United States in September 2026: the most important developments in security
In the United States in September 2026, security news was dominated by the war with Iran. The US launched new strikes on September 1, and Iran struck US bases in Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain and Iraq. A US strike on September 2 hit a wedding party in Sirik, according to Iranian state media, and Washington said it was investigating. Between September 5 and 9 the US destroyed five Iranian oil tankers near Kharg Island, saying it was responding to Iranian attacks on Navy ships. Iranian ballistic missiles hit Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan on September 10, damaging several US fighter jets. The US limited air defense windows for tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and redirected more than 100 ships to enforce a blockade. The Congressional Budget Office put the cost at more than $38 billion, with other estimates at $45.1 billion, and reported depleted missile interceptors. Congress moved toward ordering a withdrawal. On September 26 Trump rejected an Iranian ceasefire offer, and by month's end no deal was in place.
The US military confirmed on September 15 that it has deployed weapons in space. US troops completed their withdrawal from Iraq on about September 27, ending a presence of more than a decade. Five men were arrested on September 27 near RAF Fairford in England, a base used by US forces, on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. They were later released on bail; police are examining whether there is a link to Iran, which denies any role.
On Ukraine, Trump said on September 14 that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to stop striking each other's energy sites, though Ukraine struck a Russian refinery the next day. On September 25 Volodymyr Zelensky said Trump had approved a license for Ukraine to produce Patriot interceptors. The US also approved a $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia and announced two new military bases in Greenland under a deal with Denmark.
At home, an ICE agent shot and seriously wounded a Venezuelan delivery driver in Austin on September 20, leading to protests, an investigation and a lawsuit. The US struck suspected drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean, killing three on about September 10 and four on September 20.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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