Iran Bars U.S. Warships From the Gulf as Plots Against Americans Advance | Mike Drop Newsroom

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.

Subscribe for daily breakdowns of the stories that matter to America's military.

Want ad-free Newsroom updates? Join our YouTube membership: https://www.youtube.com/@mikeritland/join

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