Middle East crisis

Iran war
Iran: Has seized an unmanned US submarine

Iran has seized an unmanned US submarine in the Strait of Hormuz, the Revolutionary Guards said according to news agencies.

In a statement read out on state television, the Revolutionary Guards claim the craft is one of the most modern and advanced of its kind.

“Images of it will be released in the next few hours,” they continue.

The United States has not commented.

Sources: US leaders want to scale down in the Middle East

Military and intelligence leaders in the US have begun discussions about scaling down the US presence in the Middle East if Trump wins the Iran war. This is what sources told CNN.

The war has exposed the weaknesses in the US military infrastructure that was built up after the September 11 attacks, according to the sources. US bases in the region have been the target of repeated Iranian attacks in the unpopular war, which has killed 18 US soldiers so far.

The Pentagon has previously considered moving the bases underground, an idea that is now being more actively discussed.

“The vulnerabilities were known before, but the US has never felt any urgency to act,” says one of the sources.

West Bank
Israel closes British consulate after sanctions

Israel is closing the British consulate in Jerusalem after the British imposed a trade embargo on illegal settlements in the West Bank. This was announced by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar according to the AP.

In addition, British representatives will be thrown out of a joint military center that monitors the ceasefire in Gaza. The British will also no longer be allowed to train Palestinian Authority security forces in the West Bank, and twelve British politicians will be banned from entering the country, Sa’ar added.

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced the trade embargo today. He accuses the Israeli government of turning a blind eye to the “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians in the West Bank by settler terrorists.