Oil prices plummet; Iran’s top national security advisor, Ali Larijani, is assassinated.

【Answer 1】【5.4】A stubborn Russian soldier goes to great lengths to evade his inevitable fate—naturally, his wife is delighted. 【5.5】A rare and stunning video: a Ukrainian F-16AM fighter jet conducts a strike mission over Ukrainian airspace, launching a nighttime combat sortie against a ground position. If you’d like the original video, feel free to contact me via WeCom. 【5.6】Yesterday, a reader asked me how Russia intercepts Ukrainian drones. The answer: from short-range air-defense systems such as the Tor and Pantsir-S1, to anti-aircraft artillery and heavy machine guns. Russian mobile security forces are currently deployed in central Moscow; personnel from the Federal Protective Service have taken up positions along the Kremlin walls and towers. Ukrainian drone strikes have persisted continuously for 48 hours. 【5.7】Last night, Ukrainian drones launched an air raid that destroyed most fuel tanks at an oil depot in Labinsk; fires continued burning at the site after the attack. 【5.8】Russian authorities reported that a Ukrainian strike ignited a refinery in Slavyansk-Kuban; one worker died of a heart attack during the incident—there were no direct casualties from the attack. 【5.9】Ukraine’s ‘Mazhar’ drones destroyed a Tor-M2 system near Korobchyno in occupied Luhansk, and a second Tor-M2 near Balashivka in occupied Zaporizhzhia. 【5.10】Ukraine struck the 123rd Aircraft Repair Plant in Staraya Russa, Novgorod Oblast—located nearly 1,000 kilometers inside Russian territory. This facility services Il-76, Il-78, and A-50 airborne early-warning aircraft for Russia’s Aerospace Forces. VI. Rumor Debunking & Discussion: 【6.1】At the end of this article, I’ll share my view on whether Trump should strike Iran. I stated at the outset that if such action is to be taken at all, it must be done unilaterally and decisively. Coordinating with allies—including Israel—before acting is impossible. Someone will always say “no”—so what then? Others will insist on deliberation, which could drag on for half a year or even a full year. Still others are double agents: the more people who know, the greater the risk of leaks. When Roosevelt approved Nimitz’s plan to eliminate Admiral Yamamoto, he did not consult Congress. I’ve long admired Biden-style Democratic elite governance and consensus-building. But the world is complex—you can’t rely on a single approach to solve every problem. With Iran now possessing enough 60% enriched uranium to produce 11 nuclear weapons, the gradualist approach has clearly failed. Though I’ve consistently disapproved of Trump’s methods, I must concede that this situation leaves no alternative but decisive action. Imagine a local thug repeatedly harassing your daughter. You’ve already filed police reports—but officers are overwhelmed and unable to respond. What do you do? You step in yourself and give him a beating. Yes, you’ll likely face 15 days of administrative detention—but overall, it’s the only viable option, and the least costly one. Enduring temporary hardship at home is still preferable to inflicting suffering upon the entire global population. Moreover, I have no doubt whatsoever that Trump’s sole motivation for acting is his upcoming midterm election—not any grand vision of liberating the world. His Ukraine policy already reveals his extremely limited strategic horizon; there’s no need to elevate him to mythical status.

Breaking news! As the U.S. aircraft carrier transits the Suez Canal, it is attacked; the Houthis claim their third strike against a U.S. carrier—and appear to have gained confidence from their earlier successes.

【Answer 2】 According to U.S. Naval Institute News, Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder issued a statement on Saturday stating that the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group had departed the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, would make a brief stop in the European Command area, and then return to the United States. This means the carrier transited the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean Sea on Saturday. Coupled with the Houthis’ Saturday announcement claiming an attack on a U.S. carrier, it follows that the Houthis launched their strike precisely as the Eisenhower was passing through the Suez Canal. U.S. officials, however, continue to deny the carrier was struck, asserting they detected no such incident. Perhaps having claimed three prior attacks on U.S. carriers—and reaped considerable international prestige from those claims—the Houthis seized this opportunity, just as the U.S. carrier was withdrawing, to score yet another round of publicity. Whether the strike was real or fabricated matters little: the U.S. military has declined to publicly confirm or deny it. So long as the Houthis merely declare an attack, a large portion of the world will believe them—and that, in itself, achieves their objective. It bolsters their domestic and regional support. Indeed, the U.S. military has proven powerless against the Houthis: after nearly six months of operations in the Red Sea, it has not only failed to halt Houthi attacks but has seen them escalate—targeting more commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea and even expanding operations into the Mediterranean. Most damningly, a cargo ship was sunk right under the U.S. Navy’s nose. Consequently, the U.S. military’s domestic reputation has plummeted—and internationally, it has suffered a major loss of face. Comments beneath its official social media accounts are overwhelmingly critical, accusing it of incompetence. In this context, the Houthis’ repeated claims of striking U.S. carriers are akin to tossing a grenade into boiling water—intensifying the public backlash against the U.S. military. Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported that Vice Adm. Vassilios Grigoriadis, commander of the EU naval force deployed to the Red Sea, stated that due to the escalating frequency of Houthi attacks, the current EU naval presence in the Red Sea is simply insufficient to patrol such a vast maritime area and prevent all assaults. Since the EU announced its Red Sea patrol mission in February, it has deployed four warships. To date, these vessels have provided close escort to 164 ships and intercepted nearly 20 drones and missiles. With approximately 40–50 commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea daily—and only four EU warships deployed (one French vessel having been withdrawn last month, leaving just three)—the EU force cannot possibly provide close protection to every merchant ship.

Kallas Urges EU to Bolster Red Sea Mission Against Houthi Threat

1 day ago

EU diplomat Kaja Kallas urged member states to deploy more naval vessels to secure Red Sea shipping lanes against Houthi attacks. She warned that disruptions at critical choke points like Bab el-Mandeb could significantly impact global trade flows.

bloomberg

2026-09-21

Kallas Urges EU to Bolster Red Sea Mission Against Houthi Threat

Kallas Urges EU to Bolster Red Sea Mission Against Houthi Threat

FAQ