Intelligence for close-protection & security professionals — threat, industry, regulation and tradecraft, curated through the day, with a daily brief and podcast.
Washington's naval blockade of Iranian ports came back into force at first light on Wednesday, on the fourth day of US strikes. Iran answered with a barrage across the Gulf. Kuwait reports one ballistic and five cruise missiles plus 33 drones, a navy vessel hit and four sailors wounded; Bahrain sounded air raid sirens overnight.
Listen
The UN Security Council takes its 90-day briefing on Haiti this month, with the Secretary-General's report due mid-July. The Gang Suppression Force has around 1,000 personnel against an authorised ceiling of 5,550 and is not expected to reach full capacity until October. The latest casualty figures are stark.
Listen
JNIM's blockade of Bamako, running since September 2025, is choking not just Mali but its neighbours. Fuel now moves only in guarded convoys; the military escorted 940 trucks between Kayes and Bamako in one late-June week. Ports in Senegal and Cote d'Ivoire are counting the losses.
Listen
The IRGC says it hit Monday's two tankers because they switched off their navigation systems and slipped south through Omani waters. That inverts the usual advice. In a strait saturated with GPS jamming and spoofing, going dark used to be protection; now one side is treating a dark, off-lane transit as hostile intent.
Listen
As the Gulf burns, Yemen's Houthis have threatened to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait if Saudi Arabia keeps striking Yemen. A senior official has floated an operational alliance to shut Bab el-Mandeb and Hormuz together. For shipping it raises the prospect of two of the world's key chokepoints closing at once.
ListenWith the final at MetLife on Sunday, TSA says federal and local teams have seized more than 600 unauthorised drones across the 11 US host cities. Airspace is the pressure point, and the penalties for flying near a stadium are steep.
ListenTwo UAE tankers were hit in Omani waters on Monday — one Indian crew member killed, eight hurt. The UAE blames Iranian missiles; Washington has declared the ceasefire over and moved to reinstate its blockade of Iranian shipping. The strait is now effectively a war zone.
Listen
With Kuwait and Bahrain now under direct attack, principal movement by air through the Gulf needs a fresh look. Kuwait's airspace has been closed to overflights since earlier this month, and European regulators are warning operators off Iran, Iraq and Lebanon. Gulf carriers are still flying, but the margin has narrowed.
Listen
The short-lived US authorisation for Iranian oil trade is being unwound. OFAC's General License X1 gave only a ten-day window, and it closes at 12:01am Eastern on Friday 17 July. No new Iranian oil transactions have been allowed since 7 July, and firms are warned not to count on an extension.
ListenThe IRGC says it hit Monday's two tankers because they switched off their navigation systems and slipped south through Omani waters. That inverts the usual advice. In a strait saturated with GPS jamming and spoofing, going dark used to be protection; now one side is treating a dark, off-lane transit as hostile intent.
ListenThe UN Security Council takes its 90-day briefing on Haiti this month, with the Secretary-General's report due mid-July. The Gang Suppression Force has around 1,000 personnel against an authorised ceiling of 5,550 and is not expected to reach full capacity until October. The latest casualty figures are stark.
ListenDisclaimer. The Ops Con Intelligence briefings are compiled from open-source reporting and provided for situational awareness and professional development only. They are not operational, security, legal, financial or travel advice, and no reliance should be placed on them for any decision. Information may be incomplete, time-sensitive or change without notice — always verify independently before acting. The Ops Con accepts no liability for any loss arising from use of this content.
