Latest / The President's Daily Brief / November 11th, 2026: Iran Strikes Oman in Retaliation for U.S. Attacks & Syria's Saudi Deployment

Transcript

November 11th, 2026: Iran Strikes Oman in Retaliation for U.S. Attacks & Syria's Saudi Deployment · The President's Daily Brief

0:13
It's Wednesday,
0:13
the 11th of November.
0:15
Now,
0:15
if you're in the US,
0:17
it's Veterans Day,
0:18
and a very big thank you to all of those who have served and who are currently serving.
0:24
Welcome to the President's Daily Brief.
0:26
I'm Mike Baker,
0:27
your eyes and ears
0:29
on the world stage.
0:30
All right,
0:31
let's get briefed.
0:32
First up,
0:33
Iran appears to be hitting back after
0:36
a series of American strikes targeting an island
0:39
belonging to Oman as the battle for control of the Strait of Hormuz continues.
0:44
As an aside,
0:45
Iran's top security official stated on Iranian television that
0:49
there are no negotiations taking place
0:51
between the US and Iran.
0:54
We'll have the details
0:55
later in the show.
0:56
The war against the Houthis threatens to expand
0:59
with Syria
1:01
reportedly preparing to deploy fighters to Saudi Arabia
1:04
as tensions along the Yemeni border intensify.
1:07
Plus,
1:07
Russia and Ukraine returned to the negotiating table for the first time in 9 months,
1:13
with American officials reporting progress
1:16
after nearly 4 hours of peace talks in Abu Dhabi.
1:19
And in today's back of the brief,
1:21
British counterterrorism police arrest a US Army soldier suspected of
1:25
helping Russian intelligence
1:27
as investigators examine a potential insider threat
1:31
to American national security.
1:33
But first,
1:34
today's PDB spotlight.
1:36
Nearly 9 months after the US launched its military campaign against Iran,
1:41
the conflict appears to be settling into a dangerous new phase.
1:45
American and Iranian forces are now
1:47
engaged in a sustained low intensity confrontation
1:51
around the Strait of Hormuz
1:52
with limited but fairly frequent military strikes,
1:56
attacks on commercial shipping,
1:58
and continued efforts by both sides to control the waterway.
2:02
And now Iran appears to be hitting back following
2:04
a series of American strikes on Iranian territory.
2:08
According to the Wall Street Journal.
2:09
Iranian state media reported Tuesday that Tehran had attacked Didamar Island,
2:15
that's a small,
2:16
uninhabited island belonging to Oman.
2:19
The island is located in the Strait of Hormuz
2:22
and contains a lighthouse and navigation equipment used
2:25
to guide commercial vessels through the waterway.
2:28
Now Iran claimed the facilities were being used to support oil smuggling.
2:33
An Omani official confirmed an explosion on the island,
2:36
although the extent of the damage remains unclear.
2:39
The reported attack follows a series of American
2:42
strikes against Iranian military positions on Keshem Island,
2:46
which we've been tracking here on the PDB.
2:48
As we reported yesterday,
2:50
American forces conducted additional attacks over the weekend
2:53
against Iranian military infrastructure on the island,
2:57
including air defense systems.
2:59
Keshchem is Iran's largest island,
3:01
and it occupies a strategically important position
3:04
along the strait.
3:05
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,
3:07
the IRGC,
3:09
maintains missile and drone facilities there on the island,
3:12
along with naval infrastructure
3:14
used to threaten vessels moving through the waterway.
3:17
American officials have characterized their strikes
3:20
as limited defensive operations rather than a
3:23
return to the large scale bombing campaign conducted earlier in the war.
3:28
The objective,
3:29
according to those officials,
3:30
is to prevent Iranian forces
3:32
from threatening American aircraft and commercial shipping.
3:36
Now the Journal's latest reporting suggests
3:37
that these encounters are becoming part
3:40
of an increasingly familiar pattern.
3:42
The US strikes Iranian military positions.
3:44
Tehran continues threatening shipping and challenging
3:47
American control of the waterway,
3:49
and both sides maintain pressure without
3:51
necessarily launching a broader military offensive.
3:54
There's no confirmation that the reported attack on
3:57
Oman was direct retaliation for the Keshhem strikes,
4:00
but the timing illustrates how easily this continuing confrontation
4:05
could spread beyond American and Iranian targets,
4:08
and the fighting is not limited to military installations.
4:11
Commercial vessels have repeatedly come under attack in recent weeks,
4:15
with October reportedly recording the highest number of
4:18
attacks on shipping since the conflict began.
4:22
And you may be asking,
4:24
how go the supposed negotiations or indirect discussions between the US and Iran.
4:29
Well,
4:30
President Trump indicated that there was some progress in that regard,
4:33
implying that with negotiations at least progressing,
4:36
he wasn't inclined to start another major military effort.
4:40
However,
4:41
according to Iran's top security official,
4:43
Mohsina Rozai,
4:45
there are no negotiations taking place.
4:48
Now,
4:48
he stated that to an Iranian broadcaster.
4:51
So his comments may be designed to show regime strength to the Iranian population,
4:56
but the reality is that Iran continues to demand
5:00
that the US agree to several conditions
5:02
that the regime laid out all the way back in June,
5:05
before they'll agree to fully reopen the strait and engage in negotiations.
5:10
The regime's current strategy appears similar
5:12
to the way that it approached the US midterm elections.
5:15
Then they dragged out any possible negotiations under the assumption that the
5:19
Republicans would suffer a defeat at the hands of angry voters.
5:23
Now,
5:24
they likely plan on dragging out negotiations under the assumption that
5:28
when Democrats take control in Washington,
5:31
they'll be able to extract more concessions.
5:34
All right,
5:34
coming up next,
5:35
Syria prepares to enter the fight against the Houthis,
5:38
and Russia and Ukraine resume peace talks for the first time in 9 months.
5:43
I'll be right back.
5:46
Hey,
5:47
Mike Baker here with a word about your briefs.
5:50
Now,
5:50
I don't mean the president's daily briefs,
5:52
I mean your underwear.
5:54
Look,
5:54
we've all dealt with underwear
5:55
that constantly needs adjusting during a busy day or a workout,
5:59
you know what I'm talking about,
6:00
the,
6:00
the awkward tug.
6:02
Now that's why I want to tell you about a great
6:04
company out there called Sheath and why making the switch to sheath
6:08
makes all the difference.
6:09
What sets Sheath apart is their dual pouch innovation,
6:12
which keeps your bait and tackle separated to
6:14
eliminate sticking or chafing and constant distractions.
6:18
Seriously,
6:18
nobody
6:19
wants sticking or chafing.
6:21
Made from ultra soft breathable bamboo and cotton.
6:23
Offer a lightweight luxury feel whether traveling or hitting the gym.
6:27
Designed by an active duty soldier and recommended by urologists,
6:31
sheath is built for real performance.
6:33
Now,
6:33
not to get personal,
6:34
but I'm here to tell you
6:35
that sheath underwear are the most comfortable underwear you're going to find.
6:39
After trying sheath,
6:41
I am completely sold.
6:42
Trust me,
6:43
your daily routine will thank you.
6:45
Feel it to believe it.
6:46
Go to sheath.com/PDB and use code PDB for 20% off,
6:51
and Sheath even offers a first pair guarantee.
6:53
Come on,
6:54
so if it's not for you,
6:55
you get your money back.
6:56
But honestly,
6:57
once you try these,
6:58
there's no going back.
6:59
That's Sheath.
7:00
Let me spell that for you.
7:01
S H E A T H,
7:03
just like it sounds.
7:04
Sheath.com/PDB.
7:06
And use the code PDB for 20% off.
7:09
Sheath,
7:09
the underwear of legends,
7:11
uh,
7:12
and me,
7:13
of course,
7:13
thanks to Sheath for sponsoring this episode.
7:19
Welcome back to the PDB.
7:21
Saudi Arabia is looking to Syria for help confronting the Houthis.
7:26
Three officials familiar with the plans told the Associated Press
7:29
that Damascus is preparing to send approximately 600 special forces fighters
7:34
to Saudi Arabia.
7:35
One Syrian official said they could arrive within the coming week.
7:39
Saudi authorities specifically requested Syrian nationals,
7:42
the official said,
7:44
rather than foreign fighters who traveled to Syria during its civil war
7:48
to join rebel factions.
7:49
The proposed deployment will give Saudi Arabia access to Syrian troops
7:53
with years of combat experience from their country's civil war.
7:57
A Syrian military delegation led by the commander of the country's 82nd Division
8:02
recently spent two weeks in Saudi Arabia.
8:04
Another Syrian official said 36 officers
8:07
visited a joint command and operations center in Jeddah,
8:11
where Saudi and Yemeni officials briefed them on
8:14
the battlefronts and potential areas of operation.
8:17
Officials say the fighters are being prepared for
8:19
positions along Saudi Arabia's border with the possibility
8:23
of joining operations against the Iran-backed Houthis.
8:26
For Riyadh,
8:27
the deployment would add to a military effort that's relied heavily on air power,
8:32
missile defenses,
8:33
and support for
8:34
Yemeni government troops.
8:36
The kingdom
8:37
does have sophisticated American-made fighter jets and air defense systems,
8:41
but those capabilities have not delivered a decisive defeat of the Houthis.
8:46
The fighting we've been tracking here on the PDB helps
8:49
explain why Saudi Arabia is seeking that support now.
8:52
On Tuesday,
8:53
the Saudi-led coalition said that its air defenses
8:56
intercepted a ballistic missile and a cruise missile headed toward Riyadh.
9:00
It also reported shooting down another ballistic missile
9:03
over the kingdom's southern region
9:05
and a drone over the oil-rich east.
9:08
Civil defense authorities issued emergency warnings in the capital
9:11
and in the southern cities of Abha and Kamis Mushe.
9:15
Those alerts were later lifted after officials said the threats had passed.
9:20
However,
9:20
the Houthis claimed a different outcome.
9:23
Their military spokesman said the rebels had
9:25
struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh
9:28
and an oil facility hundreds of miles east.
9:31
Those claims have not been independently confirmed.
9:34
One of the most consequential threats
9:36
now involves the kingdom's east-west pipeline.
9:39
That pipeline
9:40
carries crude from Saudi Arabia's eastern oil producing regions
9:44
to the Red Sea port of Yanbu.
9:46
With the wider war involving Iran still disrupting
9:49
oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz,
9:51
the pipeline's become a critical alternative route for Saudi exports.
9:56
Riyadh has been moving approximately 4 million barrels a day through that route.
10:01
Equivalent to roughly 4% of global oil supply.
10:05
Now Saudi state media reported Monday that an attack on
10:08
the pipeline in the Medina region caused a limited fire,
10:12
but authorities said
10:13
operations were not affected.
10:15
On Tuesday,
10:16
the Houthis claimed they had attacked the pipeline in Riyadh province.
10:19
They denied attacking it
10:21
in the Medina region,
10:23
disputing the Saudi account of the earlier incident.
10:26
Now Syria has largely stayed out of the wider regional war since
10:30
the US and Israel began military operations against Iran in February.
10:35
President Ahmed al-Shara
10:37
has been reluctant to commit a country still
10:39
recovering from more than a decade of civil war
10:42
to another conflict.
10:44
Al-Sharam previously rejected proposals from President Trump
10:47
to intervene against the Iran-backed Hezbollah
10:50
militant group in neighboring Lebanon,
10:52
arguing that Syria needed to concentrate on reconstruction.
10:56
Saudi Arabia presents a different incentive,
10:59
different motivation.
11:00
During Syria's civil war,
11:02
Riyadh provided financial assistance to rebel
11:04
groups fighting Bashar al-Assad's government.
11:07
Since Assad's fall,
11:08
the kingdom has helped Syria rebuild its relationships with other Arab countries
11:13
and promised financial support for reconstruction.
11:16
Sending troops would give Damascus a way to support
11:18
a government that it relies on for reconstruction funding
11:22
and diplomatic backing.
11:23
However,
11:24
joining operations against the Houthis could also expose Damascus
11:28
to retaliation
11:30
from Iran-backed militias in neighboring Iraq
11:32
that maintain ties with the rebels.
11:35
All right.
11:36
Turning now to the war in Ukraine,
11:38
4 hours of US mediated talks ended with
11:41
encouraging words from both Washington and Kiev.
11:44
What's not clear is Russia's intentions with
11:47
these talks and whether they have any interest
11:50
in backing off their long-standing maximalist demands.
11:54
The delegations met Tuesday in Abu Dhabi and are scheduled to return today.
11:58
This was their first direct trilateral meeting since February.
12:02
Now,
12:02
looking back,
12:03
3 earlier rounds produced no breakthrough.
12:06
So there is some history
12:08
behind the cautious pessimism surrounding the current series of discussions.
12:13
Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the discussions very productive,
12:17
but he also made clear that an agreement isn't just around the corner.
12:21
There's a lot of work to be done.
12:23
It's not like something that's on the verge of being solved in the next 24 hours,
12:27
end quote.
12:28
Ukrainian President Zelensky sounded encouraged as well.
12:32
He described the session as constructive and quite substantive.
12:36
Now,
12:36
neither Rubio nor Zelensky were actually at the negotiating table.
12:40
Rubio was speaking from Paris
12:42
and Zelensky from Copenhagen,
12:43
while their delegations handled the negotiations.
12:47
For Washington,
12:47
that meant President Trump's son-in-law Jared
12:49
Kushner and Special envoy Steve Witkoff,
12:52
because,
12:53
well,
12:53
apparently the US only has two envoys.
12:56
Ruste Muurov led Ukraine's delegation while Vladimir Medinsky,
13:00
a longtime aide to Russian President Putin,
13:03
headed Russia's team.
13:05
As for what they discussed,
13:06
M Zelensky said much of the meeting centered
13:08
on bringing people home prisoners of war,
13:11
Ukrainian civilians held by Russia,
13:13
and children taken from Ukraine.
13:15
The delegations also discussed security guarantees.
13:19
A senior Ukrainian official said they explored a large scale prisoner swap.
13:23
That's something the two countries have done several times before,
13:26
with details to be discussed in the coming days.
13:29
That offers a possible opening,
13:31
but no new exchange has been announced.
13:34
Getting an agreement on the wider war though means
13:37
confronting the demands that Moscow is still putting forward.
13:40
Starting with territory,
13:41
Putin has long wanted Ukrainian troops to withdraw from Donetsk,
13:45
Luhansk,
13:46
Zaporizia.
13:47
And Krasan,
13:49
4 regions that Russia doesn't actually completely control.
13:53
Putin is demanding that Ukraine essentially
13:55
hand over territory currently under Ukrainian,
13:58
not Russian control.
14:00
Moscow also wants Ukraine to give up its
14:02
ambition to join NATO and accept strict limits
14:05
on its military size and capabilities.
14:08
Ukraine has obviously consistently rejected those demands.
14:12
Zelensky's position is that Ukraine needs both the ability to defend itself
14:16
and credible Western security guarantees
14:19
in order to prevent Russia from invading again.
14:23
Even getting to a limited settlement here presents another disagreement
14:27
when to actually stop the fighting.
14:29
Kiev wants an immediate ceasefire,
14:31
followed by negotiations on a broader agreement.
14:34
Putin wants that comprehensive agreement first.
14:37
He argues that a pause would give Ukrainian forces time to regroup
14:41
and replenish their weapons.
14:43
That's the impasse that Washington has long been trying to work through.
14:47
Kushner said there were some good ideas on how to bridge the differences.
14:52
The administration is also looking beyond Ukraine itself
14:54
toward a broader European security agreement.
14:57
Trump said last week that it would involve more than Ukraine.
15:01
Kushner said a lasting settlement would
15:03
require Russia and European partners to engage directly.
15:07
Moscow welcomes that approach,
15:09
and that by itself should have you worried.
15:11
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called it sensible
15:13
to establish a future European security framework,
15:16
quote,
15:17
and only then
15:18
resolve the war in Ukraine.
15:20
Meanwhile,
15:21
these discussions have not stopped the attacks.
15:23
Ukraine's Air Force reported that Russia launched 162
15:27
drones and a ballistic missile overnight Tuesday.
15:30
Russia,
15:30
for its part,
15:31
claimed it intercepted 155 drones
15:35
across 8 Russian regions and occupied Crimea.
15:38
As the delegations return Wednesday,
15:41
there's still no announced ceasefire or agreement
15:43
on territory and security guarantees,
15:46
and so
15:47
Putin's war drags on.
15:51
All right,
15:51
coming up at the back of the brief,
15:52
an American soldier with access to sensitive military information
15:57
is arrested in Britain,
15:58
accused of potentially betraying his country
16:00
to Russian intelligence.
16:02
More on that
16:03
when we come back.
16:06
Hey,
16:06
Mike Baker here.
16:07
Now,
16:07
let me ask you a question.
16:09
Have you checked out Goldbelly yet?
16:11
I've talked about this great company a bunch,
16:13
but
16:13
if you haven't already,
16:14
you've got to give them a try.
16:16
It's an incredible site that I use all the time.
16:18
It delivers iconic legendary foods from
16:20
top restaurants and bakeries across the country
16:23
right to your doorstep.
16:24
It's that simple.
16:25
And with.
16:26
Thanksgiving and the holidays right around the corner,
16:28
Goldbelly completely takes the stress out of hosting.
16:31
You can skip spending all day stuck in the kitchen
16:34
and instead treat yourself and all your guests to unforgettable,
16:38
crowd pleasing meals sent directly to your home.
16:40
I've ordered everything from Joe's Kansas City ribs
16:43
to McClune's lobster rolls to Ina Garden's cupcakes.
16:46
And a variety of other great foods and everything arrives super fast,
16:50
perfectly packed,
16:50
and absolutely fresh.
16:52
Plus it's a great way to pre-order
16:54
holiday gifts for family and friends anywhere nationwide
16:58
like uh Magnolia Bakery's banana pudding.
17:00
That stuff is amazing.
17:02
So if you're looking for that perfect holiday gift or you
17:04
want to impress your friends and family with an epic Thanksgiving,
17:07
go to Goldbelly.com and get 20% off your first order with promo code PDB.
17:13
That's Goldbelly.com code PDB for 20% off your first order.
17:21
Hey,
17:21
Mike Baker here with a message for dog lovers everywhere.
17:24
Now I wanna tell you about Sundays for Dogs.
17:26
It's a company producing seriously top quality food for your dogs.
17:31
Sundays uses real human grade meat with no fillers or synthetic additives.
17:35
Veterinarian Tory Waxman developed Sundays for dogs because,
17:39
well,
17:39
because she wanted pet food that she could really stand behind.
17:42
Recipes.
17:43
Contain 80% plus all natural meat gently air dried,
17:46
never high heat processed.
17:48
There's no chemicals,
17:49
just simple nutrition.
17:50
It's effortless.
17:51
No fridge,
17:51
no freezer,
17:52
no mess,
17:52
just scoop and serve.
17:54
You get the quality of home cooked meals
17:56
with the ease of kibble.
17:57
Over 100,000 dogs are now eating sundaes,
18:00
with
18:00
folks routinely noticing shinier coats,
18:03
better digestion,
18:04
and more energy.
18:06
Make the switch to Sundays.
18:07
Go right now to Sundaysfordogs.com/PDB and get 30% off your first order,
18:13
or you can just use code PDB at checkout.
18:15
That's 30% off your first order
18:17
at Sundaysfordogs.com/PDB
18:21
or use the code PDB at checkout.
18:26
In today's Back of the Brief,
18:28
an American soldier has been arrested in
18:30
Britain on suspicion of helping Russian intelligence.
18:34
British counterterrorism police say the 41 year old serviceman
18:36
was taken into custody Tuesday near Gloucester in western England
18:40
following an investigation conducted with American authorities,
18:43
the FBI,
18:44
and the US military.
18:46
He's suspected of violating two provisions of Britain's National Security Act.
18:51
One concerns obtaining or disclosing protected information.
18:54
The other involves assisting a foreign intelligence service.
18:58
And the British authorities have made clear which foreign country is involved,
19:02
and that would be Russia.
19:04
I'm shocked.
19:05
Officers also searched two locations in the surrounding Gloucestershire area.
19:09
The suspect remains in custody in London.
19:13
The investigation involves Britain's domestic security service MI5
19:17
along with military counterintelligence personnel on both sides of the Atlantic,
19:21
and American officials are treating the allegations
19:24
as a serious potential security breach.
19:27
Brigadier General Sean Stinchon,
19:29
who commands Army counterintelligence,
19:31
called the case a reminder that insider threats are real and persistent.
19:36
Now they haven't identified the soldier,
19:38
disclosed his rank or assignment,
19:39
or explained what information
19:41
he allegedly accessed,
19:43
and they haven't said whether anything actually made its way into Russian hands.
19:47
But FBI Director Kash Patel called the allegations a matter
19:50
of serious concern for the US and its allies.
19:53
He warned that the bureau would not tolerate anyone
19:56
who violates their oath and endangers American security.
19:59
Well,
20:00
that just makes sense.
20:01
Yeah,
20:01
we're not going to tolerate that.
20:02
We're not putting up with that.
20:04
Patel also offered a striking figure.
20:06
He says the FBI has made 167 counterintelligence
20:10
and espionage arrests over just the past 21 months,
20:15
and that's an increase of 53% over the previous period.
20:19
Now the location of the arrest might sound familiar.
20:21
Gloucestershire is home to RAF Fairford.
20:24
That's the British base where the US recently withdrew bombers
20:28
amid reports of a suspected Iranian threat.
20:31
While they have not provided much in the way of detail yet,
20:34
police do state
20:35
that this Russian espionage investigation is not connected
20:39
to other ongoing cases.
20:42
And that my friends,
20:42
is the president's daily brief for Wednesday,
20:44
the 11th of November.
20:46
If you have any questions or comments,
20:48
please reach out to me
20:49
at PDB@hefirsttv.com.
20:52
And of course,
20:53
if you've got an ad-free PDB on your Christmas wish list,
20:57
well,
20:57
we can make that happen.
20:58
Just become a premium member of the President's Daily Brief
21:01
by visiting PDBpremium.com.
21:04
I'm Mike Baker and I'll be back later today with the PDB
21:08
afternoon bulletin.
21:09
Until then.
21:10
Stay informed,
21:11
stay safe,
21:13
stay cool.