Report: President Trump Considers Seizing Kharg Island + Report: President Trump to Announce Multinational Coalition to Secure Strait of Hormuz; EU Seeks "Strategic Clarity" Before Support  + Army Precision Strike Missile Used in Combat Against Iran episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 17, 2026 · 32 MIN

Report: President Trump Considers Seizing Kharg Island + Report: President Trump to Announce Multinational Coalition to Secure Strait of Hormuz; EU Seeks "Strategic Clarity" Before Support + Army Precision Strike Missile Used in Combat Against Iran

from I - On Defense Podcast · host I - On Defense

For review:1. A missile strike on a house in Baghdad on Tuesday killed two people, with initial reports suggesting they are “Iranian advisers” to Tehran-backed groups, a security official tells AFP.2. Rockets and at least five drones were launched at the US embassy in Baghdad early Tuesday from areas around the city, Iraqi security sources say, describing the attack as the most intense since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran.3. Amid the latest Iranian missile attack on Israel, the military announces that it has launched “extensive” strikes against targets in both Tehran and Beirut.In the Iranian capital, the IDF says it’s striking “infrastructure of the terror regime,” while in Beirut it’s attacking Hezbollah targets.4. US President Donald Trump’s administration is urging US diplomats abroad to push allies to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Lebanon-based Hezbollah as terrorist groups, according to an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters.5. US efforts to open Strait of Hormuz:Both The Wall Street Journal and Axios reported that President Trump was planning to announce the formation of such a multinational coalition as early as this week. Axios added, citing unnamed US officials, that President Trump was also mulling the option of seizing Iran’s key oil depot on Kharg Island -- if Tehran continues to deny oil tankers passage through the strait, a move that would require American boots on the ground.US Energy Secretary Chris Wright told NBC earlier Sunday that he has been “in dialogue” with some of the countries Trump had mentioned previously, and said he expected China “will be a constructive partner” in reopening the strait.“It is in our interest to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, and that’s why we are also discussing what we can do in this regard from the European side,” Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, said Monday ahead of a meeting of the 27-nation bloc’s foreign ministers in Brussels.6. Iran’s military apparatus is “in distress” and incapable of launching many missiles at Israel, while members of the country’s security forces stay inside for fear of Israeli and US warplanes, according to an assessment reportedly delivered by the IDF intelligence chief to political leaders.7. Iraq’s powerful armed group Kataeb Hezbollah said Monday that its senior security commander, Abu Ali al-Askari, had been killed, without providing details on the circumstances of his death.8. A “significant Israeli ground offensive” in Lebanon must be averted since it could have devastating humanitarian consequences, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Britain say in a joint statement.9. US Navy mine warfare capabilities.10. Lockheed Martin has announced it carried out the first flight test for the Army’s Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) Increment 2 program, the service’s initiative at developing a multimode seeker capable of hitting maritime targets on the move. Lockheed’s announcement comes shortly after the Army announced its PrSM Increment 1 capabilities, also developed by Lockheed Martin, were used for the first time in combat during the ongoing conflict in Iran. 

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Mar 17, 2026

Embed this episode

For review: 1. A missile strike on a house in Baghdad on Tuesday killed two people, with initial reports suggesting they are “Iranian advisers” to Tehran-backed groups, a security official tells AFP. 2. Rockets and at least five drones were launched at the US embassy in Baghdad early Tuesday from areas around the city, Iraqi security sources say, describing the attack as the most intense since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran. 3. Amid the latest Iranian missile attack on Israel, the m...

Distinct summary based on available episode metadata or transcript content.

Ready to play

Report: President Trump Considers Seizing Kharg Island + Report: President Trump to Announce Multinational Coalition to Secure Strait of Hormuz; EU Seeks "Strategic Clarity" Before Support + Army Precision Strike Missile Used in Combat Against Iran

0:00 32:42

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of I - On Defense Podcast?

This episode is 32 minutes long.

When was this I - On Defense Podcast episode published?

This episode was published on March 17, 2026.

Can I download this I - On Defense Podcast episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!