President Trump declares he will soon consider the Strait of Hormuz to be US territory
According to AFP, speaking at a rally in New York state, US President Donald Trump on August 14 (local time) declared: "After we defeat Iran - and Iran is currently being heavily defeated - soon, I will declare the Strait of Hormuz as part of US territory.
Previously, on February 28, the US and Israel conducted airstrikes targeting many locations on Iranian territory, with the declared goal of reducing Iran's nuclear program.
However, Iran immediately imposed restrictions on ship operations through the Strait of Hormuz - an important maritime route for international energy and cargo transportation.
The US and Iran continue to disagree on maritime activities in this strait. Iran restricts the passage of some civilian ships, while the US is blockading Iranian ports to increase economic pressure on this country.
Hamas commander killed in Israeli attack
Xinhua News Agency reported that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on August 14 (local time) said that a company commander of the Hamas Islamic movement was killed in the country's attack.
According to a statement from the Israeli military, the Hudhaifa Khaled Suleiman Qawari gunman who was attacked on Thursday was the commander of a company of the Hamas Brigade in Khan Younis.
Israel accused Qawari of being involved in training gunmen in the company, transporting weapons through the southern Gaza Strip and promoting Hamas's efforts to restore operations.
In a separate statement on the same day, the Israeli military said that another Hamas company commander, Muhammad Bassam Muhammad Mushtaha, was killed 2 weeks ago. This person is believed to be involved in Hamas's attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
Typhoon Lala strengthens, threatens to make landfall in Hawaii
According to AFP, tropical storm Lala is strengthening and is expected to make landfall on the Big Island of Hawaii on August 15, bringing strong winds, heavy rain, high waves and gusts of up to 137km/h.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green has declared a state of emergency to mobilize resources to respond. Storm warnings are applied in Hawaii, while tropical storm warnings are issued in the islands of Maui, Molokai and Kahoolawe.
According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), rainfall in Maui and Big Island may reach 30cm, especially some areas on Big Island may record up to 63.5cm. Storm surge is expected to be 0.3 - 0.9m. Dangerous weather may last until August 17.
The Hawaiian government recommends that people complete preparations, clean drainage ditches, reinforce houses, prune trees at risk of falling and stay away from coastal areas due to large waves and offshore currents.
Hawaii faced Typhoon Fausto last month, but the storm weakened before passing north of the archipelago. Previously, the last time the state suffered a Category 3 or higher storm was in 1992, when Typhoon Iniki killed at least 6 people and caused billions of USD in damage.
Typhoon Lala appeared in the context of a strong El Nino phenomenon forming in the central Pacific region. NOAA forecasts that this phenomenon has a 69% chance of reaching historical intensity, exceeding the level of other waves since 1950, when it peaked in October - December.
El Nino causes sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific regions to increase abnormally, thereby often promoting storm activity in the region. Meanwhile, human-induced climate change may amplify the impact of El Nino, increasing the risk of extreme weather phenomena such as heatstroke and heavy rain.
