I - On Defense Podcast
Probably the best defense commentary in the world. Top military and defense industry analysis in 45 minutes or less.
Episodes
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
US & Israel Preparing to Renew Attacks on Iran + IDF Confirms Top Hamas Chief Killed in Gaza City Airstrike + Cuba Publishes Online Family Guide to Survive Potential Enemy Attacks
For review:1. Cuba has posted a “family guide” on provincial websites on how to survive “potential enemy attacks,” as the communist-run island reels from US pressure and energy shortages.The release of the document– comes days after the head of the CIA visited Cuba, an extraordinary step in contact between Washington and Havana. 2. The Israel Defense Forces on Saturday confirmed killing Hamas mili
CIA Director Visits Cuba + Israel Targets Top Hamas Leader in Gaza Strike; Fate Unknown; Initial Indications - Dead + US CENTCOM Commander Appears Before Senate Armed Services Committee
For review:1. CIA Director Ratcliffe met with counterparts from Cuba's Ministry of the Interior on Thursday during a high-level visit to the island nation amid "complex bilateral relations" between the long-time adversaries.2. President Donald Trump says he has not yet decided whether a major sale of US arms to Taiwan can move forward following his three-day visit to China. 3. Israe
President Trump Arrives in China + Israeli PM Visited UAE in March + Saudi Arabia Conducted Retaliation Strikes Against Iran + Russia to Deploy New Sarmat ICBM in late 2026; Reported Range of 35,000 km
For review:1. US President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the Iran war, trade, and US arms sales to Taiwan. 2. If Iran does not accept US terms for a deal to end the war and address its nuclear program, the United States will “finish the job,” US President Donald Trump declared on Tuesday.3. Iran’s chief negotiator in talks with the US s
President Trump: Ceasefire With Iran "On Life Support" + Israeli PM: War "Not Over" + US Conducts Surveillance Flights Around Cuba
For review:1. US military intelligence-gathering flights are surging off the coast of Cuba, a CNN analysis of publicly available aviation data shows.Since February 4, the US Navy and Air Force have conducted at least 25 such flights using manned aircraft and drones, most of them near the country’s two biggest cities, Havana and Santiago de Cuba, and some coming within 40 miles of the coast, accord
President Trump Announces Russia - Ukraine Ceasefire & Prisoner Exchange + Report: Russia Supplying Iran With Drone Parts Using Caspian Sea + France & UK Posture Warships for Strait of Hormuz Escort Mission
For review:1. President Trump Announces Russia & Ukraine Ceasefire and Priosner Exchange.The ceasefire will begin on Saturday and run through Monday, President Trump wrote on Truth Social. "This ceasefire will include a suspension of all kinetic activity, and also a prisoner swap of 1,000 prisoners from each country."2. NYT Report: Russia is sending drone components to Iran via Caspi
US CENTCOM Confirmed Self-Defense Strikes Against Iran in Strait of Hormuz + IDF Kills Hezbollah Radwan Force Commander in Beirut Strike + EU Council President Considers "Potential" Talks with Moscow
For review:1. US Secretary of State Rubio announced new sanctions Thursday on Cuba's military-industrial enterprise, its leader and a state-owned natural resources company.2. US President Donald Trump says three US Navy destroyers transited out of the Strait of Hormuz under fire, adding that the American destroyers were not damaged but “great damage was done to Iranian attackers.”3. Iranian P
President Trump: Operation Project Freedom Will Be Paused; Blockade Remains in Full Force & Effect + CENTCOM CDR: US Helicopters Sank Six Iranian Small Boats in Strait + US Army Typhon System (Tomahawk) Test Fired in Philippines Exercise
For review:1. A high-level Trump administration official informed Iran on Sunday of the impending US operation to "guide" ships through the Strait of Hormuz and warned Tehran not to interfere, according to a U.S. official and a source with knowledge.2. US President Donald Trump says the US will be pausing the operation it launched just one day earlier to assist vessels stuck in the Str
President Trump: Iran's Latest Proposal Unacceptable + President Trump: Starting Monday US Navy Will Start Guiding Ships Through Strait + Israel to Procure More F-35s & F-15s
For review:1. President Trump said the U.S. Navy will start guiding ships from foreign countries through the Strait of Hormuz from Monday and warned that if Iran tries to disrupt the process the American military will use force.2. US President Donald Trump on Sunday rejected Iran’s latest proposal to end its war with the US and Israel, calling it unacceptable.The 14-point proposal reportedly inclu
Pentagon Estimate: US Navy Blockade Has Cost Iran $4.8 Billion + Israel Provided Iron Beam Air Defense System to UAE + US Announces Withdrawal of 5000 Troops from Germany
For review:1. The White House asserts to US Congress in a letter that hostilities with Iran have “terminated” despite the continued presence of US armed forces in the region.The message from President Donald Trump effectively skirts a May 1 legal deadline to gain approval from members of Congress to continue the war with Iran. 2. Axios Report: The Pentagon estimates Iran has lost $4.8 billion in o
US CENTCOM Forces Preparing for "Short & Powerful" Wave of Strikes + IDF Destroys Two Major Hezbollah Tunnels in S. Lebanon + Australia Procures More HIMARS and Precision Strike Missiles + First Columbia-Class Ballistic Missile Submarine Delivery in 2028
For review:1. US CENTCOM Commander: CENTCOM Forces have redirected 42 x commercial vessels attemtiong to violate the Strait of Hormuz blockage.2. President Trump told Axios he's going to keep Iran under a naval blockade until the regime agrees to a deal that addresses U.S. concerns about its nuclear program.U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has prepared a plan for a "short and powerful"
US Rejects Iran Offer to Open Strait & Delay Nuclear Talks in Return for Ending War + Israel Strikes Hezbollah Targets in Beqaa Valley After Deadly FPV Attack + IDF Iron Dome System Employed in UAE
For review:1. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that a reported offer from Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz under strict conditions is not acceptable to the United States or other countries.Secretary of State Rubio: “What they mean by opening the straits is, yes, the straits are open, as long as you coordinate with Iran, get our permission, or we’ll blow you up, and you pay us.”2. T
President Trump Cancels Envoys' Trip to Islamabad for Iran Talks + Israel & Hezobllah Continue Trading Fire Under Tenuous Ceasefire + 3 x US Aircraft Carriers Operating in CENTCOM AOR
For review:1. US President Donald Trump canceled a trip to Islamabad by two envoys to meet Iran war mediator Pakistan on Saturday after Iran’s foreign minister flew out of the Pakistani capital following talks, dealing a new setback to peace prospects.Presidnet Trump said in a social media post that he had called off the planned visit by his special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner
Israel - Lebanon Ceasefire Extended Three Weeks + President Trump Orders US Navy to Shoot & Kill Any Boat Mining the Strait of Hormuz + Secretary of Navy Out; Undersecretary Assumes Role
For review:1. Iranian forces seized two container ships on Wednesday, according to global security monitors and the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. They also attacked but didn’t seize a third.2. US President Donald Trump on Thursday said the US Navy would “shoot and kill” any boat mining the Strait of Hormuz.Meanwhile, Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel was ready to renew the fi
President Trump Extends Ceasefire; US Blocklade of Strait of Hormuz Continues + Second Round of Israel & Lebanon Talks on Thursday in Washington D.C. + US Department of War Releases FY27 Defense Budget Request of $1.5 Trillion
For review:1. The Board of Peace’s lead envoy for Gaza admitted Monday that talks with Hamas on disarmament were going to take more time, even though the deadline he gave for the terror group to accept his proposal on handing over its weapons expired nine days earlier.“We’ve had some very serious discussions with Hamas over the last few weeks. They’re not easy,” Nickolay Mladenov told Reuters in a
US CENTCOM Forces Seize Iranian Vessel + IRGC Gunboats Fire on Commercial Vessels in Strait + US Aircraft Carrier Gerald R. Ford back in CENTCOM AOR
For review:1. American forces seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship after it tried to bypass a U.S. naval blockade in the Gulf of Oman, President Trump said Sunday.“Guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) intercepted M/V Touska as it transited the north Arabian Sea at 17 knots en route to Bandar Abbas, Iran. American forces issued multiple warnings and informed the Iranian-flagged vessel it
10-Day Truce Between Israel & Lebanon; IDF Remains on High Alert + Report: US & Iran to Meet Sunday in Islamabad + Report: Iran Purchased Spy Satellite from China in late 2024; Employed System to Target US Military Sites
For review:1. A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah appeared to take effect at midnight Thursday-Friday after being declared hours earlier by US President Donald Trump, who also announced that he was inviting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Lebanese president for peace talks at the White House.2. The Israeli military said Friday that it remains on high alert and ready to return
US and Iran Continuing to Engage in Negotiations + Ambassadors from Israel and Lebanon Meet in Washington D.C. + US Army Names the MV-75 Cheyenne II
For review:1. Military planning for a possible Pentagon-led operation in Cuba is quietly ramping up, in case President Trump gives an order to intervene there, USA TODAY has learned.Two sources familiar with the order spoke to USA TODAY on condition of anonymity because they're not authorized to speak to media.2. US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he was not considering extending
US Navy Blockades Iranian Ports + IDF Ready for Renewed Combat With Iran + IDF Ground Operation Against Hezbollah Stronghold of Bint Jbeil in S. Lebanon
For review:1. The U.S. proposed that Iran accept a 20-year moratorium on uranium enrichment during talks over the weekend, according to a U.S. official and a source with knowledge.. The Iranians countered with a shorter "single digit" period, according to the sources.2. US Aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is operating off the coast of Namibia, as it sails around the Afri
US - Iran Marathon Talks Saturday; Impasse; Talks End + CENTCOM Forces Begin Clearing Strait of Hormuz; Two USN Destroyers Pass Through Strait + Report: China Preparing Portable Air Defense Systems for Shipment to Iran
For review:1. The talks in Islamabad stretched into the early hours of Sunday morning following hours of marathon negotiations, even as Iran warned that Washington was making “excessive demands” over the Strait of Hormuz that could undermine Pakistan’s peacemaking efforts.2. The US military said on Saturday that it had begun a mine-clearing operation in the Strait of Hormuz, with two US warships p
PresidentTrump: US Military to Remain in Place Around Iran Until Real Agreement Achieved + IDF's Eternal Darkness Operation Strikes 100 Hezbollah Targets in 10 Minutes + US & Iran to Meet in Islamabad on Saturday
For review:1. Items from the 10-Point Ceasefire Plan.The lifting of all primary and secondary sanctions on Iran. Continued Iranian control over the strait of Hormuz. US military withdrawal from the Middle East. An end to attacks on Iran and its allies. The release of frozen Iranian assets.A UN security council resolution making any deal binding. 2. US President Donald Trump on Wednesday night rene
US, Israel, & Iran Agree to Two-Week Ceasfire; Strait of Hormuz Reopened; Israel: Does Not Include Lebanon + Israel Has 5 Divisions Operating in Lebanon; IDF Security Zone Reaches Litani River + US Navy to Increase Tomahawk Missile Procurement by 1200%
For review:1. The White House asserts that the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran is a victory for Washington.The U.S. has agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran proposed by Pakistan, President Trump said Tuesday night.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed Tehran's acceptance and said Iran would allow "safe passage" of the Strait of Hormuz dur
US F-15E Crewman Rescued by Special Operations Forces in Daring Operation + President Trump Threatens to Attack Civilian Infrastructure on Tuesday if Iran Fails to Open Strait of Hormuz + Russia & Turkey Call for Immediate Ceasefire and Peace Agreement
For review:1. US special forces conducted a daring raid deep into enemy territory to safely rescue a wounded US airman who was shot down over southwest Iran, with US President Donald Trump triumphantly declaring “WE GOT HIM,” on Sunday, ending a 36-hour race to find the aviator before he could be captured by pursuing Iranian forces. 2. In an expletive-laden post on his Truth Social account on Sund
Two US Warplanes Shot Down Over Iran; Two Crewmembers Rescued; One Missing; Search Continues + No Progress on Easter Truce Between Russia & Ukraine + FY27 Defense Budget Details
For review:1. A U.S. F-15E fighter jet was shot down over Iran on Friday, and one crew member from the plane was later rescued by American forces, U.S. officials confirmed to CBS News. The F-15E is flown by a two-member crew, and the search for the second crew member, a weapons system officer, is continuing, two U.S. officials said. An A-10 Warthog was part of the search and rescue mission when i
More A-10 Warplanes Head to Middle East + US Destroys Key Iranian Highway Bridge + UK Hosts Coalition Meeting to Open Strait of Hormuz + Report: US FY27 Defense Budget Breaks $1 Trillion
For review:1. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has asked Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George to step down and take immediate retirement, sources familiar with the decision told CBS News. 2. The U.S. military is poised to double its A-10 presence in the Middle East, as the close air support plane plays a key role in combating Iranian boats and Iranian-backed militias in Iraq as part of Operation E
Carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) Deploys to Middle East from Norfolk + CENTCOM Commander Meets with IDF Chief of Staff in Israel + China & Pakistan 5 Point Ceasefire Initiative + Ukraine Offer of Easter Truce with Russia
For review:1. The US Central Command confirms that CENTCOM chief Adm. Brad Cooper visited Israel this week and met with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir.2. The aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush deployed Tuesday and is slated to go to the Middle East along with three destroyers, two U.S. officials said. The carrier strike group consists of more than 6,000 Sailors.3. US President Donald Tr
President Trump Threatens to Destroy Iran's Electric Generating Plants and Oil Wells + PM Netanyahu: US & Israel Close to Finishing Iran's Arms Industry + Iranian Ambassador Refuses to Leave Lebanon
For review:1. Hundreds of U.S. Special Operations Forces, including Navy SEALs and Army Rangers, are now in the Middle East, as well as thousands of Marines and Army paratroopers, according to sources familiar with the deployments.The NYT first reported the forces had arrived in the region. 2. US President Donald Trump said on Monday that progress was being made in “serious discussions” with Tehra
US Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group & USMC 31st MEU Arrives CENTCOM AOR + IDF Kills Commander of IRGC-Navy; Top Nuclear Scientist + Houthis Join the War; Launch Missiles at S. Israel + All NATO Members Achieve 2% of GDP Defense Spending
For review:1. US President Trump said Friday “Cuba is next. President Trump did not specify what he planned to do with Cuba, telling the media to “disregard that statement” before repeating “Cuba’s next.”2. US Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group & USMC 31st MEU Arrives CENTCOM AOR.3. Pakistan’s prime minister said he had a “detailed” call with Iran’s president on Saturday, as foreign ministers fro
Report: US War Department Considers Additional Troops for Middle East Deployment + Secretary of State Rubio: US Can Achieve War Objectives Without Ground Troops + Israel Strikes Arak Heavy Water Reactor; Uranium Extraction Facility; Steel Factories
For review:1. Ten U.S. service members were wounded Friday in an Iranian missile strike on Prince Sultan Airbase in Saudi Arabia, the Wall Street Journal reported. Friday’s strike reportedly damaged multiple U.S. refueling aircraft and involved Iranian drones.2. The Pentagon is considering sending up to 10,000 more ground troops to the Middle East to potentially support operations in Iran in a mov
CENTCOM CDR: US Has Struck More Than 10,000 Targets + Report: US To Deploy Forces from 82d Airborne Division + IDF Controls All Bridges Over Litani River + Lebanon Withdraws Iranian Ambassador's Credentials; Must Leave Country by 29 March
For review:1. The U.S. military is preparing to deploy at least 1,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East in the coming days, according to three people with knowledge of the plans.2. Chief of the US Central Command, Adm. Brad Cooper, says the American military has struck over 10,000 targets in Iran since the start of the war, as part of which it destroyed two-thirds of the re
Report: Direct Talks Between US & Iran Could Happen This Week In Islamabad + President Trump Postpones Military Strikes on Iranian Power Plants & Infrastruture for Five-Day Period + IDF Destroys Fifth Bridge Over Litani River + FCAS & GCAP Update
For review:1. The United States is reportedly planning a weeks-long operation to force Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, an Israeli report claimed Sunday2. In a bombshell announcement, US President Donald Trump revealed early Monday that his administration was engaged in productive talks with Iran regarding a “complete and total resolution” of the US-Israeli war with the Islamic Republic.Trump’
US Strikes Natanz Uranium Enrichment Facility + Israel Strikes Nuclear Weapons Research Facility at Melak Ashtar University in Tehran + Iran Launched Two Ballistic Missiles at Diego Garcia (4000k from Iran) + Four IDF Divisions Operating in S. Lebanon
For review:1. The United States struck Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment facility on Saturday, several media reports claimed, Iranian media said US-Israeli forces attacked the Shahid Ahmadi-Roshan Natanz enrichment complex on Saturday morning. Technical experts found that no radioactive leaks had occurred, and nearby residents were not at risk.2. US President Donald Trump on Friday ruled out a ceas
Israel Strikes South Pars Gas Field in Iran: Iran Hits Back at Gulf Energy Infrastruture + Israeli PM Netanyahu: "Iran Can No Longer Enrich Uranium" + Army Says 1st Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon Battery To Be Operational in Weeks
For review:1. The Israeli Air Force struck Iranian gas infrastructure in the country’s south on Wednesday. The strikes targeted Iran’s massive offshore South Pars natural gas field. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the strikes on the gas facility, but an Israeli official confirmed the strike was carried out by the IAF.2. US President Donald Trump said early Thursday that he woul
Israel Kills Iran's Top Leader Ali Larijani in Airstrike + President Trump: "Not Surprised" on Lack of NATO Assistance in Securing Hormuz Strait + Expanded Buffer Zone: IDF Has Three Divisions in S. Lebanon
For review:1. Top Iranian official Ali Larijani was killed in an Israeli airstrike overnight Monday-Tuesday, Israel’s military and top leaders announced on Tuesday.The Israel Defense Forces said that the commander of Iran’s oppressive Basij force had been killed in a separate overnight strike as well.2. US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the US would not be fighting Iran for “much longer,
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
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 s
Report: Iran's Supreme Leader in Russia for Medical Treatment + IDF: At least Three More Weeks of Operations; Thousands of Targets; Focused Effort is Destruction of Iran's Defense Industry
For review:1. On Sunday, citing “a senior source close to the new Iranian leader,” Kuwait’s Al-Jarida news outlet reported that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had been smuggled out of Iran in a secretive Russian operation on Thursday to receive medical treatment in Moscow for injuries sustained in the same airstrikes that killed his father and wife on the first day of the ongoing US-Israeli offen
US & Iran Reject Diplomatic Negotiation Efforts + Report: Israel & Lebanon Direct Talks Expected + Israel Planning Massive Ground Invasion of S. Lebanon + US Navy Extends Carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) Service Life to 2027
For review:1. US President Donald Trump’s administration has rebuffed efforts by Middle Eastern allies to start diplomatic negotiations aimed at ending the Iran war. Iran, for its part, has rejected talk of a ceasefire until US and Israeli strikes end, two senior Iranian sources told Reuters, 2. US President Donald Trump says that the United States may carry out more strikes on Iran’s Kharg Island
US Attacks Military Targets on Iran's Kharg Island + Iranian Missile Strike Damages Five US Refueling Planes at Prince Sultan Air Base + IDF Destroys Zrarieh Bridge over Litani River + USMC 31st MEU Ordered to Middle East
For review:1. Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is “wounded and likely disfigured,” US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a briefing Friday.2. US President Donald Trump announces that American forces “totally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island.3. Five US Air Force refueling planes were struck and damaged on the ground at Prince Sultan Air Base in Sau
IDF Strikes Iranian Nuclear Facility at Taleghan Compound + Iran Supreme Leader Releases First Public Statement + US KC-135 Tanker Crashes in Iraq; CENTCOM says No Hostile or Friendly Fire + IEA to Release 400 Million Barrels From Oil Reserves
For review:1.Two oil tankers were struck in the Gulf, killing one person, as Iran continued its attacks on targets across the region and the IDF reported hitting a “critical” nuclear site near Tehran, amid ongoing US-Israeli strikes on the Islamic Republic.2. Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has yet to appear in public, ostensibly vowed on Thursday to avenge the deaths since the sta
US Destroys 16 Iranian Minelaying Vessels Near Strait of Hormuz + Half of Iranian Ballistic Missiles Fired at Israel Have Cluster Bomb Warheads + Additional B-52 Bombers Land at RAF Fairford
For review:1.The Swedish Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, published its global arms export and import report on Monday, comparing the arms exports of various countries in the years 2016–2020 to 2021–2025.2. Kurdish rebels say they are ready to fight the Islamic Republic, but hope for an uprising before they intervene, with or without US support.3. In a press conference at the Pent
President Trump on Iran War: "It's Going to be Ended Soon" + Iran Fires Second Ballistic Missile at Turkey; Turkey Send Six F-16 Fighters to Cyprus + France to Send Ten Warships to Middle East Region; 10 x Frigates & 2 x Amphib Assault Ships
For review:1. Turkey said on Monday that NATO air defenses shot down a second ballistic missile that was fired from Iran and had entered Turkish airspace, warning it will take any necessary steps against threats.2. Turkey deployed six F-16C fighter aircraft to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on Monday, defense officials here said.The warplanes were sent as part of a phased approach to enha
Iran Assembly of Experts Select Ayatollah Motjaba Khamenei as new Supreme Leader + President Trump: Decision to End War with be Mutual with PM Netanyahu + Gulf Nations Exercise Fragile Regional Diplomacy & Coordination Amid Iranian Attacks
For review:1. Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran’s late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was chosen Sunday to succeed him, despite never having been elected or appointed to a government position.A secretive figure within the Islamic Republic, Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen publicly since the start of the war.2. US President Donald Trump told The Times of Israel on Sunday that a decision o
President Trump on Kurdish Involvement: "I Don't Want the Kurds Going In" + Report: US Preparing Third Aircraft Carrier for Middle East Deployment + Israel Strikes Iran's Oil Depots in Tehran + IDF Targets IRGC Commanders in Beirut
For review:1. Six top defense contractors have agreed to quadruple production of what President Donald Trump has termed “Exquisite Class Weaponry” following a meeting at the White House on munitions production.Meeting attended by:RTX, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrup Grumman, BAE, L3 Harris, & Honeywell.2. US President Donald Trump said Saturday he ruled out Kurdish involvement in the war wit
US Submarine Sinks Iranian Frigate Off Sri Lanka Coast + IDF F-35I Air-to-Air Kill of Iranian Yak-130 + Iran Fires Ballistic Missile at Turkiye + IDF Threatens to Target Iranian Officers in Lebanon
Operation Epic Fury & Roaring Lion for review:1. Concerning Iran's New Supreme Leader: Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Wednesday that Israel would target whoever leads the Islamic Republic. “Any leader appointed by the Iranian terror regime to continue leading the plan to destroy Israel, threaten the US and the free world and the countries of the region, and oppress the Irania
IDF Strikes Undeclared Underground Nuclear Site + IAEA: Recent Damage to Natantz Fuel Enrichment Plant + CENTCOM Commander: 2000 Targets Struck in 100 Hours + IDF Division Expands into S. Lebanon
Operation Epic Fury / Roaring Lion for review:1. France plans to send anti-missile and anti-drone systems to Cyprus after a British air base on the island was attacked by drones, the semi-official Cyprus News Agency (CNA) said on Tuesday.2. US President Donald Trump threatened Tuesday to sever all trade with Spain after it refused to let US planes use its bases to attack Iran, while also lashing o
President Trump on Iran Strikes: The Big One is Coming Soon + IDF: 600 Iranian Targets Destroyed + IDF Marks Hezbollah Chief "Target for Elimination" + France Ready to Defend Jordan & Gulf Nations Against Iran Attacks
Operation Epic Fury & Roaring Lion update for review:1. US CJCS: “Our military objectives are clear,” Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine told reporters. “Our mission is to protect and defend ourselves, and together with our regional partners, prevent Iran from the ability to project power outside of its borders and be ready for follow on actions as appropriate.”2. Three US F-
Operation Epic Fury / Roaring Lion Continues + Report: Iran Seeks Return to Negotiations + Hezbollah Fires Missiles at Northern Israel in Revenge for Iran's Supreme Leader + IDF Strikes Hezbollah Targets in Response to Missile Launches
For review:Operation Epic Fury / Roaring Lion Continues.1. Three American soldiers have been killed, and five have been seriously wounded in the ongoing conflict with Iran, the US Central Command said Sunday, announcing the first US casualties in the conflict.2. The United States and Israel clashed with Iran at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Saturday as the United Nations chief
US & Israel Strike Iran; Iran's Supreme Leader Dead; IRGC Commander Dead + Iran Hits Back at Israel and Six Arab Regional Neighbors + World Reaction
For review:US & Israel Strike Iran.US: Operation Epic FuryIsrael: Operation Roaring Lion1. US & Israel Strike Iran; Iran's Supreme Leader Dead; IRGC Commander Dead.2. Iran Hits Back at Israel and Six Arab Regional Neighbors.3. World Reaction
President Trump Unhappy with Iran Talks; No Decision On Strike + US Secretary of State Rubio Travels to Israel Monday + US & Iran to Meet in Vienna Monday + Russia & Ukraine Exchange Fallen Soldiers
For review:1. US President Donald Trump said Friday that he was “not happy” with Iran’s conduct in nuclear negotiations after the sides held a third round of talks in Geneva but that he hadn’t made a decision on whether to authorize a military strike on the Islamic Republic.2. The United States and Iran made significant progress in talks on Thursday aimed at resolving a longstanding nuclear disput
US Vice President Vance on Iran Rebuilding Nuclear Weapon Program: "We've seen evidence" + Outcome of Thursday Talks Will Weigh Heavy on President Trump's Decision to Strike Iran + Israel Warns Hezbollah Against Support to Iran if US Strikes
For review:1. The United States sees evidence that Iran is trying to rebuild its nuclear program after US-led strikes against Iranian nuclear sites in June, US Vice President JD Vance says.2. US Secretary of State Rubio warns that Iran must negotiate on its missile program, a day after US President Donald Trump alleged Tehran was working on rockets that could hit the United States.3. Iran’s foreig
US & Iran to Meet Thursday in Geneva + USAF Cargo Planes & Refuelers Spotted in Tel Aviv; Sofia + USAF Expects B-21 Raider Fielded in 2027 + No 6.8mm for USMC: Will Retain M27 IAR (5.56mm) for Service Requirements
For review:1. The next round of talks between the United States and Iran will be Thursday in Geneva, Oman’s foreign minister said.2. American refueler and cargo planes were spotted at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv on Monday, amid a massive US buildup of military forces ahead of a potential attack on Iran.There was no comment from Israeli authorities regarding the American military deployment at
IRGC Preparing Hezbollah for War with Israel + IDF Strikes Hezbollah Targets in Lebanon's Beqaa Valley + France-Germany-Spain FCAS 6th Generation Fighter Dead
For review:1. Iran and the United States continued to slide rapidly toward military conflict at the weekend, as hopes faded for a diplomatic solution. Israel and Iran’s Gulf neighbors now consider a conflict to be more likely than a settlement.2. The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that it struck three Hezbollah command centers belonging to the terror group’s missile force in the Baalbek
US Military Build Up Continues As President Trump Considers Limited Strikes on Iran + Iran to UN: All Hostile Force Bases in Region Are Legitimate Targets + President Trump Hosts Board of Peace Inaugural Meeting in Washington D.C.
For review:1. Iran on Thursday repeated its assertion that no country can “deprive” it of its “right” to nuclear enrichment, as US President Donald Trump continued to send US military assets into the Middle East in what a report called the biggest build-up of American air power in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.2. WSJ Report: US President Donald Trump is considering launching prelimina
US & Iran Talk in Geneva While More US Warplanes Move to Region + Iran Closed Parts of Strait of Hormuz During Live-Missile Test + Royal Australian Air Force Ghost Bat CCA
For review:1. US & Iran Talk in Geneva While More US Warplanes Move to Region. The aircraft included F-22, F-35, and F-16 jets. Several refuelers were also spotted on the move, according to social media accounts dedicated to tracking military flights.A US official also confirmed to the Axios news site that more than 50 fighter jets were moved to the region in the past 24 hours.2. Iran says it
Israel's Four Demands for Iran Deal + Iran's IRGC Naval Exercise in Strait of Hormuz + Iran Foreign Minister Meets with IAEA Chief in Geneva + US Department of War / Energy Transport 5 Megawatt Nuclear Reactor via C-17 to Utah Lab
For review:1. The U.S. Air Force on Tuesday awarded Boeing a sole-source contract for newvGBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs , to replace the munitions used in last June’s strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.2. Iran launched live-fire naval exercises in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.The drill, called "Smart Control of the Strait of Hormuz," was led by the naval forces of the Isl
Aircraft Carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) Re-tasked to CENTCOM AOR + Report: US Preparing for Weeks Long Campaign Against Iran + US & Iran to Meet in Geneva Next Week + Russia & Ukraine to Meet in Geneva Next Week
For review:1. Aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), its escorts and embarked Carrier Air Wing 8 have been tasked from their current position in the Caribbean to the Middle East to support a U.S. naval buildup in the region.2. Asked Friday about potential regime change in Iran, US President Donald Trump said, “it seems like that would be the best thing that could happen,” as he confirmed se
Report: President Trump Orders Second Carrier Strike Group to Prepare for Deployment + Iran State TV Broadcasts Hit List of Israeli Leaders + Possible US - Russia - Ukraine Talks 17-18 Feb
For review:1. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that US President Donald Trump believes the Iranians could be forced to accept “a good deal,” though the premier clarified that he is skeptical of the possibility.2. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday derided a report by the Israel Hayom newspaper that the Islamic Republic had secretly executed thousands of people who p
Entrances to Iran's Isfahan Nuclear Site Purposely Buried in Preparation of US / Israeli Attack + IDF Preparing for Gaza Offensive to Disarm Hamas + Indonesia Preparing Brigade for International Stabilization Force
For review:1. On the eve of his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump said that the Israeli premier “wants a deal” with Iran, and that the current talks on Tehran’s nuclear program show promise.2. Entrances to Iran's Isfahan Nuclear Site Purposely Buried in Preparation of US/Israeli Attack.3. IDF Preparing for Gaza Offensive to Disarm Hamas.Hinting at the m
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