U.S. Embassy in Saudi hit; Hormuz closed; Iran’s allies quiet.
Death tolls are rising, and Trump warns the “big wave” of strikes is still to come.
The latest news this hour:
Iran War Dispatches with Tim Mak is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
U.S. EMBASSY IN SAUDI STRUCK BY DRONES: Early on Tuesday, smoke was seen rising from the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh after it was hit by 2 Iranian drones. There were reportedly no casualties, and the building was empty at the time.
However, the attack was intended to be bigger. The Saudi Ministry of Defense said that the building sustained minor damage. President Trump said, “you’ll soon find out” the U.S. response to the embassy attack and the American servicemen killed in Kuwait.
UPDATED WAR CASUALTIES: On Sunday morning, an Iranian attack on pop-up headquarters at a port in Kuwait killed Americans for the first time in the Iran-U.S. war, and the death toll has risen to 6 as of Monday. The Iranian Red Crescent estimates 555 people have been killed in Iran.
IRAN STRIKES U.S. BAHRAIN BASE: Iran’s official news agency released a statement that they attacked a U.S. airbase in Bahrain on Tuesday, attacking the central headquarters with 20 drones and three missiles. On Saturday, Iran also struck the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.
BLOCKADE IN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ: The war has already caused a major disruption in global oil markets as the Strait of Hormuz, through which 31 percent of all seaborne crude oil transits according to CNBC, is closed. Iran has warned that vessels caught passing through the strait will become targets.
‘BIG WAVE’ OF STRIKES YET TO COME: On Monday, following a night of Iranian retaliation attacks, Trump told CNN this is just the beginning, and the ‘big wave’ is yet to come. The president also said that the conflict is likely to last at least another four to five weeks but that the U.S. would do “whatever it takes.”
THE QUESTION OF U.S. STOCKPILES: There are concerns, however, over the U.S. stockpile, as repeated conflicts in the Middle East have worn away U.S. munitions, particularly air defense. Trump responded to these reports by saying that U.S. munitions have “never been higher or better” and that the U.S. could fight “forever” if needed.
WHERE ARE IRAN’S ALLIES: Russia and China have both condemned U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, but they have remained relatively quiet—there is no evidence of them committing military support to Iran. Although reports of China’s military support for Iran have emerged over the last year, China has not pledged support as the regime finds itself in this fragile moment
The attacks on Iran have also failed to bring about Russian support, which supplied drones critical for Russia’s attacks on Ukraine.
AUSTIN SHOOTING POSSIBLY LINKED TO IRAN: There is an investigation into whether the shooting outside of a bar in Austin just one day after the U.S. and Israel struck Iran is linked to the conflict. The suspect, who killed three people before being killed himself by police officers, was wearing a T-shirt with Iranian flag colors and a sweatshirt that said “Property of Allah,” according to the New York Times.