Red Sea attacks widen Iran war; Secret Service sees threat surge

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Unbiased updates off script Thursdays at Straight Arrow. Twelve straight nights of strikes and now the fight is spreading beyond Iran

Plus, the Secret Service says threats are pouring in and now one of the agents protecting the vice president is under investigation

And Congress takes aim at lawmakers' stock trades. But one last-minute change turns the vote into a partisan fight

The stories that matter, clear and credible, from across the country to around the world

These are your unbiased updates from Straight Arrow. Good morning, I'm Craig DeGrelly

This morning, the war is spreading beyond Iran. Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels claim they attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea

as the U.S. carried out a 12th straight night of strikes inside Iran

Saudi Arabia says a vessel owned by a Saudi company was struck while transiting the Red Sea

though all crew members are safe. The attack comes after the Houthis threatened to block Saudi shipping through the Red Sea

raising new concerns about global oil supplies. Meanwhile, Iran has launched more retaliatory strikes targeting U.S. bases in Bahrain and Jordan

Iranian officials also claim they hit at least one tanker in the Strait of Hormuz

saying a second ship turned back after the first caught fire. President Trump has warned the U.S. will bomb and destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant

every time Iran targets a ship in the Strait. Overnight, American forces completed a 12th consecutive night of strikes

with CENTCOM saying the targets included Iranian maritime capabilities, missile and drone sites

coastal surveillance systems, and air defenses aimed at reducing Iran's ability to threaten

commercial shipping. The images are difficult to watch, but they also serve as a powerful reminder

of the human cost of America war with Iran President Trump traveled to Dover Air Force Base Wednesday to honor four American service members killed in recent attacks The President stood in silence as soldiers carried four flag transfer cases

from a military aircraft during a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base

one of the military's most solemn traditions. The four soldiers were killed in separate Iranian attacks in Jordan and Iraq

while serving in air defense units charged with protecting U.S. forces from incoming missiles and drones

After meeting privately with the families, Trump traveled to Georgia, bringing with him the parents of First Lieutenant Tyler Feehan aboard Air Force One

after learning they were headed to the same event. There, he introduced them to the crowd and reflected on the loss of their son

I attended the dignified transfer ceremony for four great U.S. service members killed in the conflict with Iran

as they returned to American soil at Dover. One of the families happened to be traveling to Georgia

Beautiful family, beautiful wife and husband and brother-in-law. And I said, I'm going to Georgia, too

Where are you going? She said, well, after this, sir, they lost their beautiful son

We're going to Georgia. I said, so if you want, I'll give you a ride on Air Force One

And they said, wow. The four Americans killed were First Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan of Hawaii

Private Isabella Gonzalez of Texas, Sergeant Angel Rampersad of New York, and Sergeant Michael Swinton of North Carolina

Since the war began in late February, 18 U.S. service members have died

In Washington, House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan is asking the Justice Department

to criminally investigate former Special Counsel Jack Smith. Jordan sent a letter to the Justice Department Wednesday requesting a criminal investigation

alleging Smith knowingly made false statements during a closed-door congressional deposition last year

Jordan argues newly released Justice Department records contradict Smith's testimony that his investigative team did not obtain or review the contents of lawmakers' text messages during its Trump investigation

Smith's attorneys reject the allegation, calling his testimony unimpeachably truthful. and arguing the referral mischaracterizes his answers

A Justice Department spokesperson told NBC News the department, quote, will investigate all evidence of criminal conduct

A Secret Service agent assigned to Vice President J.D. Vance security detail is now on administrative leave

as the agency investigates an alleged leak of sensitive information about the vice president travel CNN reports the agent is suspected of providing information for a recent news story

that described frustration within Vance's protective detail and included specific details about his upcoming travel plans

including a Marine Corps helicopter trip with his son that was later canceled

The report sparked concern inside the Secret Service, the FBI, and the White House, according to CNN

because it disclosed operational security details. The investigation is being handled by the Secret Service's Internal Affairs Division

It is not clear whether the agent could face discipline or criminal charges

CNN reports the Secret Service has not commented. Same topic now. The Secret Service says it is dealing with the most challenging threat environment in modern history

and the numbers help explain why. The Secret Service says it has opened about 10,000 threat cases since January, up 40 percent from a year ago

Director Sean Curran says the surge includes more online threats, lone actors, foreign threats and mental health related cases

Curran called the current security environment the most volatile he's seen in his 24 years with the Secret Service

It's no secret. There are things happening around the globe that are always going to impact how we move

And that's how we evaluate what our security plan is going to be

We do base that off of what's happening. The warning comes as the agency prepares for Friday's rescheduled White House Correspondents' Dinner

moved to the Waldorf Astoria after April's shooting outside the original venue at the Washington Hilton

Curran defended the security plan used that night, saying officers stopped the armed suspect exactly where he was supposed to be

at the security checkpoint, more than a football field from the dinner itself

He said the Secret Service expects dangerous people to reach screening areas

which is why those layers of security exist in the first place. We will always evaluate every site, and right now we have an advance team there

and they will take back and they will set up a plan to set that site up for success

just like we did at the White House Correspondents Center at the Hilton. That is a success. That is why we set up checkpoints

That is why we have our teams, our special teams in place

because we do plan for that. Officials also said Iran continues to factor into President Trump's security

while warning that drones are quickly becoming one of the agency's biggest concerns

The Secret Service says it has expanded its counter-drone capabilities since the 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania

and now deploys those systems with the president calling it only a matter of time before the U faces a major drone threat The House has passed a bill to curb stock trading by members of Congress but it did so with almost no Democratic support

The bill would bar members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children from buying or selling individual stocks

They could keep the shares they already own, reinvest any dividends, and would have to give at least seven days notice before selling stocks or face fines

The measure passed 232 to 198, largely along party lines, after Republicans added a federal voter ID requirement that drove away nearly every Democrat

The bill also exempts the president from the trading ban. Finally this morning, remember the brazen daylight heist at Paris' Louvre last fall

After thieves stole more than $100 million worth of jewels, the famous Apollo Gallery has finally reopened

Only now, most of its treasures are gone. Visitors filed back into the Apollo Gallery on Wednesday for the first time in nine months

but they won't find the collection of crowns, diamonds, and other royal jewels that made the gallery famous

Museum officials have removed the remaining treasures along with their display cases

leaving visitors to admire the gallery itself, including its elaborate ceilings, sculptures, and 17th century decor

The October heist included more than $100 million worth of jewels, including a gold crown set with diamonds and emeralds

Police have arrested 11 people, but most of the stolen items have never been recovered

The pieces that weren't stolen are now locked away in a secure, windowless vault

All right, before we head out, here's what we're tracking today. At 11, Caroline Leavitt holds a briefing at the White House

At 2.30, President Trump unveils a new ratepayer protection pledge aimed at keeping AI's growing power demands from driving up electric prices

At 4.30, he welcomes the World Series champs, Los Angeles Dodgers, to the White House

And tonight, SpaceX attempts its 13th Starship test flight, including another satellite deployment and a new in-space engineering life

Should be pretty cool. But the biggest thing happening today, it's the premiere of our brand new show, Unbiased Updates, Off Script

It's where we go beyond the headlines, talk with the journalists behind the reporting

and dig into the stories we just can't fit into this short morning show

So join us later today only on SAN.com and the Straight Arrow app

Those are your Unbiased Updates for this Thursday. We'll see you back here tomorrow. We love that

Friday. For all of us here at Straight Arrow, I'm Craig DiGrelli. Have a great day

you