Iran says it destroyed a U.S. radar in Bahrain, home of the Navy's Fifth Fleet, and U.S. Central Command says its forces shot the drones down before they did any damage.

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 13 NOVEMBER 2026

Iran's Revolutionary Guard claims it destroyed a U.S. early-warning radar in Bahrain as payback for a strike on Sirik, an Iranian port town on the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM denied it, saying U.S. forces shot down two one-way attack drones headed for Bahrain with no injuries and no damage. At home, Iranian threats have moved Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent onto a military base, and President Trump warned Iran "will not exist very long" if it kills a senior U.S. official.

Mike Ritland breaks down why Iran claims hits that never happened, what it means that three senior U.S. officials have left their homes, and how the U.S. would likely answer an attack on American soil.

Also covered:

- A U.S. Army lieutenant colonel accused of spying for Russia in England

- Five tankers hit in the Strait of Hormuz in two days, and whether the Navy should clear the mines

- Poland says the Pentagon greenlit a permanent U.S. troop presence

- The fight in Congress over renewing Section 702 surveillance powers

Who do you believe on Bahrain, CENTCOM or the IRGC? Tell us in the comments.

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0:00 Iran claims a hit on a U.S. radar in Bahrain; CENTCOM says drones shot down

3:06 Iran's threats push Bessent, Rubio and Miller off their home turf

6:53 U.S. Army officer accused of spying for Russia

10:34 Five tankers hit in the Strait of Hormuz

13:38 A permanent U.S. base in Poland?

16:42 Section 702 spy powers stall in Congress

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Iran says every U.S. military base from the Middle East to Europe is a target if America strikes it again.

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 12 NOVEMBER 2026

Mohsen Rezaei, the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, warned that any base used in a new attack, "from West Asia to Europe," would be a legitimate target, adding "no safe distance, no safe haven, no immunity." In England, RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath went to Force Protection Condition Charlie, the second-highest level, and KC-135 tankers left Mildenhall for Germany and Scotland. At home, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has moved onto a U.S. military base after Iranian threats against him, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House adviser Stephen Miller have also moved to protected housing.

Mike Ritland breaks down what it means when Iran's reach extends to U.S. bases in Europe and to the homes of top U.S. officials, why sleeper cells and proxies are still a threat after months of strikes, and why Vice President Vance may sit down with the same man making these threats.

Also covered:

- Vance weighs a face-to-face meeting with Rezaei, possibly in Doha

- A Tomb of the Unknown Soldier sentinel calls out Secretary Hegseth's group on Veterans Day

- The defense budget fight and the failed Hegseth impeachment vote

- Data centers and the AI race with China

- Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang resigns amid an alleged affair with a suspected Chinese spy

Should Vance meet face to face with the Iranian official threatening U.S. bases? Tell us in the comments.

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0:00 Iran says every U.S. base from the Gulf to Europe is a target

0:50 U.S. bases in England go to FPCON Charlie

2:20 Vance weighs meeting the man making the threats

4:33 Bessent, Rubio and Miller move to protected housing

9:20 Tomb guard calls out Hegseth's group

10:34 The defense budget fight and the impeachment vote

11:36 Data centers and the AI race with China

13:40 Nvidia's CEO resigns over an alleged Chinese spy affair

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Three men working for Iran's Revolutionary Guard and its Iraqi militia allies are now charged in a plot against a British air base that hosted American bombers and airmen.

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 11 NOVEMBER 2026

The Justice Department says three Iranian-backed operatives were charged in a superseding indictment tied to a plot against RAF Fairford in England. Prosecutors say the men acted for Iran's IRGC and Iraq's Kataib Hezbollah, that vans disguised as fuel trucks were sent toward the base, and that the network is tied to nearly 20 attacks and attempted attacks in Europe and the United States. The alleged leader is accused of passing coded messages through calls to relatives in Iraq from a federal jail in New York. Iran denies involvement. Days after the September incident, the U.S. pulled its B-1 bombers from Fairford.

Mike Ritland breaks down why a handful of men in three vans could force U.S. bombers to move, why every base's outer perimeter is its weak link, and what Iran's new threat to hit U.S. bases far away really means.

Also covered:

- Iran says no enriched nuclear material will leave the country, while Rubio says there's "really no need for major combat"

- Why U.S. troops and the blockade are still in place

- A senior U.S. Army soldier arrested in England on suspicion of spying for Russia

- Washington's push to renegotiate European security alongside Ukraine talks

- Lawmakers push tighter chip export rules after a PLA-linked university bought NVIDIA H200 chips

- The House blocks the Hegseth impeachment effort, for now

- Ring's indoor flying security camera

Would you let a flying security drone patrol your house? And how do you stop three vans at the fence line? Tell us in the comments.

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0:00 Iran-backed plot against RAF Fairford: three men charged

3:22 Iran threatens U.S. bases far away

6:49 Report: Treasury Secretary Bessent moved onto a military base

9:30 U.S. Army soldier arrested in England as a suspected Russian spy

12:16 Washington and Moscow talk European security

14:51 NVIDIA, China and the push for tighter chip exports

17:20 Hegseth impeachment effort blocked for now

18:13 Ring's indoor flying security camera

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Captain Alex Folchitto, a 16-year veteran of the Italian Army Special Forces and an airborne Ranger from the tier one unit known as the 9th Paratroopers Assault Regiment, Col Moschin, joins Mike Ritland as the first Italian veteran to appear on the podcast. Alex opens with a mission that nearly went terribly wrong: a midnight flight into a village, everybody shooting at them, and an aircraft that loses its front wheel. From there, he walks through the Italian selection (ten-day hell week, then three years of training), working alongside U.S. units in Afghanistan, rules of engagement, and his deployment to Libya around the time of the Benghazi attack. He also tells how he went from washing dishes at his sister’s restaurant to the movie business as a military advisor, stunt performer and actor.

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A U.S. warplane fired on a ship trying to run the blockade on Iran, and Tehran answered with a 48-hour ultimatum and a promise to "rain down hell."

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 09 NOVEMBER 2026

CENTCOM says a St. Kitts-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman ignored repeated warnings and tried to break the naval blockade, so U.S. forces ordered the crew clear and a U.S. warplane disabled it with precision munitions. Since July, the blockade has redirected 147 commercial ships and disabled five. Iran's foreign minister says Iran's two-day proposal stands and warned that otherwise "Iran's warriors will rain down hell," while President Trump says new strikes are "highly unlikely" to be necessary and three carriers in the region are "locked and loaded."

Mike Ritland breaks down what the 48-hour clock really means for U.S. sailors and air crews, why Iran's threats often don't match its follow-through, and why the third carrier group steaming in from the South China Sea could decide the timing.

Also covered:

- The debate over whether Russia can actually hand Iran the S-400

- Task Force Iron Gate and the push to hit Iran's land routes

- A drone that knocked out power to most of Iraq's Kurdish region, where U.S. troops have long been based

- Qatar's peace plan at the White House: lifting the blockade and releasing about $8 billion in frozen Iranian assets

- Trump's planned talks with Xi Jinping and Putin at APEC

- The White House's $1.5 trillion defense budget request and the December 11 funding deadline

Should releasing Iran's frozen money be part of any deal? Tell us in the comments.

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0:00 U.S. warplane fires on a blockade runner; Iran's 48-hour ultimatum

2:27 Can Russia really give Iran the S-400?

4:07 Task Force Iron Gate update

5:29 Drone knocks out power in Iraq's Kurdish region

7:50 Qatar's peace plan at the White House

11:00 Trump to meet Xi and Putin at APEC

13:20 The $1.5 trillion defense budget request

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Iran's Revolutionary Guard says it has lifted its self-imposed missile range limit for the United States, putting more U.S. bases inside the danger zone.

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 08 NOVEMBER 2026

CBS News, citing the AP, reported that an IRGC spokesman said Iran's roughly 1,200-mile missile range limit has been lifted for the United States. Iran has not shown a new missile, but in March it fired two missiles toward Diego Garcia, about 2,400 miles away. Meanwhile U.S. strikes hit Qeshm Island, a U.S. aircraft disabled a blockade runner in the Gulf of Oman, and CENTCOM stood up a new task force to choke off Iran's land routes.

Mike Ritland breaks down why he sees the range threat as mostly rhetoric, whether U.S. air defenses have enough interceptors to cover a 2,500-mile radius, and what a CENTCOM task force aimed at Iran's land routes could mean for U.S. forces.

Also covered: two more tankers hit mines near Hormuz and what is missing from Iran's seven demands, Gadi Eisenkot's push to replace Netanyahu and what it means for a U.S.-Iran deal, reports that Iran wants Russia's S-400 air defenses, and Congress returning with a December 11 funding clock and an impeachment push against War Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Do U.S. bases farther from Iran need to plan as if they're targets now? Tell us in the comments.

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00:00 Iran says it lifted its missile range limit

00:50 What it means for U.S. bases, and the Diego Garcia precedent

02:30 Do U.S. air defenses have enough interceptors?

03:40 U.S. strikes Qeshm and disables a blockade runner

04:50 Task Force Iron Gate targets Iran's land routes

07:40 Could it lead to boots on the ground?

09:15 Two more tankers hit mines near Hormuz

11:10 What's missing from Iran's seven demands

12:35 Eisenkot tapped to replace Netanyahu

13:45 Does a new Israeli leader change a U.S.-Iran deal?

15:45 Russia's S-400 and pipeline lifeline for Iran

17:00 What the S-400 means for U.S. pilots

21:45 Congress returns: funding clock and Hegseth impeachment

24:20 Is the war budget worth it?

25:30 Wrap-up

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U.S. Central Command is finalizing preparations to restart major operations against Iran, and President Trump says Americans will know "soon enough."

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 06 NOVEMBER 2026

U.S. officials told Axios that CENTCOM is finalizing preparations for a possible return to major operations against Iran, though no new order has been given. President Trump met with his national security team Wednesday and Thursday, and officials pointed to the November 9 new moon as favorable for operations. Meanwhile tankers are still burning in the Strait of Hormuz and Iran says its seven conditions must be met before the strait reopens.

Mike Ritland breaks down why the new moon matters, what "finalizing preparations" means for U.S. troops in the region, and whether the carrier group headed for the Gulf signals strikes are coming.

Also covered: Iran's nuclear proposal through Qatar and its security chief's meeting with Putin, Turkey's parliament approving a defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and why a NATO ally in the fight changes everything, War Secretary Pete Hegseth's $350 billion request and the impeachment push, and Gov. Gavin Newsom emptying California's death row.

Is the carrier heading to the Gulf a sign strikes are coming, or is there still an off-ramp? Tell us in the comments.

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00:00 CENTCOM finalizes preparations to strike Iran again

01:10 Why the Nov. 9 new moon matters

02:30 What "finalizing preparations" means for troops

03:00 Tankers burn as the U.S. blockade holds

03:50 Iran's seven conditions and the stalemate

05:45 Does the carrier group mean strikes are coming?

06:40 Iran's nuclear offer through Qatar and Putin

10:20 Turkey joins the Saudi-Pakistan defense pact

12:25 Why a NATO ally in the fight changes everything

14:25 Hegseth's $350 billion request and the impeachment push

17:25 Is it worth it? What success looks like

19:40 Newsom empties California's death row

22:05 Wrap-up

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Iran says it took control of two U.S. attack drones over the Strait of Hormuz as the U.S. military finishes preparations for possible resumed major combat.

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 05 NOVEMBER 2026

Iran's Revolutionary Guard says its navy's electronic warfare unit took control of two U.S. LUCAS one-way attack drones in the Hormuz area, part of the low-cost drone force the Pentagon has been ramping up. U.S. officials say the military is finishing preparations for possible resumed major combat, while President Trump says there are no immediate plans to strike.

Mike Ritland breaks down why U.S. forces need to know now if Iran can really grab drones in flight, why the daily attacks on tankers point to a stalemate in the strait, and whether the administration ramps up or backs off before the December 11 war funding fight.

Also covered: two more tankers on fire after mine strikes and the U.S. blockade at six months, impeachment talk building around War Secretary Pete Hegseth, China surging ships and aircraft around Taiwan and whether the Navy can cover two fronts, the Houthis claiming a strike on Riyadh's airport, and Vice President Vance saying the war cost Republicans the midterms.

Between now and December 11, do you expect more U.S. strikes on Iran, or a pullback? Tell us in the comments.

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00:00 Iran says it seized two U.S. attack drones

00:50 Why the LUCAS drone program matters

02:30 Strikes before December 11, or a pullback?

04:30 Tankers burn in the strait as the blockade holds

05:25 Qatar's draft deal and the stalemate

09:05 Impeachment talk builds around Hegseth

14:10 China surges ships and aircraft around Taiwan

15:25 Can the Navy cover two fronts at once?

16:40 Houthis claim a strike on Riyadh's airport

18:20 December 11: Congress and war funding

22:50 Wrap-up

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Democrats won control of Congress, putting war funding for the Iran conflict on the table, while Israel warns that Iran is weighing chemical weapons.

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 4 NOVEMBER 2026

Democrats won control of both the House and Senate on Tuesday. Current government funding runs out December 11, and the new Congress is sworn in January 3, with Democrats promising bills to end the Iran war. Meanwhile, Israel has told the U.S. and Gulf states that Iran is considering chemical weapons if full-scale fighting resumes, though some U.S. officials doubt the intelligence.

Mike Ritland breaks down why the short window before the funding deadline could raise the risk to U.S. troops, what a chemical weapons threat would mean for forces in the region, and why both parties should treat the election as a lesson, not a victory lap.

Also covered: an update on the EUCOM warning to troops and families in Europe, Poland reinforcing its border with Russia after a warning from NATO's top commander, and Trump saying $4 billion a year in military aid to Israel will end.

Is Israel's chemical weapons warning a credible threat, or a push to pull the U.S. back into the fight? Tell us in the comments.

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0:00 Democrats win Congress; war funding deadline December 11

0:45 Mike's take on the election

9:15 Update: the EUCOM warning in Europe

11:50 Israel warns Iran is weighing chemical weapons

16:20 Poland reinforces its border after NATO warning

18:55 Trump says $4 billion a year in aid to Israel will end

20:30 Wrap-up

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Iran fired a surface-to-air missile at a U.S. fighter jet over the Strait of Hormuz, and U.S. forces struck back at Qeshm Island on the eve of Election Day.

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 3 NOVEMBER 2026

U.S. officials say Iran's Revolutionary Guard fired on an American jet Monday evening, and U.S. forces answered with a limited strike on Qeshm Island, the largest island in the Persian Gulf. Officials called it defensive and say it does not signal a return to major combat. In Europe, U.S. European Command launched a "See Something, Do Something" campaign urging troops and families to vary their routes, turn off geotagging on fitness apps and limit posts about travel.

Mike Ritland breaks down whether a measured response is enough of a deterrent when Iran is still shooting at U.S. aircraft during talks, why EUCOM's warning to families in Europe is a big deal, and why letting aid lapse for Navy families evacuated from Bahrain would be an unforced error.

Also covered: Navy families evacuated from Bahrain could lose safe haven housing aid, Russia's posture ahead of talks with the U.S. and the future of U.S. support for Ukraine, China hosting Oman's sultan and Iranian officials as it pushes to reopen Hormuz, and Election Day.

Should the U.S. answer Iran with a measured strike, or take the gloves off? Tell us in the comments.

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0:00 Iran fires on a U.S. jet; U.S. strikes Qeshm Island

4:05 EUCOM warns troops and families across Europe

9:05 Navy families evacuated from Bahrain could lose housing aid

12:40 Russia, Ukraine and the upcoming U.S.-Russia talks

17:20 China steps into the Hormuz fight

19:55 Election Day

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Former Navy SEAL Justin Hughes, BUD/S Class 293, SEAL Team Five, JTAC, and BUD/S second phase instructor, informally known as a professional drowner, joins Mike Ritland. He’s also a self-taught oil painter, and Mike calls his work spectacular. They dig into second phase training and the pool comp test, where students get bloody noses, teeth ripped out, and end up throwing up underwater and blacking out. Justin also explains how often he had to pull drowning students up and resuscitate them, and why he refused to lower the standard.

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Iran's Supreme Leader has ordered an immediate response with no geographic limit to any new attack, and Mike Ritland lays out how he thinks about being ready at home.

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 2 NOVEMBER 2026

Iran's Supreme Leader ordered the military to meet any attack with an "immediate, impactful and geographically unrestricted response," and to update its target bank so all kinds of U.S. and Israeli assets are within reach. President Trump says one or two sites in Iran remain, including Pickaxe Mountain, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio says no decision has been made on resuming strikes.

Mike Ritland breaks down what an unrestricted threat could mean here at home, then answers the question viewers keep asking: what does being prepared actually look like? He walks through a simple 10-to-14-day plan for water, power, food, medical supplies and light, plus what to do if it runs longer than two weeks. For deeper training, he points viewers to Clint Emerson and Mike Glover.

Also covered: the standoff in the Strait of Hormuz as both sides claim control; North Korea's latest weapons test; China's coast guard pressing in off Taiwan; and why the U.S. is getting involved in Russian gas to Europe.

Could your household last 14 days with no power and no store runs? Tell us what's in your kit in the comments.

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0:00 Iran orders a response with no geographic limit

1:30 Prepping at home: the 14-day plan

3:15 Water first

5:35 Food and power

6:30 Medical, firearms and light

8:15 Past two weeks: a secondary location

10:20 Hormuz standoff: who controls the strait?

12:20 North Korea tests during U.S. air drills

13:25 China's coast guard off Taiwan

16:45 Russian gas, Europe and the U.S.

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Iran went after America's radars first, then hit hangars, warehouses and troop housing at 26 bases across the Middle East.

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 1 NOVEMBER 2026

A new AP satellite analysis found more than 115 drone and missile strikes claimed by Iran or its militias damaged or destroyed structures at 26 bases and sites with U.S. equipment through August. Iran hit early-warning radars first, including a radar in Jordan that is one of only 13 the Army owns, then went after aircraft hangars, warehouses and barracks. Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait was hit at least 30 times, and a Congressional Research Service report says 15 U.S. aircraft were damaged.

Mike Ritland breaks down why the order of those strikes matters: it is the same playbook the U.S. uses, and it shows Iran can now reach every base in the region if strikes resume after Tuesday's election. He also explains why he doesn't think the Pentagon should publish its own damage assessments.

Also covered: Trump says the U.S. still has one or two sites to hit in Iran, including Pickaxe Mountain; the Navy blockade has now turned back 144 ships as Iran offers to reopen the Strait of Hormuz; a report that Russian satellites helped Iran's allies target Saudi Arabia; the U.S., South Korea and Japan on North Korean denuclearization; and what Tuesday's midterms mean for war powers and the troops.

Should the Pentagon tell Americans how badly our bases were hit, or keep it classified? Tell us in the comments.

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0:00 Iran hit U.S. radars first, then 26 bases

5:15 Trump: one or two sites left, including Pickaxe Mountain

7:40 Navy blockade turns back 144 ships

10:45 Report: Russian satellites helped Iran's allies

13:35 North Korea denuclearization talks

15:55 Tuesday's midterms and the war decision

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The Pentagon's top war planner has been fired and his case referred to the Justice Department after he was accused of leaking classified information about the Iran and Ukraine wars.

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 30 OCTOBER 2026

Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, the Joint Staff's director for strategy, plans and policy, coordinated the options for the Iran campaign. A Pentagon official accused him of leaking classified information to reporters, and an internal investigation report seen by Axios says he admitted it. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said classified information is "not personal property."

Mike Ritland breaks down why a leak like this could cost U.S. lives, why the punishment at the top looks lighter than it would for a lower-ranking service member, and whether this should be treated as treason.

Also covered: about $35 million in U.S. military aid to a Cameroonian unit tied to a third-country deportation deal, U.S. economic growth of 3.4% last quarter, the national debt passing 100% of GDP, and a federal judge refusing to set aside 20,000 California ballots the administration says are linked to non-citizens.

Should leaking war plans be prosecuted as treason, or is firing enough? Tell us in the comments.

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00:00 Pentagon's Iran war planner fired over leaks

04:33 Military aid to Cameroon tied to deportations

16:03 U.S. economy grows 3.4%

16:55 National debt passes 100% of GDP

19:59 Judge rejects bid to set aside California ballots

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The U.S. has told Middle East allies to prepare for renewed strikes on Iran after the Nov. 3 elections, and for Iran and its proxies to hit back.

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 29 OCTOBER 2026

Two diplomats told the AP that U.S. officials warned allies a new round of strikes could last several days, with Iranian retaliation expected against energy sites and critical infrastructure. The USS Theodore Roosevelt and amphibious ships with Marines are already in the region, and President Trump has not made a final decision. Meanwhile, Iran's Revolutionary Guard claims three tankers caught fire after hitting mines in the Strait of Hormuz and dared CENTCOM to prove the strait is clear. CENTCOM calls the claim false.

Mike Ritland breaks down whether Iran strikes before the U.S. does, what units actually do in the days before a strike, and why even a false claim in Hormuz can choke off shipping.

Also covered: Hegseth fires the Pentagon's top war planner days before the possible strike window, Netanyahu falls short of a majority but stays in charge, the U.S. ties Russian satellite help to Houthi strikes on Saudi airports, and a breach exposes about 40,000 DHS employees, including ICE and Border Patrol.

Should the U.S. strike first, wait until after the election, or try to negotiate? Tell us in the comments.

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00:00 U.S. tells allies to prepare for new Iran strikes

04:28 Iran dares CENTCOM over Hormuz mines

07:52 Hegseth fires the Pentagon's top war planner

11:38 Netanyahu falls short of a majority

12:53 Houthis, Saudi airports and Russian satellites

17:45 DHS breach exposes 40,000 employees

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Five Army bases are first in line for their own nuclear reactors as the Pentagon plans for every major U.S. base to run on its own for 90 days if the grid goes down.

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 28 OCTOBER 2026

The Army has paired five companies with Fort Bragg, Fort Campbell, Fort Hood, Fort Benning and Fort Drum to build nuclear microreactors, a deal worth up to $2.2 billion, with the first reactor targeted for 2028. It's the first concrete piece of FORTRESS America, the Pentagon's plan to make stateside bases self-sufficient for power, water, fuel and communications for at least 90 days, with no price tag announced yet.

Mike Ritland breaks down why the Pentagon is preparing U.S. bases to stand alone now, what it signals about threats to the homeland, and why the same small-reactor model could help states fix their strained power grids.

Also covered: two men facing new charges in the Iran-linked RAF Fairford incident and who should guard U.S. bases overseas, Israel's election ending with no clear majority, U.S. forces telling ships to stay clear of the Strait of Hormuz as oil stays high, and the Iran war's cost topping $47 billion.

Do you live near one of these five bases? Would you want a microreactor next door? Tell us in the comments.

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00:00 Nuclear reactors for 5 Army bases and the 90-day FORTRESS plan

07:17 RAF Fairford: Iran-linked plot and who guards U.S. bases abroad

11:30 Israel's election: no clear majority

13:12 Ships told to stay clear of Hormuz as oil stays high

13:55 Iran war cost tops $47 billion

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Airborne Ranger, FBI Hostage Rescue Team operator, sniper, breacher, and FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit veteran Kyle Vowinkel, author of the upcoming book Shaping Chaos, sits down with Mike Ritland to break down the night he was called in to talk to the most wanted man in America. With 400 officers on scene, a dozen flashbangs thrown into the boat, and nothing working, the call came down from the FBI director to try talking. Kyle walks through the ten minutes of dead silence, the word that finally broke it, and the hour and a half that followed.

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U.S. forces in the Middle East could launch a major new strike on Iran within 96 hours of a presidential order, and the target list now includes Iran's energy infrastructure.

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 26 OCTOBER 2026

According to CNN, U.S. officials say forces already in the region could launch a bigger operation than past strikes within 96 hours of an order, with a target list covering energy infrastructure, military sites and nuclear facilities. Some officials think an order could come before the year ends, most likely after the Nov. 3 midterms. Mike Ritland breaks down what the new readiness posture signals, why he doesn't think this is only pressure for a deal, and why Iran's track record of dragging out talks makes him doubt another round of negotiations.

Also covered: the Houthis firing a missile barrage at Saudi Arabia and why they're the most likely group to hit U.S. ships and Gulf bases if strikes resume; a Pentagon plan for major U.S. bases at home to run on their own power, water and fuel for 90 days; Saudi, Pakistani and Turkish officials meeting Iran in Tehran; and Brazil's presidential runoff.

Strike now, or try for one more deal? Tell us in the comments.

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00:00 U.S. forces could strike Iran within 96 hours

00:50 Intel warnings and the Riyadh embassy drawdown

01:15 Why this posture is different

02:30 Can pressure force a deal?

03:20 Strike now, or one more deal?

04:25 Houthis fire a missile barrage at Saudi Arabia

05:15 Why the Houthis are the biggest threat to U.S. forces

06:15 U.S. missile defense stocks

07:05 How U.S. forces could hit the Houthis

08:45 Pentagon: bases must run 90 days on their own

10:00 Why that's never happened before

11:15 What it means for civilians near bases

13:15 U.S. partners meet Iran in Tehran

14:35 Help or hurt U.S. pressure?

16:40 Brazil's election

18:20 Wrap-up

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Iran's armed forces chief says U.S. warships will never be allowed in the Persian Gulf, as a U.S. envoy says strikes on Iran could come this weekend.

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 24 OCTOBER 2026

Iran's armed forces chief of staff, Ali Abdollahi, says Iran will not allow U.S. military ships in the Persian Gulf under any circumstances. Hours earlier, U.S. ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack said a U.S. strike on Iran could "absolutely" come this weekend, while President Trump said he didn't know anything about it and has said strikes would wait until after the Nov. 3 midterms. Mike Ritland breaks down the mixed signals, why he doesn't think strikes are likely before the election, and why he believes election timing shouldn't drive military decisions.

Also covered: an intelligence memo from DNI Jay Clayton warning that Iranian plots to kill Americans abroad have reached "advanced stages," the State Department cutting embassy staff across the region, why the memo was made public, and Houthi missiles fired toward Saudi Arabia's Red Sea route around Hormuz.

Should election timing play any role in when the U.S. strikes Iran? Tell us in the comments.

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00:00 Iran: no U.S. warships in the Gulf

00:25 U.S. envoy: a strike could come this weekend

00:50 Mixed signals on strike timing

01:40 Why the administration is waiting

02:05 Should politics drive war timing?

03:45 Iranian plots against Americans reach "advanced stages"

04:10 Embassies and bases cut staff

04:35 Why make the memo public?

06:15 Building the case for strikes?

07:05 How the FBI handles plots at home

07:55 Houthis target Saudi Arabia's Hormuz bypass

08:45 Iran's reach through the Houthis

09:10 U.S., UK and France after Nov. 3?

09:35 Wrap-up

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Roughly 10,000 more U.S. sailors and Marines are headed for the Middle East with the USS Theodore Roosevelt and the USS Makin Island, as the buildup around Iran grows.

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 21 OCTOBER 2026

The USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group and the USS Makin Island amphibious group, with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, are headed for the Middle East and expected by the end of November, joining the USS George H.W. Bush and USS George Washington. Mike Ritland breaks down what the added carrier and amphibious package signal to Iran, what a Marine Expeditionary Unit brings that air power can't, and why any move toward troops on the ground would change the cost of this war.

Also covered: Iran keeps hitting ships in Hormuz even as Gulf oil exports climb back above pre-war levels, why oil is still over $100 a barrel, the administration's shift on Russia and Ukraine, and reports that Elon Musk pushed to slow the military version of Starlink that Ukraine relies on.

Will resumed strikes on Iran bring oil prices down, or push them higher? Tell us in the comments.

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00:00 10,000 more sailors and Marines head toward Iran

01:40 What a Marine Expeditionary Unit adds

02:55 Why troops on the ground change everything

04:10 Headlines vs. opinions

05:50 Iran keeps hitting ships, but more oil gets out

06:40 Why oil is still over $100

08:20 Can strikes bring prices down?

09:35 The shift on Russia and Ukraine

10:50 Musk and the Starlink slowdown

12:55 The U.S., Russia and China at one table

14:35 Gas prices and how Americans vote

15:50 Your take

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