

CENTCOM came out this morning and said the Strait of Hormuz is open. Which is it, Mr. President, and how are you going to respond?"

Trump:

"It's open, and I don't want to talk about it because I want to honor the life of Lindsey Graham, so I don't want to talk about it. I told you that before the call.

Yeah, it's open. We bombed the hell out of them last night. They're very, very evil and sick people."

@wfwitness

⚡️🇮🇷Iranian Hormuz Strait Management Authority said transit through the Strait of Hormuz is currently not possible, citing what it described as recent “illegal movements” by US military forces in the region.

The authority said all transit requests will be reviewed and permits issued once stability and calm are restored. It added that the only way to obtain a transit permit is through its official website.

@wfwitness

🇮🇷⚡🇺🇸🇰🇼 Kuwait is under attack again!

🚩 ResistanceTrench | Boost

Lindsey Graham died in Kyiv, not Washington, DC. He arrived in Kyiv on the morning of 10 July. The trip to Kyiv entails flying to Poland and then taking a 8-10 hour train ride. He was visiting a drone factory in Kyiv that was hit by the Russians. He did not have enough time to depart Ukraine on Saturday morning, take the train to Poland and then catch a flight back to DC.