Day 200 | Saudi Arabia postpones Hormuz summit with Iran

The US Congressional Budget Office said the first five months of the war on Iran cost the US War Department approximately $38 billion.

The office estimated that the conflict is costing between $2 billion and $3 billion per month, while warning that the war has depleted US weapons stocks, including interceptor missiles.

The Congressional Budget Office said replacing ammunition used during the confrontation with Iran would cost about $21.7 billion.

It also estimated that rebuilding US interceptor missile stocks could take at least five years, highlighting the longer-term impact of the conflict on American military supplies.

Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense said early warning systems have been activated in Jazan, Abha and Khamis Mushait.

In a post on X, the Civil Defense said the systems were activated to alert residents of potential danger.

Yemeni Prime Minister Shaya Mohsen al-Zindani met with Deputy Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Shaddadi in Aden to discuss what the internationally recognized government described as a “dangerous military escalation” by the Houthis.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the meeting focused on coordination between the executive and legislative branches to unify the national position and strengthen state institutions amid the escalation.

The officials also discussed alleged Houthi violations against civilians and displaced people.

Al-Zindani said the Houthi escalation “is no longer an internal military matter,” describing it as a broader threat to national and regional security.

He accused Iran of providing systematic support to the Houthis and of enabling the group to use Yemeni territory and waters to threaten regional security and international interests.

The prime minister also said Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia were linked to the military escalation along Yemen’s western coast, describing both as part of what he called an “Iranian-backed subversive project” extending beyond Yemen.

Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization has defended the country’s decision to build nuclear facilities underground, saying the move was a natural response to the threat of foreign military attacks.

Agency spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said Iran’s sensitive nuclear facilities, despite being located underground, had remained subject to inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

“Military attacks, sabotage and terror cannot destroy Iran’s nuclear knowledge and industry,” Kamalvandi said.

The remarks come after the IAEA accused Iran last week of failing to comply with its nuclear nonproliferation commitments and referred the matter to the UN Security Council.

The UN nuclear watchdog has been unable to access key Iranian nuclear facilities since the United States and ‘Israel’ launched a 12-day war against Iran in June 2025, which included attacks on nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.

Iranian officials have said ongoing conflict has prevented them from providing inspectors with safe access to the facilities.

The Houthi Education Ministry has accused Saudi Arabia and what it called its “mercenaries” of targeting education sites in Yemen’s Taiz governorate.

In a statement carried by the Houthi-affiliated Almasirah media outlet, the ministry described the alleged targeting of schools as “a criminal act that violates international law.”

The allegations come amid intense fighting in western Taiz. Saudi-backed government forces launched a counteroffensive on Monday after reportedly losing ground in the area the previous week.

Iran has launched a website that allows people to report Iranian citizens living abroad who criticize the government or are accused of acting against Iran’s interests.

The platform, called “Alaj,” says it is intended to identify and track people outside Iran who it alleges are working against the country’s national interests or security.

According to information published by the platform, it targets activities it describes as anti-Iranian or separatist, as well as calls for sanctions or military action against Iran.

The platform says information submitted through the website may be used for legal follow-up and could lead to restrictions on the financial or media activities of individuals identified as violating the stated criteria.

It has asked users to submit information through its website and designated accounts on the Bale and Telegram messaging platforms.

Alaj says the identities of those submitting reports and their sources will be kept confidential and encrypted.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said the Lebanese Army is carrying out its duties, rejecting ‘Israeli’ claims that it has failed to fulfill its responsibilities.

Aoun also called on European countries to contribute to Lebanon’s reconstruction and welcomed any country willing to keep forces in southern Lebanon after the deadline for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) shot down another US-made MQ-1 drone over the Strait of Hormuz.

According to Fars, the incident marks the third US drone of the same type to be downed in the area today.

Oil loadings have stopped at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Yanbu, shipping sources cited by Reuters said.

The development comes four days after a drone attack targeted Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline, which transports oil from the country’s eastern fields to Yanbu.

Saudi Arabia halted operations on the pipeline following the attack, disrupting supplies to the Red Sea port.

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri warned of the consequences of failing to take regional and international action to stop ‘Israel’s’ war on Lebanon.

Berri made the remarks during a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday, according to Lebanese reports.

The Houthis’ foreign ministry has insisted that navigation remains safe in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, accusing Saudi Arabia of trying to “mislead the international community” about the strategic waterway.

In a statement carried by the Houthi-controlled Saba news agency, the ministry said the group has the right to target what it described as “hostile Saudi military buildups.”

“If the world desires stability and calm in the region, it must tell Saudi Arabia: ‘Enough interference in Yemeni affairs,’” the statement said.

The Houthis previously said only Saudi vessels would be blocked from passing through the Bab al-Mandeb, while ships from other countries would remain free to navigate the strait.

Yemen’s internationally recognized government has condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, saying ballistic missiles and drones targeted civilian areas in Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the attacks injured 13 civilians and damaged several homes and vehicles, according to the state-run Saba News Agency.

The ministry described the attacks as a violation of Saudi sovereignty and rejected the use of Yemeni territory as a “launching pad for attacks on neighboring countries.”

It also called on the international community to take action to stop Houthi attacks.

US officials said two Iranian boats were destroyed in the Strait of Hormuz after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attempted to seize a US maritime drone, according to Axios.

The officials said the IRGC used boats in an attempt to capture the US drone in the strategic waterway.

An oil tanker is being towed toward an Omani port after catching fire following an attack off the country’s coast, Reuters reported, citing Omani officials.

Authorities said 23 crew members were safely evacuated from the Elgaia, while efforts continue to locate two others who remain missing.

• No damage has occured to the ship.

A commercial vessel has come under fire from an unidentified projectile while passing through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

Citing a verified source, UKMTO said the report of the incident reached them after some delay, Reuters reported.

According to the agency, there have so far been no indications of damage to the ship or any impact on the surrounding environment.

This is a developing story.

• IRGC says it is the fourth drone to be downed 

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claims it has shot down a second MQ-1 drone over the Strait of Hormuz, according to Mehr News Agency.

This is the second drone the IRGC claimed it downed Tuesday, bringing the total number of downed drones to four, according to Mehr.

US-developed MQ-1s are used for surveillance and reconnaissance.

This is a developing story. 

• Both sides continue trading contradictory/hardline messaging.

US President Donald Trump renewed his claim Monday that Iran is eager to negotiate, while a top Iranian security official flatly rejected the overture, accusing Washington of sending contradictory messages amid the ongoing conflict between the two countries. 

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote that Iran wants to make a deal "quickly and badly," and said he alone would decide whether the United States chooses to engage, adding that such engagement is "a concept" Washington remains open to. 

The remark echoed similar claims Trump has made at earlier points in the conflict, when he pointed to the US military buildup in the region as leverage bringing Tehran to the table.

Oil prices briefly eased on the news before markets absorbed the ambiguity of Trump's phrasing, which left open whether formal talks were imminent or merely possible.

Rezaei rejects "Mixed Signals"

Don’t get distracted by the U.S. president’s mixed signals—from “no negotiations” to “we’re ready to talk.” The stakes around oil and the straits have changed. Damage control won’t stop what’s coming.
No talks until Iran’s conditions are met. Period!

— محسن رضایی (@ir_rezaee) September 14, 2026

The response from Tehran came quickly. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, posted on X that Iran should not be distracted by Trump's shifting position, swinging, as he put it, between ruling out negotiations entirely and claiming readiness to talk. 

Rezaei said conditions surrounding oil markets and the Strait of Hormuz had fundamentally shifted, and that no amount of "damage control" from Washington would halt what he described as coming events. He closed with a blunt line: there will be no talks until Iran's conditions are met.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian separately voiced confusion over which of Trump's statements should be treated as the administration's actual position, saying it was unclear which of the president's remarks Tehran was expected to take seriously.

Trump demands Reimbursement over Hormuz

In a separate string of posts, Trump claimed oil continues to move through the Strait of Hormuz and argued that countries benefiting from that flow, which he said had offered the US "no help whatsoever", should and will reimburse Washington once what he called the "SCAM Confligration" comes to an end. 

He added that the United States has been shouldering this burden for other nations "for Generations," without specifying which countries he meant or what form reimbursement might take.

The demand revives a theme Trump raised earlier in the year, when he floated and then dropped a proposed 20 percent fee on cargo transiting the strait in favor of pursuing trade and investment arrangements instead.

 His latest comments came as global oil prices hovered above $100 a barrel and as reports emerged of ships coming under fire in the strait amid Iran's restrictions on shipping.

Read more: Trump dismisses report of Chinese intel support for Iran

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed on Monday that its aerospace forces intercepted and destroyed an advanced MQ-1 unmanned aerial vehicle over the airspace west of the Strait of Hormuz.

In a press release carried by state media, the IRGC Public Relations Department stated that the drone was targeted early in the morning after being detected by Iran's integrated air defense system.

"At dawn today, an advanced MQ-1 drone was intercepted and destroyed by a new advanced air defense system of the IRGC Aerospace Force, under the control of the country's integrated air defense network, in the sky west of the Strait of Hormuz," the statement read.

The statement did not specify the origin or operator of the aircraft, nor did it offer further operational details regarding the specific air defense platform deployed.

The incident follows ongoing high-altitude surveillance and counter-drone engagements in the strategic maritime corridor.

• US spending reached $33.4 billion over four months, including $22.3 billion in munitions and $3.7 billion in lost equipment.
• Confirmed losses include 30 MQ-9 drones, multiple combat aircraft (F-15Es, F-35A, A-10), 12 KC-135 refuelers, and damaged logistics hubs.

A congressionally mandated report released Monday by the War Department Inspector General reveals that the ongoing war with Iran has caused significant US munitions shortfalls and supply chain "bottlenecks".

The report marks the first official public accounting by a government oversight agency on the scope, scale, and costs of the conflict initiated on February 28 by the US and 'Israel'.

Covering the period from the start of the war through June 30, the inspector general noted that the War Department is working to "streamline procurement processes and production lead times, and to stockpile critical materials, components, and selected munitions to respond rapidly to a contingency".

The watchdog's findings contrast with statements from senior leadership. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has previously denied reports that the US is running low on munitions.

On Monday, US President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that the US is "producing more Exquisite and Elite Weapons than at any time in our History," adding that they "are being delivered on a daily basis to our Forces in the Middle East and beyond".

Two weeks prior, Trump posted that the US maintained "virtually unlimited" amounts of ammunition, brushing off reports of stockpiling issues.

Military gear, facility damage

The report provides government confirmation that Iranian forces targeted the U.S. Navy's main regional logistics hub in Bahrain using drones and ballistic missiles.

In total, the watchdog estimates the war cost $33.4 billion through June 30—a figure comprising $22.3 billion in expended weapons, $3.7 billion in equipment losses, and $7.4 billion in other operational expenses.

The calculation does not include repair costs for damaged installations.

The figures offer a baseline compared to broader estimates cited by NBC News in July, where officials indicated total costs ranged between $80 billion and $100 billion, or the War Department's public statement in July citing $37.5 billion.

Equipment losses detailed in the report include the destruction or heavy damage of four F-15E jet fighters, an F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, an A-10 Warthog, 12 KC-135 refuelers, nine other aircraft, and at least 30 large MQ-9 drones.

Furthermore, State Department facilities in Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates sustained more than $208 million in physical damage and project delay costs.

The report does not address an alleged US strike on an Iranian elementary school during the initial hours of the campaign, an incident NBC News reported in June was under internal military investigation.

Logistical strains, troop displacements

More than 20,000 US military and diplomatic personnel have been displaced and relocated since the onset of hostilities.

Medical evaluations for injured service members were frequently conducted on the ground via local ambulances to regional facilities due to airlifts being repositioned over threat concerns.

Additionally, US forces flew up to 5,000 flights from European air bases to support Middle East operations.

While US President Trump initially stated the war would last only weeks, he remarked over the weekend that the conflict might not conclude until "right after" November's midterm elections or shortly before.

The watchdog report omitted assessments of troop morale.

However, following escalating concerns over conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln during an extended deployment, the War Department announced the aircraft carrier is being replaced and is currently returning to its home port in San Diego following a stop in Thailand.

The War Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the report's release.

• US Space Force defined space control as using kinetic and non-kinetic means for offensive and defensive operations against adversary assets.
• The announcement follows escalating space rivalry with Russia and China, both viewed as threats to US space assets.

The United States Space Force has claimed that the US has weapons deployed in orbit, providing the first official confirmation of operational space-based combat capabilities.

A spokesperson for the service branch stated in an official release:

"The United States has deployed space control weapons in orbit capable of protecting joint US forces from hostile threats."

The statement did not disclose further specifics regarding the exact nature, specifications, or technical parameters of the deployed systems.

The spokesperson explained that the concept of space control encompasses a full range of missions required to compete with adversaries and establish control using both kinetic and non-kinetic means to affect their capabilities.

The spokesperson added that these assets can be employed for both offensive and defensive purposes.

Competition with Beijing and Moscow

The announcement comes against a backdrop of growing space competition between the United States and its principal rivals, Russia and China, both of which Washington views as potential threats to its strategic interests in space.

According to the US Space Force, China is "developing and operating space and counter-space capabilities as part of its strategy to modernize its armed forces."

Meanwhile, the service noted that Russia "views space as a battleground and believes that superiority in space represents a decisive factor in future conflicts."

The militarization of outer space is not a new phenomenon, tracing back to the origins of the space race itself. Following the launch of Sputnik in 1957, the United States and the Soviet Union began studying the military applications of space, including satellite weaponization and anti-satellite (ASAT) technologies.

While early cold war anxieties focused on the potential deployment of nuclear weapons in orbit, major powers and other nations signed the Outer Space Treaty in 1967, which explicitly banned placing weapons of mass destruction in orbit.

Since then, the US, Russia, China, and India have continued to develop space combat capabilities not covered by the treaty—particularly systems capable of targeting satellites critical to military communications, reconnaissance, and navigation.