Florida: President Donald Trump said another military operation against Iran just as Iran war nears its eighth-month mark and rising fuel prices weigh on midterm elections. "We may do another little Epic Fury," Trump told rally in Florida, using US military's term for war on Iran. He did not elaborate. His vague statement left some analysts wondering if US could end war quickly but questioned whether Washington should seek swift conclusion or allow conflict to gradually wind down.
Trump, who has offered shifting goals and timelines for war, has said in recent campaign remarks that war will end soon, one way or other. This month US would not launch attack on Iran before November 3 elections that will determine control of Congress, where Trump's Republican Party holds narrow majority in both chambers. US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, and Iran responded with its own strikes on Israel and United States, including American bases. Tehran plans wider retaliation if war resumes, Iranian officials said. Iran has drawn up detailed plans to target undersea communications cables in Gulf if US and Israel attack Iran again, according to two senior Iranian security officials.
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Trump will take that dream to his grave, Iranian armed forces chief Ali Abdollahi said - Iran said Saturday US military ships would never be allowed to enter Gulf under any circumstances and President Donald Trump will take that dream to his grave. Iranian forces have restricted traffic through Strait of Hormuz.
Iran Increasingly Targeting Americans, says US Spy Chief - Iran has substantially increased its efforts to target Americans in West Asia and beyond, US national intelligence chief Jay Clayton warned Friday. Warning comes after Washington ordered non-essential US embassy staff and families to leave Saudi Arabia this week, following increasing attacks from Yemen's Houthis. Kingdom has come under near-daily attacks this month from Iran-backed group, including strike on Riyadh's international airport that was kingdom's deadliest in years. "We have received intelligence that Iran has substantially increased efforts to target US personnel," Clayton said in memo to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to US official. "The lethal plotting efforts by Iranians against US citizens have reached advanced stages in both Middle East and certain other countries," memo, first reported by Axios, said. Washington previously ordered non-essential staff to leave Gulf ahead of start of its war against Iran
Saudi Issues Potential Danger Warning for Mecca, Jeddah - Saudi Arabia's civil defence agency broadcast warnings of potential danger for four of its western provinces, including that of Mecca, home to Islam's holiest city, on Saturday, with no details. Alerts, which also covered major Red Sea city of Jeddah, nearby Taif and coastal oil hub of Yanbu, were all rescinded minutes later. Residents instructed to proceed to nearest safe place by agency. Agency also repeated warning against sharing images or information related to countering missiles and drones. The Gulf kingdom has come under repeated attack from Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis from Yemen's Iran-backed group - interceptions came after Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen's Houthis said it destroyed two ballistic missiles fired by Iran-aligned group towards Taif and Yanbu on Saturday, as fighting between sides continued. Interceptions came two days after Houthis said they had attacked Saudi Arabia's defence ministry in Riyadh, facilities belonging to Saudi Aramco in Red Sea city of Yanbu and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, where Saudi authorities said two people were killed.
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US has Asked SpaceX to Alter Starlink in Ukraine, West Asia for Years - Well before throttling this month of Ukraine's military access to Elon Musk's satellite communications system, Biden and Trump administrations had several times asked SpaceX to turn its Starlink service on or off in various countries, according to six former senior US officials familiar with matter. During presidency of Joe Biden, requests included switching off service to prevent Iranian proxy militias in Yemen and Lebanon from using Starlink to communicate, and activating service to provide internet access inside Iran and in Ukraine to support its military, said four of former officials. Similarly, President Donald Trump's administration asked Musk, who is CEO of SpaceX, to make service available in Iran following US-Israeli strikes in 2025. Ukrainian President Zelenskiy said last week that his country's access to Starshield, had been intentionally limited.
Analytically, Epic Fury 2.0 threat shows US election cycle driving West Asia war. For India, which has 9 million diaspora in Gulf, oil imports 60% via Hormuz, and strategic reserves 9.5 days, any Iran war pushes Brent above $115, rupee to 90.
If US asks SpaceX to alter Starlink, it shows private tech companies becoming instruments of foreign policy - similar to India asking Starlink to comply with security norms.
Tags: #EpicFury #Iran #Trump #StraitOfHormuz #Houthi #Starlink #SaudiArabia #USMidterms #SpaceX