Iran Fires on U.S. Ships & Intelligence Shows Putin Scared Of A Coup

May 5, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Mike Baker's President's Daily Brief covers escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, leaked intelligence on Vladimir Putin's internal security fears, North Korea's alleged dominance in cryptocurrency theft, and a U.S. military incident in Morocco. The episode highlights direct U.S.-Iran clashes amid a faltering ceasefire and Putin's reported paranoia about coups as the lead stories.

U.S.-Iran Clash in Strait of Hormuz

Hours after the U.S. launched Operation Freedom to guide commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian forces attacked. U.S. Central Command reported Iran firing cruise missiles and drones at American destroyers and nearby commercial vessels. Simultaneously, six Iranian fast-attack boats approached to interfere. U.S. forces destroyed the boats without sustaining hits on their ships or commercial ones.

This marks the first direct confrontation in the operation, clarifying its nature: U.S. warships clear routes alongside commercial traffic and use force when challenged. Iran appears to be testing U.S. rules of engagement, response times, and commitment. The United Arab Emirates also faced related Iranian missile and drone strikes, intercepting most but suffering a drone-induced fire at an oil facility and injuries.

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What you'll learn

1 (01:20) **PDB Introduction** - Mike Baker welcomes listeners to Tuesday's briefing on global threats
2 (02:23) **Iranian Attack on US Ships in Hormuz** - Cruise missiles, drones target US destroyers and commercial vessels during Project Freedom
3 (02:51) **US Response Neutralizes Iranian Boats** - Destroys attackers; no hits on US or commercial ships
4 (03:36) **Ceasefire Effectively Over** - Iran tests US rules of engagement in calibrated probe
5 (04:24) **UAE Hit by Iranian Missiles and Drones** - Targets infrastructure; oil facility fire and injuries reported
6 (04:53) **US-Iran Diplomacy Stalls** - Trump rejects Iran's 14-point plan as "not acceptable"
7 (05:10) **Project Freedom Continues** - Framed as humanitarian but now direct confrontation

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

In this episode of The President’s Daily Brief:

First up—ceasefire or not, the shooting has already started. U.S. forces engaged Iranian boats and came under missile and drone fire just hours into Project Freedom—the U.S. effort to guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

Later in the show—new intelligence suggests Vladimir Putin isn’t just worried about external threats, but the possibility of betrayal from within his own ranks. Plus, North Korea pushes back against accusations it’s behind the majority of global crypto theft, calling the claims politically motivated.

And in today’s Back of the Brief—two U.S. service members go missing during a military exercise in Morocco, as search efforts are now underway.

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