US Defense Secretary Says "Indefinite" Naval Blockade Possible; Iran Warns of Conflict Escalation if Demands Unmet; Houthis Attack Saudi Refinery Again

US Secretary of Defense Hegseth stated on August 13 local time that the US military has sufficient resources to impose an "indefinite" naval blockade on Iran and can rotate ships deployed in the region as needed.

Hegseth said, "The US Navy is fully capable of maintaining such a blockade for as long as necessary. We will continue to rotate deployed ships as we have done before."

Recently, reports emerged that as the USS Lincoln's overseas deployment approached nine months, marking a record 250 consecutive days without port calls, "harsh conditions and mental stress among sailors had reached a breaking point," leading to multiple incidents of sailors attempting suicide by jumping overboard. According to US officials on the 13th, the United States is preparing to deploy the USS George Washington to the Middle East to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln.

Advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader: Conflict May Escalate if Demands Are Not Met

Mokhber, an advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader, posted on social media on the 13th that if the conditions proposed by Iran are not met, the Supreme Leader has made a clear strategic decision to respond by escalating the conflict.

Mokhber stated that the current situation has proven the United States' inability to protect its allies in the Persian Gulf.

He also indicated that the most sustainable path to establishing a new regional order lies in promoting the implementation of the "Hormuz Economic Security Mechanism" to break free from dependence on US military security guarantees.

Yemen's Houthi Forces Claim Drone Attack on Saudi Refinery

News from Sanaa: On the 13th, Yemen's Houthi forces stated that the group used drones to attack a Saudi Aramco refinery located in the Jizan region of southwestern Saudi Arabia.

According to the Saba News Agency, controlled by the Houthis, the group used two drones to attack the refinery, describing the strike as highly "precise."

On the 9th of this month, Yemen's Houthi forces stated that the group had launched a "precision strike" using drones against a Saudi Aramco refinery in Jizan.

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