I - On Defense Podcast
Probably the best defense commentary in the world. Top military and defense industry analysis in 45 minutes or less.
Episodes
Show of Force: Israeli Warplanes Rehearse Attack on Iran Before National Elections + Russia Agrees to Tri-lateral Talks with US & Ukraine in November + Turkey's Parliament Reviews Mecca Joint Defense Agreement
For review:1. Washington has ordered non-essential US embassy staff and their families to leave Saudi Arabia, the State Department says, as the kingdom comes under sustained deadly attacks by Yemen’s Houthis.2. Yemen's Houthis said that they had neither launched drones towards the Saudi holy city of Medina on Wednesday nor conducted military operations towards Saudi Arabia, refuting earlier
Tri-lateral Summit Possible in China; Potential Meeting for President Trump with Chinese & Russian Leaders in November + Egypt to Support Saudi Arabia Defend its Security + US Army Long-Range Artillery Battery Fires Tomahawk Missile
For review:1. The US Military is deploying several hundred Army soldiers to Latin America for training and joint exercises with regional, Fox News confirmed.The deployment involves soldiers from the Army's 10th Mountain Division based at Fort Drum, New York, with the first troops from a roughly 600-soldier battalion expected to deploy to Panama, according to the NYT, which first reported the
US CENTCOM CDR: Strait of Hormuz Controlled by US & Regional Partners + Report: Iran Providing Targeting Intelligence to Houthis + Ukraine & EU to Establish Separate Diplomatic Track with Russia to End War
For review:1. Many of the recent drone & missile attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi terrorists on Saudi Arabia are based on targeting intelligence provided by the Islamic regime, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.2. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi said on Saturday Egypt would take any measures necessary to defend Saudi Arabia “if requested,” amid escalating Houthi a
Report: US Planning Use of MOAB on Iranian Infrastructure if Fighting Resumes + Houthi Missile & Drone Attack Targets Yemen Presidential Palace in Aden + France to Continue Next Gen Combat Aircraft Program Solo
For review:1. Iran-aligned Houthi rebels carried out a deadly attack on the presidential Al-Maashiq Palace in Aden, the headquarters of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, on Thursday, killing five people, including two members of Prime Minister Shaya Al-Zindani’s security detail.2. The United States is considering using its biggest non-nuclear bomb against Iran if US President Donald T
Saudi Arabia Strikes Back at Houthi Capital; Targets Oil Company in Sanaa + Iran Threatens Ground War Against Regional Neighbors if Fighting Resumes
For review:1. The Saudi-led coalition confirmed Tuesday it had targeted a Yemeni oil company facility in Sanaa and two sites in other provinces, hours after urging civilians to evacuate the area of the strike in the Houthi-held capital.2. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Monday that a suspected plot targeting the RAF Fairford airbase in Britain was “highly likely” to have been coordinat
Houthi Attack on Saudi Arabia's King Khalid International Airport Kills 12; Wounds Over 300 + Yemeni Forces Advance Near Bab el-Mandeb Strait
For review:1. Yemen’s Houthis attacked Riyadh’s international airport with a missile on Saturday, in an attack that Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority said killed at least 12 people and injured over 300.2. Yemeni military forces were advancing against the Houthis in areas around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Saturday, sources told AFP, but have yet to secure control of the waterway after the go
Report: US Preparing for Intensive Strikes on Iran + US Army M8 Carbine Fielding Starts in December + US Army Activates 4th Multi-domain Task Force
For review:1. Two attacks on Riyadh airport killed three Saudi nationals on Thursday, authorities said Friday, as Yemen’s Houthis stepped up missile strikes on the kingdom and tried to shut down its airspaceThe Iran-backed Yemeni rebels had said Thursday that they struck King Khalid International Airport with two cruise missiles.2. US President Donald Trump has had the Pentagon draw up new plans f
US Secretary of State: Iran Has Lost Control of the Strait of Hormuz; Iranian Economy in Freefall + Report: Iranian Activity at Undisclosed Minzadehei Nuclear Site
For review:1. The Saudi-led coalition, pushing to retake strategic territory seized by the Houthis, said it had intercepted and destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile north of the Saudi capital Riyadh.The escalation came after Yemeni government forces, with Saudi-led coalition air support, launched a lightning counteroffensive this week to capture the Red Sea coast around the strategic Bab el-Mandeb
Third US Aircraft Carrier Moving to Middle East + Saudi-backed Offensive Against Houthis Begins + German Army Drone Regiment
For review:1. The US Air Force has brought home its bombers stationed at a US run military air base in England used to strike Iran following an investigation into a planned terror attack at the RAF Fairford base.2. The U.S. military is dispatching roughly 9,000 troops aboard a group of ships to the Middle East, a U.S. official said Thursday. It includes the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike gr
President Trump Meets with Senior Advisors at Camp David; Iran War & Saudi Arabia - Houthi Conflict on Agenda + Saudi Arabia Preparing Offensive Against Houthis + US Army Precision Strike Missile Increment 4 Program
For review:1. The U.S. Coast Guard announced on Friday the seizure of two ships bound for Cuba that were illegally carrying thousands of gallons of diesel fuel amid the ongoing fuel blockade to the country imposed by President Donald Trump.2. Senior Trump administration officials met at Camp David on Friday to discuss the war with Iran and escalating conflict between the Iran-backed Houthi militia
Latest Iran Proposal Receives Offical US Response; Not Revealed + US Secretary of War Speech to Senior Military Officers at Quantico + Winning Week for Boeing Contracts; Grey Wolf / F/A-XX / F-15EX Eagle II
For review:1. The United Arab Emirates on Thursday launched investigations into possible “terrorist activity” aboard flydubai FLT FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv, which made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after the copilot stabbed the pilot in an apparent attempt to crash the plane full of Israeli passengers.2. A Russian strategic bomber crashed Tuesday on a training mission in the country&apo
President Trump Denies Iranian Sanctions Relief for Nuclear Concessions + US Forces Withdraw from Iraq + Boeing Wins US Navy F/A-XX 6th Generation Fighter Competition
For review:1. U.K.'s counterterrorism police release five suspects on bail during an investigation into a suspected bomb plot at a U.S.-operated air force base in England. Police confirmed Tuesday that no explosives were found in three vans linked to the suspects, and said the decision to grant bail was grounded in “experience and strategy.”2. Iran threatened on Tuesday to attack infrastructu
President Trump Expects Indirect Talks With Iran This Week + US SOUTHCOM Queries Army for Combat Support Units + N. Korea Tests Hypersonic Missile
For review:1. The U.S. Army Reserve is examining whether it can provide the military's Southern Command with police forces, medical personnel and other support units within the next four months, according to an internal Army message reviewed by CBS News.2. Israel on Sunday gave Dutch diplomats serving in Ramallah seven days to return their Israeli-issued diplomatic credentials, retaliating af
President Trump Rejects Iranian Ceasefire Proposal + Report: China Provided Iran With Dual-Use Components for Missiles & Drones + Report: UAE to Host Tri-lateral Talks Between US - Russia - Ukraine
For review:1. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hit many of his favorite themes in a combative speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday, including the threat Iran poses to the world and the Jewish people’s determination to stand up to antisemitism and attempts to annihilate them.2. In a pre-recorded address played before the UN General Assembly on Thursday, Palestinian
President Trump at UN: Freedom Coming to Cuba + France Ready to Contribute in Securing Saudi Energy Infrastructure + US Invites Russian President Putin to December G20 Summit in Miami
For review:1. Argentine President Javier Milei attacks the UN in a speech to the world body’s General Assembly, calling it a “useless organization” filled with “arrogant parasites.” 2. President Donald Trump said Cuba was a failed state and freedom would be coming to the island nation in a UN address on Tuesday that increased tensions with the Communist-run government. 3. Iran and the United St
President Trump to Address UN General Assembly on Tuesday + UK RAF to Provide Air Refueling Support to Saudi Arabia + US Army Contracts Precision Strike Missile Inc 2
For review:1. President Trump to Address the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.2. Houthi fighters were pushing to seize strategic heights in Yemen on Monday to cut off the Red Sea coast from remaining areas held by Saudi-backed forces, after a report that President Donald Trump had called off US strikes on the group at the last minute.3. Prime Minister Andy Burnham says Britain has agreed to provide
President Trump Announces Security Agreement with Greenland & Denmark + Houthis Target Riyadh Airport with Missiles and Drones + Germany Receives First F-35 Fighter; Pilot Training Begins in Fall; First Warplanes to Arrive in Germany in late-2027
For review:1. Yemen’s Houthis said on Saturday that they launched strikes targeting “sensitive sites” in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh and oil facilities in the kingdom’s port city of Yanbu.2. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not among the world leaders scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York next week, and it is unlikely the pair will have t
President Trump Weighs Decision on Further Iran Attacks + Report: Iranian Reconstruction on Parchin Complex; Activity at the Taleghan 2 Facility + US Representatives Meet With Houthis in Muscat
For review:1. US officials met representatives of Yemen’s Houthis in Oman over the weekend, five sources familiar with the matter said Wednesday, days after the Iran-backed militia seized a strategic stretch of the Red Sea coast in a sweeping offensive that routed Saudi-backed forces.2. China has privately asked Tehran to help rein in Yemen’s Houthis after an appeal to Beijing by Saudi Arabia foll
President Trump Voices Support for Irish Unification + US CENTCOM Commander Hosts Middle East Military Chiefs in Germany; Discussed Opportunities for Security Cooperation + IDF Kills Rafah Brigade Commander in Gaza Strike
For review:1. The leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland called Monday for the British government to "prepare for, plan and facilitate" constitutional change that could lead to the breakup of the United Kingdom, with the remarks coming days after President Trump said he would "love to see" Irish reunification.2. Apparent Houthi attacks early Tuesday morning triggered w
Report: Chinese Assets Assisted Iran With Target Information for Strike on US Base in Jordan + Report: US - Cuba Energy Deal Collapsed After Negotiations + Poland to Develop Starlink-Type Military Satellite System
For review:1. Report: The Trump administration secretly explored an energy deal with Cuba earlier this year that would have provided US oil and investment to the island in exchange for major economic and political changes, according to media reports.Miami Herald: "The deal with Cuba, while much smaller in its scale would have sent shockwaves throughout the Cuban government establishment, as i
IDF Destroys Subterranean Complex Beneath Ali Taher Ridge + Houthis Seize Key Islands in Bab el-Mandeb Strait + IAEA Reports Construction Activity at Iran's Pickaxe Mountain
For review:1. Using 1,100 tons of explosives, the Israeli military said on Thursday that it had demolished a “strategic” underground facility belonging to the Hezbollah terror group beneath a mountainous ridge in southern Lebanon.2. An airstrike late Thursday in the southern Gaza Strip killed the commander of Hamas’s Khan Younis Brigade, the Israeli military and the terror group said on Friday mor
US Destroys Five More Iranian Tankers + Iran Claims Capture of US Navy Underwater Drone + IDF to Create Fourth Branch: Unmanned Systems & Artificial Intelligence Branch
For review:1. A group of eight Muslim-majority countries, including Israel’s ally the United Arab Emirates, praised the United Kingdom on Wednesday for announcing that it will impose sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and called on other countries to do the same.2. Iran’s Guards said on Wednesday that a new “prohibited zone” outside the Strait of Hormuz would cover parts of the Gul
US Envoys Witkoff / Kushner Travel to Moscow & Kyiv + Iran to Announce a "Prohibited Zone" Outside the Strait of Hormuz + Sweden to Procure US-Made M142 HIMARS; Croatia to Procure S. Korean-made K239 Chunmoo Systems
For review:1, The new head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council on Sunday said Tehran plans to announce a “prohibited zone” outside the Strait of Hormuz aimed at vessels it believes are attempting to transit the waterway.2. The Israel Defense Forces struck Hezbollah terror group targets in Lebanon overnight Sunday-Monday, reportedly killing eleven people, after the Iranian proxy fired two e
US CENTCOM Forces Attack 3 x Iranian Crude Carriers + US Developing Post-Iran War Middle East Strategy; Expands Abraham Accords; Alignment of Allies Against Iran + Israeli PM Netanyahu: Toppling Iran Regime "Within Reach"
For review:1. The US military said Saturday it had struck and destroyed three oil tankers linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps after the Iranian military organization fired on American warships.2. The navy of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it targeted three oil tankers that were traveling through unauthorized routes in the Strait of Hormuz as well as three additional US v
Israel: IDF Controls Strategic Ali Taher Ridge in S. Lebanon; Underground Site Cleared; Working to Demolish + Russian President Putin: Chance of Settlement to End Conflict + New US Sanctions on Cuba
For review:1. The Israel Defense Forces said Thursday night that it had finished clearing a “strategic” underground facility belonging to the Hezbollah terror group beneath a mountainous ridge in southern Lebanon in recent weeks.The Ali Taher Ridge is located within Israel’s southern Lebanon buffer zone, near Nabatieh. According to the IDF, Hezbollah built tunnel systems beneath the hill, which se
US Resumes Strikes on Iran Tuesday; Targets Radar Systems, Air Defense Sites, Mine-laying Capabilities + Iran Responds; Jordan Intercepts Iranian Missiles; No Casualties + US Army Looks for New Tracked 155mm Howitzer
For review:1. The US military hit targets in Iran on Tuesday, and Tehran fired missiles and drones in response, as hostilities flared once again.2. Jordan’s army says it has intercepted 10 ballistic missiles launched from Iran while three others landed in remote areas.3. A Syrian site held infrastructure “consistent with a nuclear reactor,” the UN nuclear watchdog said in a confidential report see
US Attacks Iran in Strait of Hormuz; IRGC Attempted to Launch Rockets with Sea Mines + Iran Retaliates; Launches Ballistic Missiles at US Bases in Jordan; No Report of Casualties
For review:1. The U.S. military struck Iranian military targets to prevent the deployment of sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. official said.2. Jordan’s army says it intercepted eight missiles, shortly after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it attacked US military targets in the Washington-allied kingdom.“Air defense systems intercepted eight missiles that breached the kingdom
President Trump Orders Creation of US Space Academy; Modeled after USMA at West Point + CIA Director Ratcliffe Visits Moscow + Russia Warns UK & France Over Ukraine's Use of Storm Shadow - SCALP Missiles; Playing With Fire
For review:1. CIA Director John Ratcliffe was in Moscow, Russia, for meetings on Tuesday, sources familiar with the situation told CBS News.2. Russia warned on Thursday that it could strike British military targets inside and outside Ukraine in response to Ukrainian attacks on targets inside Russia using long-range British cruise missiles.3. The United States on Friday issued fresh Iran-related s
US Shifts to Economic Pressure on Iran; Diplomats Returning to Middle East Embassies + Israeli Defense Minister Visits IDF Troops in S. Syria; IDF to Remain in Buffer Zone + Russia & N. Korea Border Road Construction Almost Complete
For review:1. US President Donald Trump on Tuesday lamented what he called a “humanitarian crisis” in Iran, saying it “must be stopped,” as he accused the Tehran regime of killing protesters and failing to pay its armed forces.“The failing Islamic Republic of Iran is not paying large segments of their military, while at the same time killing protesters, even when they are not protesting, at levels
US Treasury Secretary Bessent Announces Additional Sanctions Against Iran; Dubbed Operation Economic Outcast + Pakistan's Army Chief Travels to Tehran + US Removes Syria from List of State Sponsors of Terrorism
For review:1. Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel blamed the United States for the country’s severe crisis in an interview, saying his government will not make any concessions to the Trump administration, has “no alternative but to resist,” and that talks with Washington are “very stalled.”2. Mossad chief Roman Gofman and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani held a meeting on Sunday to defuse tens
Report: Bombed Syrian Air Base Was Planned Location for Turkish Air Defense System + US Adds New Sanctions Against Cuba + US to Announce "Toughest Sanctions in History" Against Iran on Monday
For review:1. The United States tightened sanctions on Cuba on Thursday, blacklisting three officials tied to a state-run organization that promotes Cuba's ties with foreign solidarity activists, along with nine state entities in the metals, mining and construction sectors.2. Israel reportedly claimed to the US that Turkey was planning to set up an air defense system on the airbase in north
Israel Confirms Attack on Syrian Air Base; Cites Violation of Security Status Quo; Syria Repeatedly Warned + President Trump Declares "Economic D-Day" Against Iran + Aircraft Carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) Arrives in CENTCOM AOR
For review:1. Israel confirmed late Tuesday that it was behind overnight strikes against a Sysrian military airport, where it claimed Turkey was planning to deploy forces.2. Turkey’s Defense Ministry denied Thursday that a Turkish military delegation had visited Syria’s Abu al-Duhur airbase ahead of Israeli strikes on the site this week, a day after Syria’s foreign minister had said that such a vi
President Trump Reduces Combined Military Exercise with S. Korea + Unknown Warplanes Strike Airbase in N.W. Syria; Israeli Jets Suspected + US Army Selects Hanwha to Deliver 155mm K9 Mobile Tactical Cannon Prototypes
For review:1. South Korea on Monday expressed hopes for resumption of diplomacy between the U.S. and North Korea to ease animosities on the Korean Peninsula, as President Trump reduces exercises with South Korea.2. The runway of a military airport in northwestern Syria was targeted by unidentified fighter jets overnight Monday, with Damascus blaming Israel for the airstrike and the United States d
President Trump Envoy Kushner Meets with Hamas Chief in Egypt + Report: Israel Eyes Strategic Ali Taher Ridge in Lebanon + US CENTCOM & UAE AI Task Force
For review:1. US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and top aide Jared Kushner met with Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya in the Egyptian coastal city of El-Alamein on Sunday, an Arab diplomat told The Times of Israel.2. The White House established a secret backchannel with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to a Sunday report, which said that the United States has been informed that t
US CENTCOM Commander Meets with Saudi Arabia's Prince Mohammed bin Salman + Russia Questions US on Alleged Support to Ukraine Strikes + US Army M1E3 & XM30 Prototypes
For review:1. Russia believes the United States is deeply involved in Ukrainian attacks against it and has raised the issue with Washington, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in comments broadcast on Friday.He said that the alleged U.S. support included the supply of intelligence.2. US President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States will hit Iran hard economically, as Washington and
Report: Iranian Assassination Threat Against President Trump at Ankara NATO Summit Forced Plane Transfer + US To Withdraw Forces from Iraq by 30 Sep + Houthis Attack Commercial Vessel in Bab el-Mandeb
For review:1.Israel told the United States about the Iranian assassination threat that prompted the US Secret Service to take President Donald Trump off Air Force One and transfer to another military plane as he prepared to fly out of Turkey last month, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday, citing an unnamed US official.Later Tuesday, Trump confirmed that he had indeed been smuggled off Air Fo
President Trump: Iran Financially "in Bad Shape" + Board of Peace Mladenov Interview: Plan Not Built on Trust; Everything Will Be Verified + US Secretary of State: More Economic Pressure on Cuba
For review:1. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the administration of President Donald Trump is escalating economic pressure on Cuba with an unprecedented sanctions campaign and warned that "there are no escape valves."2. Yemen's Houthis said they attacked an oil facility Sunday in southwestern Saudi Arabia, the latest attack by the Iranian-backed rebels on the kingdom.3.
Saudi Arabia - Turkey - Pakistan Sign Joint Defense Agreement in Mecca; Agreement Defensive in Nature; Potential for Egypt to Join + USAF / USN Long-Range JDAM
For review:1. Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey signed a joint defense agreement in Mecca on Friday.The agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression and stipulates that an armed attack against any of the three would be regarded as an attack on all, they said in a joint statement.2. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says that the defense pact his countr
No Deal Yet on Hormuz Strait + US Triples Patriot and Quadruples THAAD Interceptor Production
For review:1. Report: Mossad chief removes 2 senior officials behind aborted Iran regime-change plan 2. Iran’s foreign ministry said Wednesday that Iran and Oman have agreed on a route for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz and are putting the final touches on arrangements for jointly managing the waterway.3. Lebanon and Israel held a fresh round of US-sponsored talks in Rome on Tuesday. This w
Iran / Oman Strait of Hormuz Plan + Gaza Board of Peace Head Meets with Israeli PM; No IDF Withdrawal Until Full Disarmament + Former AFU Chief: Ukraine Will Never Join NATO
For review:1. US President Donald Trump held a phone call earlier today with Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani during which the pair discussed “efforts to deescalate tensions between the US and Iran,” the latter’s office says.2. Iran and the Gulf Arab state of Oman have made progress toward a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a potential breakthrough that could help wind down the war in the
President Trump On Iran's Denial of Talks: "Iranian Leadership is Duplicitous" + Ukraine Armed Forces New Commander in Chief
For review:1. US President Donald Trump on Monday said that Washington and Tehran were currently engaged in talks, pushing back on Iranian claims to the contrary and accusing the Islamic Republic of being “unbelievably duplicitous.” In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump lashed out at Iran and insisted that negotiations over reopening the Strait of Hormuz had already begun and that more w
President Trump Halts Combined US-Israel Strikes; Deal with Iran Under Mediation + Secretary of State Rubio: Diplomatic Efforts in the Coming Weeks to Restart Moscow - Kiev Negotiations + US to Transfer SAG-U Leadership
For review:1. US Sec of State Rubio raised concerns about Cuba’s ability to infiltrate and influence top-level U.S. institutions, detailing what he described as a dangerous Cuban spy network that is undermining American interests. 2. Secretary of State Rubio: Diplomatic Efforts in the Coming Weeks to Restart Moscow - Kiev Negotiations.3. The Pentagon is giving up leadership of a U.S.-led NATO com
Report: US & Israel Preparing for Combined Strikes Against Iran + Hamas and Armed Groups Reach Disarmament Agreement in Gaza + Report: Saudi Arabia Preparing for Combat with Houthis
For review:1. Saudi Arabia is gearing up for a major offensive against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, by sea and possibly including a ground operation, The Guardian reported Thursday. 2. The United States and Israel are planning what would be one of the harshest bombing campaigns to date against energy infrastructure in Iran, multiple sources told CBS News, with strikes possible throughout the
Iran's Surprise Attack on US Forces in Jordan (Tuesday) ; US Launches "Powerful" Strikes in Response + Report: Iran to Receive Shoulder-Launched AD Systems from China via Pakistan + US Begins Force Posture Review in Europe
For review:1. Iran fired multiple ballistic missiles at a U.S. base in the Middle East on Tuesday evening, in what U.S. Central Command called an attempted surprise attack.2. US Central Command announces that it has renewed airstrikes in Iran, in what it calls “a powerful response to yesterday’s attempted Iranian attacks on US forces based in the Middle East.”3. A drone hit a US-owned gas storage
US & Iran Meeting Through Mediators; Pause on Attacks Holds + Ukraine Attacks Iranian Vessel in Caspian Sea: Suspected of Carrying Military Cargo to Russia + India Tests Domestic Air Defense Interceptor
For review:1. Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Iraq reported drone attacks in their territory Monday amid a lull in US air strikes against Iran.2. US President Donald Trump said Monday that he paused military strikes on Iran to give diplomacy another chance, amid a report of “significant” progress in talks to end the war. But he added that he is prepared to authorize another major attack on the I
US & Iran Pause Attacks; President Trump Allowing Time for Negotiations + Hamas Elects New Leader + US State Department: Turkey Does Not Meet Criteria for F-35s
For review:1. The United States refrained from striking Iran overnight Friday-Saturday for the first day in two weeks.After the quiet night in Iran, there were also no reports on Saturday of attacks by Iran on its Gulf neighbors, which have been taking place daily as well.2. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet US President Donald Trump on Tuesday at the White House, the premier’s office an
US Strikes Iran for 13th Consecutive Night + President Trump Considers "Massive Attack" on Iran + Houthi Rebels Attack Saudi Arabian Tankers in Red Sea; US Says Iran Will Be Held Responsible
For review:1. Iran has reportedly rejected a ceasefire deal passed along from the United States by Iraqi mediators.According to The New York Times, citing Iranian and Iraqi officials, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi traveled to Iran today with a proposal formulated not long after he met with US President Donald Trump in the White House earlier this month.2. The US military says it completed its
US Hits Iran for 11th Consecutive Night + Lebanon's President Aoun in Washington: Ready to "End Hostilities with Israel" + Houthi Rebels Maritime Embargo of Saudi Arabia
For review:1. US Central Command (CENTCOM) says it has completed its 11th consecutive evening of air strikes against Iran to further degrade the country’s “ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz”.2. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Monday that his country was in a “full-scale war” with the United States and that Tehran should accept the repercussions of the conflic
US Strikes Iran for 9th Consecutive Night + Lebanon's President Aoun in Washington D.C. for Official Visit
For review:1. US President Donald Trump says the latest military strikes on Iran are being carried out in honor of US servicemembers killed in recent days.The US military launched a new wave of strikes targeting Iran early on Monday, the ninth consecutive night of attacks."The strikes will continue degrading Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial vessels and civilian mariners
US Strikes Continue for Seventh Night + US Sending Additional Air Refueling Tankers to Israel + Army / Navy Hypersonic Missile Effort
For review:1. China on Thursday voiced strong opposition to any potential US military action against Cuba after reports that the Pentagon was examining contingency plans for possible operations against the island.2. The US military said it carried out the seventh night of strikes on Iran since President Donald Trump declared the temporary ceasefire agreement was "over".In a statement sha
US Continues Strikes on Iran; President Trump Considers Attacking Infrastructure + Israeli PM NetanyahuTravels to US Saturday + US Army Common Autonomous Multi-Domain Launcher
For review:1. US Military planners have in recent weeks examined a range of options for possible action against the island, including an Army-led air assault involving thousands of U.S. soldiers to be carried out by the 101st Airborne Division, the only unit trained for such a task, according to multiple U.S. officials with knowledge of the discussions. 2. US President Trump is leaning toward furt
US Continues Strikes on Iran; President Trump Threatens to Target Pickaxe Mountain + President Trump: US to Reinstate Iran Naval Blockade + US Ambassador to UN: Cuba's Regime is a National Security Threat
For review:1. United Nations Ambassador Mike Walz on Sunday said Cuba’s regime is “a national security threat,” as the Trump administration keeps its sights on the Caribbean island nation.2. Yemen’s internationally recognized government said it struck Sanaa airport Monday, as the Houthis blamed the government’s Saudi backers for the attack, in the biggest escalation in years between authorities an
US Hits Iran with New Attacks; 3d Round of Strikes This Week + US Military Team Meets with LAF in Beirut to Plan IDF Pilot Zone Withdrawal + Germany to Procure US MRC Typhon System & Tomahawk Missiles
For review:1. The US military is carrying out a new round of strikes on Iran, the third in recent days, in response to the Revolutionary Guards’ announcement that it has attacked a vessel there and closed the waterway until further notice, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announces.2. US President Donald Trump said Saturday that he had ordered the military to be prepared to launch major strikes ag
President Trump: Talks Continue with Iran; But Ceasefire is Over + IDF Prepared for Return to War With Iran + Germany to Produce US ATACMS Missiles + UK to Procure US Precision Strike Missiles
For review:1. Iran’s slain supreme leader ayatollah Ali Khamenei was buried in the country’s holiest shrine, state media said early on Friday. The burial in Mashhad in northeast Iran follows a week of mass funeral processions, rallies and mourning.2. The United States is demanding that Iran publicly state it will stop attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and that all lanes in the strait will
Second Night of US Strikes on Iran + President Trump on MOU: "I Think It's Over" + President Trump Undecided on F-35 Program for Turkey
For review:1. The United States launched fresh strikes on Iran late Wednesday and into early Thursday morning after striking Iranian targets a day earlier in response to attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.2. US President Donald Trump on Wednesday fumed at Iran following renewed military strikes overnight, saying he thought the US-Iran memorandum of understanding “is over,” call
President Trump Holds Calls with Russia & Ukraine Presidents + NATO Summit in Turkey + Hamas Prepares Transfer of Gaza Governance to Technocratic NCAG
For review:1. President Trump held separate calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, which is now in its fifth year. 2. Norway wants China to use its ties to the Russian leadership to help bring about a negotiated settlement to the war in Ukraine, also for the sake of better relations with Europe, Nor
Report: Iran's Supreme Leader Not Allowed at Father's Funeral; Assassination Concerns + Iran: Friendly Nations Get Special Treatment in Hormuz Strait + Satellite Imagery: Iran Repairing Tunnel Complex at Pickaxe Mountain; Violation of MOU
For review:1. Iran’s ambassador to China insists that new fees will be charged to ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz — an idea rejected by Washington — while assuring that “friendly” nations would receive special treatment.2. Recent satellite imagery shows no signs that Iran has begun repairing key damage at its main nuclear facilities following US and Israeli strikes, though construction appea
US & Saudi Arabia Tense Relations Over Iran War + Former Iran Supreme Leader State Funeral Begins Saturday + IDF Pairs Iron Dome with Iron Beam Laser System
For review:1. US-Saudi relations have significantly deteriorated in recent months amid anger in Riyadh over Washington’s decision to launch a war against Iran that has caused massive blowback for the rest of the region, to the extent that the US is reportedly considering pulling troops from the Gulf kingdom.2. Funeral processions for Khamenei will begin on Saturday in Tehran and conclude on July 9
US Envoys Meet with Mediators in Qatar; No Direct Talks with Iran + Israeli PM in S. Lebanon; IDF to Remain in Security Zone + Armor Not Dead: Australian Army Building Heavy Armored Brigade
For review:1. Talks between Cuba and the U.S. are at a standstill, despite the island recently approving a series of free-market reforms, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez announced Tuesday.2. Attackers shot dead two members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps at their home in the western city of Paveh, near the border with Iraq’s Kurdistan region, state media reported Tuesday.It was
US & Iran Halt Strait of Hormuz-Related Attacks; Agree to Discuss Tuesday in Qatar + Security Annex Allows IDF Operations Against Threats in S. Lebanon + Turkey Offers to Host Russia - Ukraine Peace Talks
For review:1. US & Iran have agreed to halt attacks on each other and to meet again on Tuesday in Doha to discuss the issues of the Strait of Hormuz.2. The Israel-Lebanon framework agreement, signed last week, explicitly preserves the Israel Defense Force’s full freedom to act against threats in the southern Lebanon security zone, an official familiar with its contents told The Times of Israel
US Strikes Iranian Missile Storage & Coastal Radar Sites; IRGC Vows Retaliation + Israel & Lebabon Establish Framework for Limited IDF Withdrawal + Small Moroccan Contingent Arrives in Israel for Gaza ISF Effort
For review:1. US Central Command (CENTCOM) says its forces conducted strikes against Iran earlier this evening in response to an attack on a commercial ship that was transiting the Strait of Hormuz.2. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it attacked US sites in the Gulf region in retaliation to American strikes in Iran, according to state television.3. The United States is considering mov
US Secretary of State: No Iran Tolls on Strait of Hormuz + Israeli Defence Minister: No IDF Withdrawal from S. Lebanon Security Zone + US Places New Sanctions on Cuban State Companies
For review:1. The U.S. government on Tuesday hit Cuban state companies with new sanctions.U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the sanctions target five Cuban entities, including three linked to Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A., a business conglomerate operated by Cuba's Revolutionary Armed Forces. 2. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that Washington would not accept
US & Iran Start Talks in Burgenstock; Roadmap Established to Meet 60-Day Tineline + IDF Captures Hezbollah Subterranean Drone Base / Factory in S. Lebanon + Ukraine Gives Belarus Ultimatum to Remove Relay Equipment
For review:1. The United States and Iran began talks in Switzerland on Sunday after signing a preliminary agreement to end their war.American and Iranian representatives gathered alongside delegations from mediators Pakistan and Qatar at the luxury Swiss resort of Burgenstock.2. Iran and the United States agree on a roadmap toward reaching a final deal to end the war within 60 days, mediators Paki
Israel & Hezbollah Renew Uneasy Ceasefire + Report: IRGC Cells in Iraq Launched Attacks Against Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, & UAE + US Renames Combatant Command: Indo-PACOM Out; PACOM Name Restored
For review:1. A B-52 on a routine test mission crashed shortly after takeoff Monday (15 June) in Southern California, killing all eight crew members on board.2. US Army aims to release proposal requests for its heavy variant of the ISV this fall, a senior service official told lawmakers, adding that the Army is attempting to field the capability as quickly as possible. The Army is seeking vehicl
Text of MOU + US CENTCOM Lifts Blockade Entering/Exiting Iranian Ports + Pentagon to Review US Force Presence in Europe + USAF CCA Update
For review:1. Cuban lawmakers unanimously approved sweeping reforms backed by the Communist Party and former leader Raul Castro that would privatize a vast swath of the country's socialist economy in a bid to survive punishing U.S. sanctions.The measures, if implemented as passed, would represent the single largest change to Cuba's socialist model since former leader Fidel Castro'
US & Iran MOU (Reaction/Analysis) + Documents Show Hamas 07 October Attack Designed to Ruin Israel-Saudi Arabia Normaization + Somaliland President Visits Jerusalem; Opens Embassy
For review:1. Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar opened Somaliland’s embassy in Jerusalem on Monday, the eighth top-level diplomatic mission in the capital.The United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, and Fiji also have embassies in Jerusalem, while other countries — including Hungary, the Czech Republic, and S
US & Iran Reach Deal; Ceasefire Extended 60 Days; Formal Signing in Switzerland Planned for Friday
For review:1. Senior Hezbollah commander Ali Mussa Daqduq, mastermind of a January 2007 attack that killed five US troops in Iraq, was killed in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon over the weekend, the IDF announced Sunday.2. US & Iran Reach Deal; Ceasefire Extened 60 Days; Formal Signing in Switzerland Friday.3. Ahmad Vahidi, the commander in chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Cor
President Trump Halts Strikes on Iran; "Agreement Signing To Be Announced Shortly" + US Sanctions Cuba's State-Owned Oil Company
For review:1. The U.S. imposed sanctions Thursday on Cuba’s state-owned oil company, part of a Trump administration effort to restrict fuel supplies and increase pressure on the island’s Communist government.2. US President Donald Trump called off strikes on Iran Thursday evening, claiming an agreement to end the war had been reached and would be signed shortly.He later said the document should “g
US Sends Second Round of Retaliation Strikes Against Iran for AH-64 Apache Shootdown + Iran Claims Response Strikes Against US Bases in Kuwait & Bahrain + Sec of War Visits US Troops in Guantanamo Bay
For review:1. US Defense Secretary on Wednesday said the future of Cuba is in the hands of President Trump and Havana’s leadership amid increased U.S. pressure on the communist-ruled island.“No matter what, the Department of War is going to be prepared and postured for any possible contingency,” Sec Hegseth told troops during a visit to the U.S. Naval Station at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.2. President D
Israel Strikes Hezbollah Targets in Beirut + Iran Responds with Ballistic Missile Attacks + Israel Retalliates With Strikes on Iranian Military Targets & Petrochemical Plant; Israeli PM Cancels Planned Massive Attack "For Now"
For review:1. Israel on Sunday carried out airstrikes in Beirut, with the military saying it targeted a Hezbollah headquarters in the group’s stronghold of Dahiyeh, a large suburb just south of the Lebanese capital.Iran threatened to retaliate, saying, “Watch the sky of the occupied territories tonight.”2. Iran fired a volley of missiles at northern Israel Sunday night, catapulting the region back
US Targets Iranian Radar Sites on Qeshm & Goruk Islands + Iran Fires Ballistic Missiles at Kuwait & Bahrain + Russian President Putin Responds to Ukraine's Direct Negotiations Letter: "I don't see any point for now"
For review:1. Raúl Castro, Cuba’s low-profile former president and revolutionary guerrilla, appeared in public for the first time since being indicted by the United States for his alleged role in the 1996 downing of two civilian aircraft, official video released Saturday showed.2. The United States and Iran exchanged fire overnight Friday amid a fragile ceasefire as American officials stepped up p
President Trump: Iran's Enriched Uranium is "Entombed" + US Sanctions Cuban President Diaz-Canel + Ukraine President Zelenskyy Calls for Face-to-Face Negotiations in Letter to Kremlin + US Army SP Howitzer Modernization
For review:1. The United States imposed sanctions Thursday on Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel in the latest move by the Trump administration.2. A statement attributed to Iran’s supreme leader on Thursday said that the United States and Israel had been dealt a “decisive blow” in their war with the Islamic Republic, as the US sent mixed signals about whether the fighting could resume.3. US Preside
US Forces Strike Qeshm Island in Response to Iranian Attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain + Report: President Trump Asked Xi Jinping to Push Russia Back to Negotiating Table + Europe's Emerging Nuclear Umbrella - France
For review:1. Cuba on Tuesday defended a military-run conglomerate long the target of U.S. sanctions, saying the group of businesses known as GAESA has contributed to the nation's economic and social development.2. US forces successfully defeated multiple Iranian ballistic missiles and drones, and conducted self-defense strikes on Qeshm Island in response to attempted attacks by Iran acros
President Trump: "No Hurry" to Make Deal with Iran + Report: Iranian Missile Strike on US Base in Kuwait Wounds Five Americans; Two MQ-9 Reaper Drones Destroyed or Badly Damaged + IDF Captures Beaufort Castle in S. Lebanon
For review:1. US SOUTHCOM X: SOUTHCOMCommander Gen. Francis L. Donovan (USMC) personally inspected all aspects of Naval Station Guantanamo Bay’s security posture, leading a comprehensive perimeter security assessment and discussing force protection, operational readiness, and measures to ensure the safety and security of service members, their families, and the joint force stationed at the install
No Final Determination on US - Iran MOU + Israel Continues Air and Ground Operations North of Litani River + US SOUTHCOM Commander Meets with Cuban Military Officials
For review:1. The head of the U.S. military's Southern Command met with top Cuban military officials Friday at the edge of the American naval base at Guantanamo Bay.2. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Friday that troops of the IDF’s 36th Division have crossed Lebanon’s Litani River. PM Netanyahu: “Our forces crossed the Litani, and they’ve advanced to the dominating terrai
New US Strikes Against Iran; Second Attack This Week + Israel Kills Newly Appointed Hamas Military Chief in Gaza City + IDF Combat Operations North of Litani River
For review:1. The Pentagon has spent months positioning the troops and weapons needed for the U.S. to launch a military attack on Cuba — all it needs is a final go-ahead from the President.2. The US military carried out new strikes overnight Wednesday-Thursday in Iran, targeting a military site that officials believed posed a threat to US forces and commercial maritime traffic in the Strait of Ho
Latest on US - Iran Negotiations and Deal + Israel Ramping Up Strikes Against Hezbollah
For review:1. Latest on US - Iran Negotiations and Deal.2. Israel Ramping Up Strikes Against Hezbollah
President Trump: Iran Deal To Be Released Soon + President Trump Announces Deployment of 5000 Troops to Poland + US Aircraft Carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Operating in SOUTHCOM AOR
For review:1. The U.S deployed the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and its accompanying strike group into Caribbean waters this week.2. US President Donald Trump declared on Saturday that the US and Iran were finalizing a deal to end the war.Iran has agreed to give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium as part of an agreement with the US to end the war, two US officials tell the New York Times.3
Secretary of State Rubio: Iran's Plan to Toll Ships in Strait "Unfeasible" + US Navy CNO: Escorting Ships in the Strait Exceeds Navy Capacity + Russia Launches Unannounced Three-Day Nuclear Exercise; 200 Missile Launchers; 140 Aircraft; 8 Nuclear Subs
For review:1. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that there were “good signs” for a deal to end the war with Iran, but that an agreement would be “unfeasible” if Tehran pursues its plan to toll ships in the Strait of Hormuz. 2. WSJ Report: Israel has created a list of all Palestinians who took part in the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks and is working to kill or arrest each one.3.
President Trump Postpones Attack on Iran + NATO Supreme Allied Commander: Expect Additional US Troop Withdrawals + Report: Cuba Has Acquired Hundreds of Military Drones
For review:1. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez insisted Cuba "poses no threat" to the United States and doesn't have "aggressive plans or intentions against any country," after Axios reported that the island nation has hundreds of military drones and has been allegedly discussing plans to strike the U.S. military base in Guantanamo Bay and potentially Florida&apo
