Early Edition: September 9, 2026

Sign up to receive the Early Edition in your inbox here.

A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the last 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:

IRAN WAR 

The U.S. military yesterday said it destroyed five Iranian oil tankers in reprisal for attempted Iranian strikes on a U.S. Navy warship. U.S. Central Command said it destroyed four tankers used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps in the Gulf of Oman, and another near Kharg Island. Helene Cooper and Pranav Baskar report for the New York Times; Shelby Holliday and Costas Paris report for the Wall Street Journal.

The IRGC today said it fired ballistic missiles at a base near Al Azraq in Jordan used by the U.S. military, in retaliation to yesterday’s attacks on its oil tankers. Jordan said its air defenses intercepted 18 of the 20 Iranian missiles, with two falling in unpopulated areas, and that there were no casualties. The IRGC also said it attacked 10 ships, including two U.S. vessels and eight oil tankers, attempting to cross a “prohibited and unsafe” area of the Strait of Hormuz. Enas Alashray and Idrees Ali report for Reuters.

The IRGC yesterday said it had captured an uncrewed U.S. submarine drone at the entrance to the strait. A Pentagon spokesperson said the underwater drone had “malfunctioned more than a day ago.” Idrees Ali and Joe Brock report for Reuters.

The U.S. Treasury Department yesterday issued 36 Iran-related sanctions targeting the aviation sector and other companies. The department said the action was aimed at grounding Iran’s Mahan Air, which was already sanctioned by the United States and the EU. Andrea Shalal and David Shepardson report for Reuters.

IRAN WAR – OTHER DEVELOPMENTS

The U.K. government yesterday announced legislation to introduce tougher sanctions on Iran. The measures would restrict Iran’s access to the British financial system, broaden trade bans, and prohibit Iranian aircraft from landing in Britain unless exemptions apply. Sam Tabahriti and Sam Tobin report for Reuters.

South Korean National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lac yesterday said that the meeting yesterday between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris discussed cooperation on security and freedom of navigation in the strait, but did not concern troop deployment. Lee said he had discussed the strait as part of wider talks on international security issues. Kyu-Seok Shim reports for Reuters.

ISRAEL-SYRIA

The U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry said yesterday that it is deeply alarmed over Israel’s military activity inside Syria, and warned that some actions, including detention of civilians, could amount to war crimes. Commissioner Fionnuala Ní Aoláin told the U.N. Human Rights Council that Israeli military operations in southern Syria had become “increasingly sustained and entrenched.” The Israeli mission in Geneva accused the Commission of conducting an “Israel-bashing session,” and said Israel had no territorial aspirations in Syria. Olivia Le Poidevin reports for Reuters.

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was directly warned by UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed 10 days before the attacks on Oct. 7, 2023 that Hamas was planning a major offensive, according to a report by Israeli newspaper Haaretz daily. Haaretz claims that Netanyahu “reacted with relative calm,” and assured bin Zayed that Israel was prepared for any scenario, and a possible attack was more likely to come from the occupied West Bank. Netanyahu’s office yesterday denied that the UAE gave him a warning, and said Netanyahu did not speak with the UAE president during the period in question. AP News reports.

WEST BANK VIOLENCE

The United Kingdom, Canada, and France, among others, yesterday announced sanctions on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden also announced their intentions to introduce restrictions on trade. Sources said that Israel today told the United Kingdom it must close its consulate in East Jerusalem within 30 days. U.K. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband today said he regretted Israel’s decision to order the consulate to close, but that the decision was not a surprise. Stephen Castle, Adam Rasgon, Aaron Boxerman, and Isabel Kershner report for the New York Times; Alexander Cornwell reports for Reuters; Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

The Trump administration did not oppose the UK-led initiative to impose new sanctions on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, according to U.S. officials and Western diplomats. U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham briefed President Trump ahead of the sanctions announcement, and Trump did not push back. U.S. officials told their British counterparts they shared their concerns about Israel’s West Bank policy, even if they disagreed with specific sanctions. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

Ukrainian authorities today said Russian drones hit a border crossing between Ukraine and Moldova in the southern region of Odesa, killing two people, and attacked Kyiv. Odesa Oblast Gov. Oleh Kiper said two civilians were killed and three others injured near the Starokozache crossing. Kyiv emergency services said the attacks on the capital caused fires but no casualties. Anna Pruchnicka and Jekaterīna Golubkova report for Reuters.

Seven people, including a child, have been killed in Ukrainian drone attacks in Russia over the past two days. Local officials yesterday said one person was killed in Russia’s Kursk region, and two others in Russia’s Bryansk region. Krasnodar region Gov. Veniamin Kondratyev today said four people, including a child, were killed, and 29 were wounded in an attack on the Russian city of Novorossiysk. Reuters reports; Reuters reports.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius yesterday said Germany will send Patriot air defense missiles to Ukraine from its national stocks, warning that Russia was likely to intensify its air campaign against Ukrainian infrastructure as winter approaches. Bart Meijer reports for Reuters.

OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS

Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orban yesterday ordered the expulsion of 10 Russian diplomats. Orban said the diplomats had been told to leave because they had “engaged in activities in Hungary that are unacceptable for diplomats under the Vienna Convention.” Andrew Higgins reports for the New York Times.

Romania’s SRI intelligence service yesterday said it prevented a sabotage operation coordinated by Russia in Romanian territory. SRI said a Russian citizen based in Romania had been under surveillance since February as part of an investigation involving international partners. Stoyan Nenov and Alan Charlish reports for Reuters.

Bosnian Foreign Minister Elmedin Konakovic yesterday expelled two Serbian diplomats and suspended plans to sign a regional cooperation accord in protest over Serbia’s decision to hold a lavish public funeral for former Bosnian Serb Gen. Ratko Mladic, who had been convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. Konakovic said Serbia had crossed all red lines with its handling of Mladic’s death and funeral. Daria Sito-sucic reports for Reuters.

TECH DEVELOPMENTS

Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon yesterday said he is leaving the company because he does not want to participate in an industrywide rush to build AI systems that cannot be controlled. Coxon said he does not want to participate in an industrywide rush to build AI systems that can improve themselves, worried such systems could spiral out of control and destroy humanity. Amrith Ramkumar reports for the Wall Street Journal.

U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS

The White House yesterday retaliated against Canada’s tariffs, and announced import bans on a broad swath of Canadian alcoholic beverages, motorcycles, and dairy products to go into effect on Sep. 29. In addition to the import bans, various cheese products and other products were added to a list subject to a 50% tariff, while levies on cement, road salt, and some hospital products were lifted. Gram Slattery, Promit Mukherjee, and Ryan Patrick Jones report for Reuters; Gavin Bade reports for the Wall Street Journal.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio yesterday said he hoped to see the United States’ security relationship with Colombia rebound under Colombian President Abelrado De La Espriella. Espriella said he and Rubio discussed security cooperation against drug trafficking, improving economic ties, and an expanded role for Colombia in “bulletproofing the hemisphere.” Simon Lewis, Julia Symmes Cobb, Humeyra Pamuk, and Nelson Bocanegra report for Reuters.

Australian Communication Minister Anika Wells today said Australia sees no risk to its relationship with the United States after reports that the Trump administration criticized Australian plans to target social media algorithms. The Australian Financial Review today cited White House spokesperson Kush Desai, who said Trump had “unequivocally warned trading partners against imposing digital service taxes, fines, and other forms of extortion on America’s leading technology sector.” Anika rejected the suggestion that her government’s social media reforms amounted to extortion, and said no U.S. officials had contacted her office over the proposed law. Renju Jose reports for Reuters.

U.S. IMMIGRATION DEVELOPMENTS

The White House issued a directive to resume processing immigrant visa applications from Hungary and Poland last week, while maintaining a temporary pause on immigrant visa appointments elsewhere, according to sources. Humeyra Pamuk, Kristina Cooke, and Jonathan Landay report for Reuters.

Police in Equatorial Guinea on Saturday pulled guns on migrants deported there from the United States, according to video footage shared with Reuters. The incident began as a dispute over access to mobile phones but quickly escalated. Deportees have complained of inadequate medical care, denial of legal assistance, and “severe psychological distress” while being held at a hotel in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea’s former capital. Robbie Corey-Boulet reports.

A federal judge yesterday dismissed a lawsuit by British anti-disinformation campaigner and CEO of U.S. based Center for Countering Digital Hate Imran Ahmed that challenged the Trump administration’s ability to detain and deport him. The judge stated that while Ahmed may have valid causes of action, she was required to conclude under a recent appellate court ruling that she lacked jurisdiction to hear his free speech and due process claims under the Constitution. Kanishka Singh and Nate Raymond report for Reuters.

A Court of Appeals yesterday upheld an injunction blocking an IRS policy that allowed it to share thousands of taxpayers’ addresses with ICE authorities. The court ruled that the practice violated federal law, and that the IRS last year disclosed roughly 47,000 taxpayer addresses to ICE. Nate Raymond reports for Reuters.

U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS

The American Bar Association yesterday eliminated a diversity requirement for law schools, after facing pressure from the Trump administration. The association said that the diversity requirement could jeopardize its role as an accreditor that oversees nearly 200 juris doctorate programs. The association had previously suspended the requirement in February 2025, and its accreditation council struck down the standard on a 10-6 vote. Vimal Patel reports for the New York Times.

Conflicting court rulings have been issued on Missouri’s Republican-drawn congressional map. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh yesterday denied an emergency request to suspend the Missouri Supreme Court’s Sep.3 unanimous ruling that required a referendum on whether the map would be used for the midterm elections. Minutes later, a federal judge acting on a separate case, brought on Sept. 4, issued a restraining order preventing Missouri from using any map aside from the Republican-drawn congressional map for the upcoming elections. Missouri’s Attorney-General Catherine Hanaway (R) said that the state is prepared to comply with the federal judge’s order. The case has been appealed to the Eighth Circuit. Andrew Chung reports for Reuters; John Fritze reports for CNN; Lawrence Hurley and Jane C. Timm report for NBC News.

Missouri’s Supreme Court Chief Justice W. Brent Powell late Tuesday night ordered Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins to explain why he should not be held in contempt of court. He must declare why his emails, which instructed election officials to use the Republican-drawn congressional map, do not violate the Supreme Court’s Sept. 3 ruling. Nick Sloan reports for KMBC News.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTION

The Energy Department yesterday announced it would lend up to $1.9 billion to help restart a shuttered nuclear power plant in Iowa. The loan would help NextEra Energy reopen the Duane Arnold nuclear power plant which had ceased operating in 2020. Google has agreed to buy a portion of the plant’s electricity to help power data centers for AI. There are now three attempts across the United States to reopen nuclear power plants. Brad Plumer reports for the New York Times.

Trump gave Natalie Harp, Chamberlain Harris, and Margo Martin $45,000 cash gifts each “for the holidays,” according to financial disclosures filed by the White House. A White House spokesperson said that Trump has a longstanding practice of “giving Christmas gifts to people in his orbit.” Sophia Cai reports for POLITICO.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LITIGATION

The Justice Department yesterday asked the Supreme Court to allow it to use a revamped immigration database for checking the accuracy of state voter rolls. A federal judge in June ruled that the mass voter verification system could not be used, as it was haphazardly assembled and contained unreliable citizenship data. John Kruzel reports for Reuters.

Did you miss this? Stay up-to-date with our Litigation Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions.

If you enjoy listening, Just Security’s analytic articles are also available in audio form on the justsecurity.org website.

ICYMI: Yesterday on Just Security

The Simplest Way for the Supreme Court to Rule in the USPS Mail Ballots Case

By Marty Lederman