Iran Lifts Its Missile Limit as U.S. Strikes Qeshm | Mike Drop Newsroom

0:00 [SPEAKER_00]: Iran's revolutionary guard now says the limit it put on how far its missiles fly quote has been lifted and that puts more U.S. bases inside the danger zone. [SPEAKER_00]: CBS News citing the AP reported that IRGC spokesman said Iran's self-imposed missile range limit has been lifted for the United States that limit was about 1,200 miles or 2,000 kilometers. [SPEAKER_00]: And that is Iran's own description of its kind of self-cap. [SPEAKER_00]: According to Iranian state media, Army spokesman said that Iran's forces are stronger than when the war began. [SPEAKER_00]: Trump confirmed on Friday that the U.S. carried out what he called minor strikes on Iran and said that there would [SPEAKER_00]: be, quote, no return to full-scale war, according to Fox News.

0:50 [SPEAKER_00]: Iran has not shown any new missile, so this is a statement of intent, not necessarily proof of a new capability. [SPEAKER_00]: No, why does this matter? [SPEAKER_00]: Will U.S. bases outside of the old range and the troops on them now have to plan as if they were targets, however? [SPEAKER_00]: If you recall back in March, March 20th is a matter of fact. [SPEAKER_00]: Iran towards Diego Garcia, which is about 2,400 miles away or 4,000 kilometers, which is right at double what their alleged self-imposed cap is. [SPEAKER_00]: One of those missiles failed in flight, the other one was shot down, but they were targeting.

1:34 [SPEAKER_00]: And most likely had the capability, at least range-wise, not necessarily accuracy-wise. [SPEAKER_00]: to travel that far. [SPEAKER_00]: So, you know, to me, I think this is a bit of rhetoric and kind of a thread if you will, to try to up the ante and make forces in the region more scared, you know, try to alert or kind of poke the bear of the United States from the negotiations standpoint saying, hey, all bets are off. [SPEAKER_00]: We'll fire longer range missiles, but you know, I think that it is largely [SPEAKER_00]: a paper tiger in that way, and that they've already demonstrated both a capability and a desire to do that because they have done it.

2:17 [SPEAKER_00]: So, you know, I don't see this as being a huge update in terms of their their capability. [SPEAKER_00]: We already knew that they had it. [SPEAKER_00]: The self-imposed cap, I think, was largely an negotiating point, but I would ask, or I would say that the big question is, do our air defenses have enough interceptors to cover that 24 or 2500 mile radius, 4,000 kilometers, that's a pretty significant circle from anywhere around that cover is quite a bit of ground, including lots of our allies well [SPEAKER_00]: They obviously have the capability, whether or not they decide to not just target US bases in US forces within that 2500 mile radius, but also allies in the region past the region of the Middle East and actually into Europe, they do have the capability to do that so.

3:19 [SPEAKER_00]: But it is an important thing to at least consider in the negotiations, I think, whether or not that drives us to do anything different, I don't suspect that it probably will again, given that they've already done it, but definitely remains to be seen whether or not these negotiations continue and ultimately whether or not they fail or succeed. [SPEAKER_00]: That same vein second story is the US is not sitting still America strikes hit Iran's Keshe Island US aircraft disabled a blockade runner and sent calm just stood up a task force to choke off Iran's land routes.

4:01 [SPEAKER_00]: This is a very significant update in terms of the blockade and our desire to [SPEAKER_00]: uh... stifled the the movement of oil through through the region uh... the times of his role report that trump said u s forces knocked out in a rainian anti-aircraft device iran's news agency said to missiles hit cash in island with no official damage report now sent com said a u s aircraft fired precision munitions at the stern of the uh... mv huda in the gulf of oman and disabled it so still actively enforcing the blockade [SPEAKER_00]: SEMCOM also said that 147 commercial ships have been redirected since July and five merchant ships have actually been disabled.

4:46 [SPEAKER_00]: El Jazeera and Iran International reported that SEMCOM created Task Force Iron Gate, which is about 20 people in Tampa to block weapons moving over Iran's land borders and the [SPEAKER_00]: And I want to talk a little bit about Task Force Iron Gate. [SPEAKER_00]: It's newly established and sent concrete to disrupt Iran's overland and Caspian Sea routes for moving weapons, dual-use technology, sanctioned materials, and illicit revenue. [SPEAKER_00]: It was directed by sent calm commander Admiral Brad Cooper. [SPEAKER_00]: Just yesterday, November 7th is when that directive came down. [SPEAKER_00]: The size and location, it's an internal staff of about 20 civilian in the literary personnel based in Tampa, Cent-Con had quarters.

5:32 [SPEAKER_00]: It's a coordination or staff cell. [SPEAKER_00]: It's not a large forward deployed combat force. [SPEAKER_00]: Their mission is to work with other US government agencies to monitor, detect, and disrupt the movement of advanced weapon systems, dual-use technologies, sanctioned materials, and, again, a less-revenue streams. [SPEAKER_00]: The from a context standpoint, it's meant to essentially reinforce the existing blockade and targeting of, you know, all of the, the funnels with which Iran continues to operate.

6:16 [SPEAKER_00]: involving borders with countries such as Turkey and Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and Pakistan, it's part of a broader U.S. pressure on Iran amid the 2026 conflict. [SPEAKER_00]: This is a very recent update and launched bolstering of the campaign for both the blockade and the targeting of, again, their funnels to continue to operate. [SPEAKER_00]: You know, the way that it's actually, you know, conducted and ultimately executed, if you think about a 20 man force that's here in the United States, it's not forward deployed. [SPEAKER_00]: It's really a coordination effort and a targeting package at the end of the day, where just like say, you know, the drone component of Iraq and Afghanistan, where a lot of those were, [SPEAKER_00]: flown piloted directed from here in the United States, I would suspect that that's a very similar arrangement where, you know, this 20 man task force is essentially charged with identifying targeting and potentially or ultimately executing some sort of strike, whether it's a drone or passing intelligence to, you know, air wings with strike packages, etc.

7:34 [SPEAKER_00]: But it is a ramp up in terms of our involvement now going after land-based operations. [SPEAKER_00]: Now where I could see this kind of trickling into boots on the ground is if there's an identification of some sort of target package that can't be [SPEAKER_00]: taken out by some sort of drone or air strike and it's, you know, near water or it's not super far inland. [SPEAKER_00]: That's where, you know, my background of special operations, I could see potential target packages put together where there are small groups of special operations that that do go execute things now. [SPEAKER_00]: That's kind of in theory whether or not that actually takes place as a completely different discussion because being able to identifying it, being able to do it, executing it, that's all kind of in one bucket.

8:26 [SPEAKER_00]: The other bucket is the political and negotiation fall out of doing something where now we have troops on land. [SPEAKER_00]: Really the only other time that we've seen [SPEAKER_00]: downing of the pilot that was rescued, but that's a kind of a one-off, not necessarily an offensive targeting type of structure. [SPEAKER_00]: So this is a significant update. [SPEAKER_00]: It's our escalation of kind of continuing to further our agenda as it relates to stifling all of these funnels that Iran has continued to be able to use to operate to target us.

9:08 [SPEAKER_00]: and to cause problems specifically in the Straits and also throughout the region. [SPEAKER_00]: So we'll keep you posted on that, that is a significant update. [SPEAKER_00]: Meanwhile, in the water around Hormus, Iran says two tankers hit mines and one sailor was actually killed, not a U.S. sailor, a maritime merchant sailor and a separate attack near Bahrain. [SPEAKER_00]: Al Jazeera and CBS reported that Iran's revolutionary guard said two oil tankers hit mines near the straight of Hormuz on Saturday. [SPEAKER_00]: Now, that's Iran's claim, but there is the UK MTO, the British maritime agency separately reported that the tanker was hit by an explosion at the water line near Oman.

9:50 [SPEAKER_00]: It is corroborated, you know, and one thing while they, you know, tend to be pretty overboard in their rhetoric and often times make claims that are just plain or flat out, not true. [SPEAKER_00]: There has been a, I would say, a relatively historical accuracy when it comes to striking of ships or other other maritime vessels, either being struck by projectiles, missiles, drones or hitting mines. [SPEAKER_00]: That has tended to be accurate, not every time, of course, but that this is independently verified from the British maritime agency. [SPEAKER_00]: So, you know, how that impacts the region is it just highlights that that's a continued threat as much of D mining as we've done as significant as the blockade is that we've put in place.

10:42 [SPEAKER_00]: They still remain plenty capable of striking ships all throughout the streets of Hormuz and largely in the Gulf through both mines and projectiles, drones, and missile strikes. [SPEAKER_00]: So I do think that that complicates the negotiation process as we've seen. [SPEAKER_00]: It's been several months of trying to negotiate with no real significant movement. [SPEAKER_00]: They did put together a seven point plan. [SPEAKER_00]: terms of the negotiation of what they want. [SPEAKER_00]: The one thing that I do think is significant from the other day's report before we kind of dug into what those seven points of contention are nowhere in those seven points is having a nuclear capacity or capability mentioned.

11:31 [SPEAKER_00]: I do think that that's an encouraging development. [SPEAKER_00]: All the other seven points really point to the de-escalation of the blockade of our presence in the region. [SPEAKER_00]: And there's also a significant mention of ward damage, collateral, and repayment for kind of the destruction and devastation that we've caused the region, which I don't think is realistic for the United States to agree to. [SPEAKER_00]: But I do see that as a [SPEAKER_00]: both encouraging and significant shift in their policy and demands for creating some sort of off ramp and agreement to the negotiation packages that we've put together and frankly have stalled on the last few months.

12:15 [SPEAKER_00]: So whether or not the election results are going to play a role in our ability to negotiate, their desire to want to continue to negotiate, knowing [SPEAKER_00]: Remains to be seen, but I do think that that A is an important update and be an encouraging shift in their policy. [SPEAKER_00]: Similarly, America's closest partner in this war is real. [SPEAKER_00]: The man running it is about to change. [SPEAKER_00]: So the New York Times reported that Israeli President Isaac Herzog selected Gotti Eisencott to try to form a new government. [SPEAKER_00]: So essentially, [SPEAKER_00]: It was a 67 to 46 vote in the Israeli parliament that basically selected somebody new.

13:02 [SPEAKER_00]: It's not 100% sure, but it does look like Netanyahu is out and Eisencott is in. [SPEAKER_00]: In terms of their philosophy towards Gaza and Iran, there is a huge departure or [SPEAKER_00]: Everybody is, of course, different, and even just having somebody new in there in terms of their temperament. [SPEAKER_00]: You know, how they navigate and their kind of methodology with which they rely on to make decisions when it comes to foreign policy. [SPEAKER_00]: Any escalation of force, et cetera, are of course going to be different. [SPEAKER_00]: How different remains to be seen.

13:44 [SPEAKER_00]: But I think the big question is how does that impact us is what I just mentioned in terms of the temperament and how light of a trigger finger, they have when it comes to either reacting or taking offensive measures. [SPEAKER_00]: But I think the second part of that and probably even more important is does this [SPEAKER_00]: change the U.S. Iran deal. [SPEAKER_00]: Does it make it more likely or less likely? [SPEAKER_00]: I think at first it's easy to assume that that's going to complicate things and make it less likely. [SPEAKER_00]: That was kind of my initial reaction, but on thinking about it a little further. [SPEAKER_00]: With as long as these negotiations have been stalled, I think having somebody new that's in charge and running the show to potentially come up with either new ideas or maybe have temperamentally a different ability or desire to want to get a deal done or potentially, [SPEAKER_00]: engage in some sort of off-ramp in terms of negotiation.

14:46 [SPEAKER_00]: I do think that there is a potential for that at least, you know, trying the same thing over and over with all of the same people has netted us almost zero results in terms of the negotiation agreement. [SPEAKER_00]: So, I think it's at least potential, you know, that having somebody new entering into this negotiation process is at least [SPEAKER_00]: or can be encouraging. [SPEAKER_00]: So obviously it'll remain to be seen between now and December 11th when all of the money runs out for the current operations in Iran and almost new Congress is going to have to decide whether or not they allocate the $350 billion that Higgs Seth asked for.

15:29 [SPEAKER_00]: So remains to be seen, but we'll keep you posted on any updates with the new Israeli leader Eisencott. [SPEAKER_00]: Again, Congress, I'm sorry, there's actually one more piece I wanted to get in before some of the domestic policy, and this is, again, another significant update with Russia Iran in the United States. [SPEAKER_00]: Well, the US titans, it's news on Iran with these negotiations in short and timeline, Russia may be about to hand Iran a lifeline, CBS citing AFP reported that Putin met [SPEAKER_00]: in Moscow on November 5th to discuss a gas pipeline in times of Israel citing the telegraph and an unnamed Iranian official reported that Iran is negotiating to buy Russia's S-400 air defense system.

16:22 [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, 400 report is a single source and not confirmed by Moscow. [SPEAKER_00]: It's not a surprise there. [SPEAKER_00]: They're probably not going to confirm it, which is part of the course, not just Russia, but Iran United States. [SPEAKER_00]: Most governments aren't going to confirm stuff like that. [SPEAKER_00]: CBS reported Secretary of State Marco Rubio will attend the G7 Foreign Minister's meeting in Paris on Monday and Tuesday, why does this matter? [SPEAKER_00]: Well, Russian air defenses would put U.S. pilots at significantly more risk and a pipeline gives a ran away around the blockade. [SPEAKER_00]: I wanted to dig into the S-400 a little bit more and give you some context on it. [SPEAKER_00]: So the S-400 is a mobile surface to air or SAM system.

17:06 [SPEAKER_00]: It was developed in the 90s, so this is not super new technology. [SPEAKER_00]: That's an upgrade of the S-300. [SPEAKER_00]: The S-400 was approved for service in April of 2007. [SPEAKER_00]: So this again, it was developed in the 90s, it was implemented in combat actions in 2007. [SPEAKER_00]: So it's been around a long time. [SPEAKER_00]: It looks like kind of over to reminiscent of some of the skud missiles back in the Gulf War days. [SPEAKER_00]: where it's just that super large, long semi-looking truck with the tube missiles on the back. [SPEAKER_00]: Bet's significant because it's super mobile. [SPEAKER_00]: It's easy for them to move and position redirect if strikes are inbound, et cetera.

17:51 [SPEAKER_00]: But I think the big ticking point here is that [SPEAKER_00]: Iran has not possessed that capacity or capability in the past, and this is also, it's its longest ranged interceptor missile that Russia has even to this day. [SPEAKER_00]: So that is a very significant lifeline that Russia is at least toying with a notion of handing Iran, which should they do that. [SPEAKER_00]: There's two things that it makes me think of, which is number one, [SPEAKER_00]: it obviously increases Iran's capability to defend itself from our potential resumed strikes, but it also gives a much longer range to be able to do that one that they have not possessed and frankly not even close in the past.

18:40 [SPEAKER_00]: So even though it's old technology and has been around a long time, [SPEAKER_00]: Iran has never possessed it, and if they do, that's significant in terms of our threat matrix that we have to navigate in some of these resume strikes. [SPEAKER_00]: The second component that I think is important is what that [SPEAKER_00]: kind of signals or details, you know, in terms of the interaction with Russia and the United States, is that that is not necessarily crossing a red line or gauntlet that we've thrown down, but just like some of our involvement or lack of involvement in Ukraine, things that we have. [SPEAKER_00]: decided not to do, because we, I assume, felt that it was kind of a bridge too far or crossing a line in terms of our involvement in helping Ukraine defend itself against Russia.

19:27 [SPEAKER_00]: This is kind of in that same category of it is kicking it up a significant notch in terms of their assistance for Iran as it relates to defending against anything we're trying to do. [SPEAKER_00]: And on that same note, [SPEAKER_00]: You know, the I think confusion or murky water that exists with Russia involved in this negotiation piece at the same time potentially giving them, you know, higher capabilities to to hurt us or or interdict our strike campaigns is that one of the statements from from Putin tonight and this is actually a common in the YouTube section, which I appreciate the gentleman to through that in there.

20:13 [SPEAKER_00]: is that Putin was quoted as saying he refuses or will not trust the United States to really work with any of the negotiation in Ukraine, when we're still striking or involved in strikes with Iran and the blockade and all of our operations in the region. [SPEAKER_00]: So [SPEAKER_00]: how that kind of, I think, again, makes a murky or muddy water, it definitely throws a wrench in the gears in terms of them trying to put this missile capability with Iran and also trying to negotiate both with the United States and Iran and Ukraine and Russia on a few thousand miles away.

21:00 [SPEAKER_00]: To me what it says is just further complicates everything in the region, you know, there's a continued escalation you're seeing China moving in on Taiwan, justification there is our involvement with Iran, our involvement in Ukraine, our hands are tied or pretty busy with those two engagements, would we have a capability given the fact that the USS Roosevelt just left. [SPEAKER_00]: the South China Sea to move into the Gulf. [SPEAKER_00]: So now we have less capability to deal with China doing anything against Taiwan. [SPEAKER_00]: There's a lot of moving parts, a lot of things to consider and a lot of things to think of. [SPEAKER_00]: But you do see a shift in Trump's rhetoric of saying that there's not going to be a re-escalation to the same scale and degree with which we saw for that six-month period late spring or early summer.

21:53 [SPEAKER_00]: We'll see see what happens with that. [SPEAKER_00]: But Congress walks back in tomorrow with a war budget shut down clock and possible impeachment vote on the war secretary. [SPEAKER_00]: Federal funding expires December 11 in Congress must pass spending or another temporary extension before them. [SPEAKER_00]: lawmakers also still have to finish the NDAA or annual defense policy bill. [SPEAKER_00]: W. S. B. TV reported outgoing Republican Thomas Massey has vowed to force a houseboat to impeach war secretary Pete Higgseth. [SPEAKER_00]: Democratic representative Jason Crowe said he would be, quote, nonstop and relentless in trying to remove Higgseth.

22:33 [SPEAKER_00]: Higgseth says we will not back down. [SPEAKER_00]: Democrats take control of the house and send it on January 3rd light as a smatter. [SPEAKER_00]: Well, for American troops, pay munitions, war budget, all of that rides on passing some sort of bill or at least extension before December 11th. [SPEAKER_00]: It's no secret that Hague Seth is asking for 350 billion prior to then whether or not that passes will it will be curious to see what happens because [SPEAKER_00]: Congress right now has the the kind of votes and authority to do it or it's it's more likely to get past right now given the Republican slight stronghold in both the Senate in the House come January third that disappears significantly and the the thought of getting anything passed when it's tied to any type of a refunding I think is you know just not realistic so.

23:29 [SPEAKER_00]: Whether or not the congressmen and senators that are remaining in office through that time and for the next term that are on the Republican side. [SPEAKER_00]: do they approve a bill of that size and stature and kind of enter in this new Congress that's gonna be a lame duck scenario for the president in a way where they've kind of ruffled the other sides feathers, you know, there's always a bit of a tip for tat in terms of big decisions like that being remembered for future decisions there is a lot of kind of quid pro quo that goes on with voting records [SPEAKER_00]: both sides remembering what the other side just did or historically did that they can kind of use against them in further or future votes.

24:18 [SPEAKER_00]: So be real curious to see what happens over the next couple of weeks with this enormous defense spending bill. [SPEAKER_00]: Do you think that they should approve it? [SPEAKER_00]: I've mixed feelings on it and that [SPEAKER_00]: For me, I have a course of bias in terms of all the troops in the region, and I want to make sure that they're paid and funded, supported, and have everything they need with no lack of confidence or question as to whether or not that's going to continue. [SPEAKER_00]: But you also have the other side of is it worth it. [SPEAKER_00]: That's an enormous sum of money that's being spent for something that I would say largely the American people don't particularly agree on whether or not that's a good idea.

25:01 [SPEAKER_00]: And I think over [SPEAKER_00]: Few months in specifically exit polls show a 74% link to the Iran war being a significant driving force in their voting decision. [SPEAKER_00]: Tells you that the majority of the American people are not supportive of the Iran war, and that does matter You know are elected officials are supposed to be representative of the people and I think that that needs to be taken into account So be curious to see whether or not that bill passes and and kind of what happens over the next couple weeks All of course be here to keep you updated along the way appreciate everybody tuning in God bless everybody happy Sunday and we'll see you tomorrow