The UN General Assembly opened amid tensions, from a visa ban for Palestinians to Iranian statements against Israel lobbyists, to protests in preparation for an event featuring Zelensky on September 26. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is cutting short his visit to New York; he will fly in the same day as his speech to the UN General Assembly and depart immediately afterwards.
Before his meeting with Trump in New York, Erdogan brought with him some “gifts” related to Iran: Turkish authorities seized the Golden Global Bank, which was subject to sanctions. Mahan Air flights to Turkey have been suspended since September 21. The Iranian bank Bank Mellat’s license has been revoked.
For the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran expresses its deep concern over Israel’s continued crimes against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank. We reaffirm the international community’s responsibility to take serious and decisive measures to end the genocide of the Palestinians. We strongly condemn the grave affront directed by the Prime Minister of Israel at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the violation of the sanctity of Al-Buraq. Israel, responsible for one of the largest genocides in world history, has simultaneously resorted to the systematic and widespread murder and torture of Palestinians to advance its sinister agenda of obliterating Palestine through colonialism. We affirm that the immunity granted by America to Israel must not hinder the pursuit of justice and freedom for Palestine, nor impede the prosecution and punishment of Israeli criminals. […] Now that the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly is dedicated to the theme of “restoring confidence” of states in this organization, it is the duty of every responsible state to place support for the rights of the Palestinian people at the forefront of its priorities. This requires immediate action to stop the genocide, prevent the expansion of the occupation and the expropriation of Palestinian lands, providing humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, as well as holding those responsible for the crimes to account and punishing them.”
The United States prepares to ground all Iranian civilian aircraft: U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announces plans to effectively ban Iranian airlines globally starting September 23, as the United States threatens sanctions against companies that provide services to them.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has released an infographic detailing the costs of the third Persian Gulf War. As of September 3, the conflict has cost American taxpayers $43.6 billion. The war has resulted in Iran controlling the Strait of Hormuz and forced U.S. troops to abandon a dozen military bases in the Persian Gulf region.
Since September 20, all U.S. embassies in the Middle East have issued security alerts for their citizens. The information has been posted on the websites of the U.S. embassies in Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman. According to media reports, U.S. President Trump is urgently leaving Camp David for the White House. “This military conflict has the potential to escalate rapidly,” the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem’s website states.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated regarding the Yemen issue: “The Houthi issue has existed for 10 years. A serious attack was launched against Saudi Arabia, and we are keeping our word.” Fidan stated that, as part of the Medina Defense Coalition, Turkey may provide military support to Saudi Arabia in response to the Houthi attacks: “As a member of the Medina Coalition, we are closely monitoring the situation in Saudi Arabia. Support could be provided in specific technical areas.”
U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo on Sunday during a rare official visit, as Washington raised the alarm over a rapidly escalating regional conflict across the Middle East. The meeting, also attended by General Intelligence Service chief Hassan Rashad, focused on the ongoing conflicts in Iran, the Gaza Strip, and Sudan, as well as attacks on Gulf states and growing threats to maritime navigation.
From Iraq, Mostafa Moludi, deputy secretary general of the Kurdistan Democratic Party: “This party and other Kurdish armed groups support the need for direct negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding the Kurdish issue.”
Saudi Arabia has requested military support from Syria. Syria has refused, stating that its army is reorganizing and does not intend to become a third party in the conflict.
A high-level source at the Houthi-controlled Red Sea Ports Authority told the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar —a publication close to the Shiite bloc—that the authority has managed to restore operations at the port of Al-Mukha (recently seized by the Houthis from pro-Saudi forces) and that ships have begun docking there. It was also reported that the Houthi government has decided to offer tax and customs incentives to traders intending to import goods through this port, in an effort to boost maritime traffic; this is particularly relevant considering that, according to the Houthis, the port had previously been used to supply weapons to pro-Saudi forces. Media outlets close to the Shiite bloc will try to portray the Houthi conquest of Al-Mukha as a benefit for the Yemeni population, and the Houthis will be able to reiterate their claims. However, in all likelihood, it will simply be another port used by the Houthis to bring in weapons and ammunition, adding to those of Al-Salif, Ras Issa and Hodeidah, already under their control.
Naval traffic remains at very low levels; on September 18, only four ships passed through the strait, compared to a 10-year average of 18 vessels.
The Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said in an interview with Al Jazeera : “The actions of the United States and Israel give us the opportunity to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.” Iran has communicated to the United States, through Qatar, the conditions for ending the war, Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, told Al Jazeera . He further outlined the conditions: “an end to the war on all fronts, the unfreezing of assets, and the lifting of the naval blockade.” Rezaei added that Tehran is now awaiting a response from US President Donald Trump.
Hormozgan’s Director General of Justice: “Port and customs operations at Bandar Abbas’ Shahid Rajaee Port are proceeding normally.”
France will summon the Iranian ambassador and take appropriate measures in response to the Iranian authorities’ closure of a French language teaching center in Tehran that operated under the auspices of the French Embassy, the French Foreign Ministry announced. Iran accuses the center of engaging in activities contrary to Iranian culture and threatening national security, including, in particular, identifying and establishing networks, as well as assisting qualified Iranians to leave the country. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated: “The Israel Lobby is increasingly less reticent in demonstrating its grip on US policy toward Iran. On Miriam Adelson’s newspaper, the Lobby’s voice asserts that US policy must ensure that America pays a price for any affront to Israel. It is time for Washington to free itself from these shackles.”
And now a look at the military scenarios updated at 3:30 PM on September 21. Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), reported that U.S. forces have secured the transit of over a billion barrels of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz “in recent months.” Cooper stated that key shipping lanes have been cleared of mines and that more than 2,000 ships have transited under U.S. protection. Meanwhile, Iran has not exported a single barrel of crude oil since the blockade resumed.
Sirens were sounding in Al-Malikiyah, near the Lebanese border, in anticipation of a rocket attack. Interception attempts were made in northern occupied Palestine. The Israeli military claims it was a false alarm.
A heavy attack occurred in Gaza on September 21. The Israeli army killed 31-year-old Fidaa Khader Toutah, shot in the head by Israeli soldiers this morning near the Abu Madin police station on Salah al-Din Street in the central Gaza Strip. Two more were killed in attacks from speeding Israeli military vehicles that fired indiscriminately at displaced families in Al-Mawasi, west of Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
Gunfire and explosions were heard in the northern and eastern areas of Al-Bureij camp, coinciding with gunfire from east of Al-Maghazi camp directed towards the southeastern part of Al-Bureij, specifically the “Maqboula” area. Three people were injured, including a woman in critical condition, after a live round hit the home of Atef Abu Al-Rous, near the Musab bin Umair Mosque, east of Block 12 in Al-Bureij camp. Material damage was reported to several homes and tents of displaced persons due to indiscriminate gunfire in the area along Salah al-Din Road.
Drone attack detected in the Gaza Strip, hitting eastern Gaza City. Satellite images reveal that the Israeli regime is building permanent bases in the northern Gaza Strip.
A woman was injured during a settler attack on the town of Beit Ummar, north of Hebron, where attackers set fire to five vehicles on September 20, 2026. IDF: “Our forces have been operating since the early hours of the morning in the town of Biddu, northwest of Jerusalem, conducting house searches. So far, it has been reported that more than 50 people have been detained and questioned on the spot.”
Extremist Israeli settlers, under the protection of Israeli occupation forces, steal 20 sheep from a Palestinian family in the town of Beita, south of Nablus, in the West Bank.
As part of a U.S. aid program for the Lebanese Army, 70 containers containing various types of ammunition arrived at the port of Beirut. This shipment is part of the United States’ ongoing support for the armed forces. Israeli drones are flying very low over the Lebanese capital, Beirut, and its suburbs.
New explosions at a Syrian army weapons depot near the Al-Eis area, in the countryside south of Aleppo.
In the northern Iraqi city of Erbil, smoke billowed from an area near the international airport on September 20. U.S. forces began evacuating the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, concluding a deployment that lasted more than 23 years. The White House had previously announced the full withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq—following the withdrawal from Syria—scheduled for 2025 and 2026.
Iraq’s Oil Minister explained that the majority of oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz belong to Iraq. Basem Mohammed Khadir: “Iraq has achieved a record, increasing its oil exports to 4 million barrels in a single day. A significant portion of the oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz are Iraqi, highlighting the country’s leading role in the region’s energy sector.”
On September 19, an explosion occurred in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, according to AFP. The Iranian news agency IRNA reported that the explosion may have been caused by a missile launched by Yemeni Houthi rebels. Several explosions occurred in northeastern Riyadh. According to Xinhua , smoke is rising near King Khalid International Airport. A Saudi A330MRTT aircraft and another drone are returning to King Fahd Air Base in Taif after operations near the Yemeni border.
Over the past two weeks, at least 112,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in Yemen due to the escalation of the conflict involving the Houthis. According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), approximately 3,000 have fled by sea to Djibouti.
The Houthis have seized new territory in the south from Saudi-backed forces. They have conquered new positions in the Al-Aghbara Mountains and are advancing towards the Ras al-Ara area. The Houthis reportedly used a deepfake of a Saudi military commander to issue a retreat order, thus managing to conquer the Red Sea coast with relative ease. A masterful psychological tactic; the Houthis are very ingenious.
After making territorial gains on the Bab al-Mandab front and capturing sections of the mountain range separating Taiz from Lahij—including the strategic Mount Numan—Saudi Arabia-backed forces have consolidated control of new positions and have advanced further in these areas over the past two days. Fighting is concentrated primarily around Mount Kahbub, where Saudi Arabia-backed forces are attempting to hold their positions and repel an offensive. Meanwhile, the Ansar Allah (Houthi) movement has also advanced into the Jabal Habashi district and areas surrounding Taiz.
The Houthis have launched missiles against Saudi enemy positions and its militia concentrations. Sana’a’s Interior Minister, Major General Abdul Karim al-Houthi, said: “The security forces are fully prepared to thwart the enemy’s plans and its tools. Security agencies have begun providing security and administrative services to residents of the liberated districts on the western coast.”
The U.S. military has declared that the main shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz have been cleared of mines. The Orbiter drone downed in the Strait of Hormuz is believed to belong to Israel and have a range of 120 kilometers. The only possible source for its arrival in that area is the United Arab Emirates. Iran will not open the Strait of Hormuz to shipping until the United States accepts the conditions announced by Tehran, according to Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament (Majlis).
“Until these conditions are met, the legitimate rights of the Iranian people are recognized, and American obligations are fulfilled, there will be no possibility of returning to the previous negotiating terms or opening the Strait of Hormuz,” the statement read.
On September 21, UK Maritime Trade Operations announced that an oil tanker had been hit by a shell in the Strait of Hormuz, injuring two people on board. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said: “We intercepted and destroyed another US military MQ-1 drone using an advanced IRGC space-based air defense system—under the control of the country’s unified air defense network—in the skies above the Strait of Hormuz.”
Iran’s Central Command stated that the United States has received permission from several regional countries to resume operations against Iran. A representative of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated: “If a new attack were launched against Iran, there would be significant changes in our defense system and our counteroffensive strategy. These changes will affect the conflict area, as well as the types of weaponry and military equipment employed. We will unveil new weapons with new capabilities, and the world will be astonished. Our objectives no longer necessarily coincide with those of the past; we have new targets that have not yet been targeted.”
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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