🚨🇮🇷 🇺🇸 The missiles that killed three American soldiers came from bases the U.S. already bombed, dug out and firing again
-Military analysts say the deadly Muwaffaq Salti strike was likely carried out by Iran’s best missiles, including the Kheibar Shekan: 900-mile range, solid fuel, satellite guidance, Mach 5 impact, and a claimed maneuvering warhead built to evade defenses
-The missile bases housing them were pounded for weeks in March and April, then Iran’s engineering crews repaired the roads, cleared the rubble, and reopened the collapsed tunnel entrances, with satellite imagery showing trucks back at work by early June
-Hegseth called Iran’s missile program “functionally destroyed” in April; pressed by Sen. Ossoff Tuesday, his answer shifted: “We never expected they would stop having capabilities to shoot”
-A former Israeli air defense commander’s read on why more missiles get through: “Their radars are exposed; their infrastructure is exposed,” the region’s own defenses degraded by earlier Iranian attacks
-One expert’s summary: Iran spent decades watching how America fights and “built an overall infrastructure that is designed to ride out” exactly this war
The tunnel entrances are the whole war in miniature.
America entombs the arsenal, Iran’s bulldozers dig it out in weeks, and the missiles that emerge are the newest and hardest to stop.
Four attacks on U.S. troops in Jordan in five days means Tehran isn’t running empty, it’s pacing itself, betting each American coffin raises the price of staying until Trump renegotiates.
11 nights of strikes, and the arsenal designed to survive them keeps proving it was.
Source: Wall Street Journal / Writer: Daniel
— @MarioNawfal Jul 22, 2026
Month: July 2026
🧐🇺🇸🇺🇦🇷🇺 America’s F-16 Scores Its First Air Victory in Ukraine, Russian Su-35 Falls from the Sky
A major milestone in the air war over Ukraine.
According to U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Caine, a Ukrainian operated F-16 Fighting Falcon has successfully shot down a Russian Sukhoi Su-35 in air to air combat.
This is the first confirmed aerial kill by a Ukrainian F-16 since the fighter entered service, marking a significant combat milestone for the Western supplied aircraft.
The encounter highlights the growing role of F-16s in Ukraine’s air defense efforts and demonstrates that one of Russia’s most advanced fighters is no longer untouchable in contested skies.
One dogfight. One Su-35 down. A new chapter in the air war over Ukraine.
Video
— @Defence_Index Jul 22, 2026
With deadly attacks on an air base in Jordan, Iran proved that it retains a significant missile and drone arsenal that still threatens American forces and the U.S.’s regional allies, despite Trump’s claim to have “totally destroyed” Iran’s military. on.wsj.com/45fryZ9
— @WSJ Jul 22, 2026
🚨🇮🇷 🇺🇸The full strike map of the night is out, and it’s one of the heaviest attacks of the entire two-week campaign.
-Explosions were reported across at least 17 locations: Tabriz, Abhar, Hamedan, Baneh, Kangavar/Nahavand, Mahshahr, Omidiyeh, Behbahan, Bushehr, Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Qeshm Island, Konarak/Chabahar, Pardis, PARCHIN, plus unconfirmed reports from Fasa and Urmia
-Heavy air defense activity was noted over Tehran AND Tabriz, with the capital’s guns firing on all sides of the city
-The map spans border to border: Kurdistan’s Baneh near Iraq, Tabriz and Urmia in the untouched northwest, Hamedan and Abhar in the interior, and the battered coast
-Parchin and Pardis on the capital’s doorstep are the reserved tier’s edge, with counts approximate and rural strikes possibly still unreported
-CENTCOM’s official statement named only military targets: operations centers, hangars, drone storage, and logistics
Source: CIG on TG / Writer: Daniel
— @MarioNawfal Jul 22, 2026
The US president’s threat comes amid a flare-up in the nearly five-month conflict that has driven oil to $91 a barrel. Goldman Sachs has warned Brent crude could soar to $120 if the Strait of Hormuz remains ‘disrupted’ by the fourth quarter of this year. ft.trib.al/zyNTSJn
— @FT Jul 22, 2026
A Russian SVR spy hiding behind a Manhattan banking job shows that foreign intelligence can operate in plain sight. FBI counterintelligence must identify the people, cover jobs and recruitment networks supporting them. #FBI #USIntel #Counterintelligence
time.com/3683373/russian-spy…— @Robert4787 Jul 21, 2026
Summary
The US and Iran appear on the brink of direct conflict, with reports of explosions in Tehran, Houthi attacks disrupting Saudi oil shipments, and the US securing British bases for potential strikes. Meanwhile, domestic US politics reveal sharp partisan divides over defense funding, tech policy, and entitlement reforms, all amid rising geopolitical instability.
Key Stories
Explosion in Tehran and US-British military coordination signal Iran conflict escalation — Reports of an explosion in eastern Tehran and the US securing British bases for potential strikes against Iran suggest a rapid escalation in hostilities. Houthi attacks on Saudi oil shipments further indicate a widening proxy war with global energy implications.
Trump administration reverses TikTok ban as cabinet members join the app — The DOJ quietly terminated the 2022 federal TikTok ban, coinciding with multiple Trump cabinet officials creating accounts on the platform. This shift may indicate a strategic realignment in tech policy or influence operations ahead of the election.
Republicans push defense funding amid entitlement spending concerns — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified before the Senate for increased Pentagon funding, while a WSJ op-ed highlighted how ballooning veteran disability payments are crowding out military budgets. This reflects growing tensions between entitlement reform and defense priorities.
Zelenskyy faces domestic pressure as Ukraine strikes Moscow — As Ukrainian forces conduct strikes on Moscow, President Zelenskyy confronts political challenges at home, including allegations linking his administration to a Monaco terror attack. The dual pressures suggest a critical juncture in Ukraine’s war strategy and internal stability.
Partisan divides deepen over foreign policy and domestic spending — A Republican senator’s bizarre question about foreign shrimp and a GOP fundraising advantage ahead of midterms underscore widening partisan rifts. Polls also reveal polarized public perceptions of Trump, complicating policy responses to international crises.
Iran war has cost US $37.5bn so far, Hegseth says bbc.in/3TcVS44
— @BBCWorld Jul 21, 2026
As Ukraine hits Moscow, Zelenskyy faces a political test at home | DW News – YouTube youtube.com/watch?v=M5GCSyZz…
— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Jul 21, 2026
🚨Alert: American B-1 Nuclear Bombers are Now Heading for Iran for the First time since the 40-day war to destroy Iranian underground Missiles bases!!
— @defense_civil25 Jul 21, 2026