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On July 15th, it was reported that on July 14th local time, the U.S. Central Command announced that the U.S. military launched a new round of strikes against Iran at 3:00 PM Eastern Time (10:30 PM Tehran Time). The U.S. military is also preparing to reinstate a naval blockade against Iranian ports and coastal areas, which "officially took effect at 4:00 PM Eastern Time (11:30 PM Tehran Time)." Previously, on July 13th, the U.S. military announced a "third consecutive night" of strikes against Iran and would reinstate the naval blockade on July 14th Eastern Time. According to U.S. sources on July 13th, President Trump had formally notified Congress of the renewed conflict with Iran.U.S. Defense Secretary Hergsays will testify at a hearing on July 21.On July 15th, Federal Reserve Governor Bowman stated that lending institutions, with a greater understanding of the risks associated with innovation, should be allowed to decide for themselves when to adopt new technologies such as artificial intelligence. Speaking at a conference on financial inclusion, Bowman said, “When and how to innovate is up to each bank and its management. They know their customers, their communities, and their risk tolerance better than we do.” Bowman also stated that the Federal Reserve should “set clear expectations, remain transparent, and not interfere with individual business decisions related to innovation.” Bowman’s remarks come as senior officials are assessing the impact of the rapid development of artificial intelligence platforms, including Anthropic’s new Mythos AI model. Earlier on Tuesday, at the same conference, Federal Reserve Chairman Barr stated that while he welcomes the emergence of innovation, it is unclear whether artificial intelligence will reduce or exacerbate income and wealth inequality.July 15th - The United States is advancing negotiations on an oil pipeline that would bypass the Strait of Hormuz and transport oil from Iraq to Syria, thereby reducing Irans future influence on global energy supplies. According to sources, Thomas Barak, the US Special Representative for Syria and Iraq, has convened officials from both countries, as well as businesses including Chevron, to discuss restarting a long-dormant pipeline from Iraq to the west coast of Syria. While several new route options are being considered, the talks focused on rebuilding the Kirkuk-Banias pipeline, which has been out of service for over two decades. A State Department official confirmed that the US government is supporting Iraq and Syria in repairing the pipeline between the two countries to broaden trade routes and expects US companies to play a significant role in its construction. Earlier on Tuesday, Trump met with the Iraqi Prime Minister at the White House and indicated that a "large-scale" new oil cooperation agreement would be announced this week or next.The Kuwaiti military reported intercepting one ballistic missile, five cruise missiles, and 33 drones since tonight. The Iranian attack damaged several important and civilian facilities, with some areas affected by shrapnel. A Kuwaiti naval vessel was attacked, injuring four service members who are currently in stable condition.
