SpaceX Falcon 9 launched the classified USSF-153 mission on Thursday (Sept. 1) at 1542 UTC from Space Launch Complex 4E(SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base, carrying carried an undisclosed payload to low Earth orbit (LEO) for the U.S. Space Force.

The Falcon 9 first-stage booster, B1081, completed its 27th flight, after executing a precision landing on the autonomous droneship 'Of Course I Still Love You' in the Pacific Ocean about 8.5 minutes after liftoff, marking the 660th overall Falcon 9 booster recovery. Residents in surrounding California counties reported hearing sonic booms as the booster returned through the atmosphere at supersonic speeds.

USSF-153 is a classified mission, with industry analysts suggesting the cargo likely consists of classified satellites potentially utilizing SpaceX’s Starshield platform, based on trajectory similarities to previous Starlink deployments.

"Starshield leverages SpaceX's Starlink technology and launch capability to support national security efforts," SpaceX wrote in a description of the Starshield program.

Due to the classified nature of the flight, post-launch telemetry and orbital parameters were withheld, with SpaceX's livestream ending shortly after the booster's recovery.

This operation marked the 104th Falcon 9 mission of 2026 and served as the fifth national security launch for the company this year, following missions such as NROL-105 and USSF-366.

Iranian ballistic missile strikes overnight Wednesday, targeted the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, reportedly damaging multiple US military aircraft** stationed there. An A-10 Thunderbolt (Warthog) suffered a direct hit that resulted in a missing wing, while about eight F-15 fighter jets sustained light damage. The damaged F-15s were subsequently repaired and returned to service, with no US fatalities reported at the base.

US forces in Jordan launched more than 30 Patriot missiles to intercept the Iranian attack, which occurred following weeks of relative calm in the escalating US-Iran conflict.

The strikes on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base were reportedly launched by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and came directly in response to a major U.S. naval action where American forces targeted and sank five Iranian oil tankers following Iran's attempts to strike U.S. naval assets and commercial shipping. The IRGC launched coordinated missile attacks targeting key regional hubs housing American forces, including installations in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Tuesday, destroyed five Iranian crude oil tankers in retaliation for repeated ballistic missile attacks by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on a U.S. Navy warship in the last few days. Four tankers were hit in the Gulf of Oman and one near Kharg Island, Iran’s primary oil export hub; these vessels had moved 45 million barrels of Iranian oil since 2019.

The strikes were part of a new “tanker for tanker” policy approved by President Trump, escalating a broader campaign to cripple Iran’s economy after earlier U.S. strikes on three tankers on September 5 following IRGC attacks on U.S. destroyers DDG-119 and DDG-53.

In retaliation to Tuesday's attacks, the IRGC launched a ballistic missile barrage at U.S.-linked bases in Jordan, specifically targeting the Al-Azraq air base (housing F-35, F-16, and F-15 fighter jet facilities) and the Muwaffaq Salti and Prince Hassan military bases. Jordan’s air defenses intercepted 18 of the 20 missiles launched, with the two remaining landing away from population centers.

The IRGC also claimed it attacked U.S. Navy destroyers and warned of strikes on tankers in Kuwait and Bahrain.

Meanwhile, Iran claimed to have seized a U.S. underwater drone near the Strait of Hormuz. State media identified the craft as the Dive-LD, a 19-foot autonomous submarine manufactured by U.S. defense firm Anduril Industries. This occurred amid ongoing U.S. naval operations to escort commercial shipping through the strait, where ~40 ships transited daily carrying millions of barrels of oil.

The ongoing conflict has transformed the Persian Gulf into a high-intensity maritime battleground involving commercial shipping disruptions, drone warfare, and subsea mining attempts. The war began on February 28, 2026, when pre-emptive U.S. and Israeli military strikes hit Iranian nuclear facilities, leadership command centers, and strategic targets.