I – On Defense Podcast
- Episodes
- 574
- Released
- several times a week
- Latest episode
- Nov 14, 2026
About the podcast
Probably the best defense commentary in the world. Top military and defense industry analysis in 45 minutes or less.
Episodes 574
Wave Off: President Trump Focuses VP on Domestic Issues Instead of Iran Negotiations + Mossad Chief Visits US; Meets with CIA Director + US Navy 5th Fleet Commander Visits Israel + EU Selects 5 Countries to Represent Europe in Potential Ukraine Talks
For review:1. Saudi Arabia is pressing the EU to designate Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement as a terrorist organisation, but has yet to overcome European concerns that this could undermine a future …
Show notes
For review:
1. Saudi Arabia is pressing the EU to designate Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement as a terrorist organisation, but has yet to overcome European concerns that this could undermine a future peace process, according to six European officials.
2. Turkey and Qatar signed a defense agreement on Friday that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said would further strengthen ties between the regional allies, his office said.
The announcement came after Erdogan met Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Istanbul.
3. US President Donald Trump said Thursday that he was directing Vice President JD Vance to focus “his complete and total attention” on domestic anti-fraud efforts and not negotiations toward a deal to end war with Tehran.
4. Mossad Director Roman Gofman was in Washington on Friday for a meeting about Iran with his CIA counterpart John Ratcliffe, Axios news site reported, citing three sources with knowledge of the matter.
5. An Israeli precision strike on a hospital in southern Gaza overnight targeted a Hamas brigade commander, the military said Thursday morning.
6. The Lebanese army said on Friday it seized “a large quantity of weapons and military ammunition” during a raid in Beirut’s southern suburbs, known as a stronghold of the Hezbollah terror group.
7. European leaders have agreed that EU institutions and five European countries will jointly represent Europe in negotiations aimed at ending Russia's war against Ukraine, European Council President Antonio Costa announced on Nov. 13.
The European negotiating team will include representatives of EU institutions alongside France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom — the five countries known as the E5 within the Coalition of the Willing, a group of nations working to provide security guarantees for Ukraine.
8. A 2025 review of the AUKUS agreement has given the US, Australia and the UK an opportunity to have more candid conversations about the challenges facing the trilateral agreement, according to a senior Pentagon official.
9. Delivering the first Columbia-class submarine by the Navy’s 2028 goal is doable — although not an “easy” task, the Pentagon’s first-ever submarine czar said today, seemingly offering a more optimistic outlook on his previously shared view of the goal.
US - Russia - Ukraine Tri-lateral Talks Yield Prisoner Exchange + US Moves Air Refueling Tankers from UK to Germany + IRGC Reveals Underground Missile Facility
For review:1. The Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government said Wednesday that air defenses intercepted and destroyed three cruise missiles and two drones launched by Yemen’s …
Show notes
For review:
1. The Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government said Wednesday that air defenses intercepted and destroyed three cruise missiles and two drones launched by Yemen’s Houthi group toward different regions of Saudi Arabia.
2. Iran is producing 50 ballistic missiles a month, about half its prewar capacity, according to Western intelligence estimates reported on Wednesday, shortly before Iran unveiled a new underground “missile city.”
3. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has recently moved from his Washington, DC, residence to a US military base due to Iranian threats against his life, three people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.
4. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he sees no need to resume major combat operations against Iran because economic restrictions are working so effectively.
5. The US diverted refueling tankers from RAF Mildenhall on Monday because of a threat from Iran, WSJ reported.
6. After criticism from the US-backed Board of Peace over Israel’s restrictions on aid into the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Tuesday insisted that Israel was doing what it can to allow winter equipment into Gaza, and that Hamas, not Israel, was not honoring its commitments.
7. Ukraine and Russia have agreed in principle to a major prisoner exchange following two days of US-mediated peace talks in Abu Dhabi, although negotiations ended without a breakthrough on the central issues dividing the two sides, Euronews reports from the UAE.
8. A White House decision on establishing a permanent US military base in Poland could come as early as next month, the country’s defense minister said following discussions with US War Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon.
President Trump Meets with Qatari Prime Minister; Positive Momentum in Talks; Wants "Long-Term Solution" + IAEA Examines Iranian Nuclear Site at Bushehr + Syrian Military Advisors in Saudi Arabia
For review:1. On Sunday, Syrian officials told The Associated Press news agency that Damascus has already sent Syrian military advisers to Saudi Arabia and 600 special forces were due to arrive in the kingdom …
Show notes
For review:
1. On Sunday, Syrian officials told The Associated Press news agency that Damascus has already sent Syrian military advisers to Saudi Arabia and 600 special forces were due to arrive in the kingdom next week.
2. US President Donald Trump says the US will not be launching a renewed military offensive against Iran for the time being, thanks to “positive momentum” toward ending the conflict and a desire from Washington’s Gulf allies to avoid an escalation in the interim.
Trump makes the announcement on Truth Social, as part of a readout on his “excellent” meeting earlier Monday in the White House with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who has been a key mediator in the Iran talks.
3. The Iranian Foreign Ministry also said UN inspectors had examined one of its nuclear sites at Bushehr, saying the inspection “serves as evidence that this regulated cooperation continues” between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency.
4. G7 top diplomats began a two-day meeting in Paris, with European foreign ministers set to press US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to ensure any settlement in the war with Russia was fair to Ukraine and steer clear of any new escalation with Iran.
5. The Israeli military on Monday announced the formation of two new battalions under the Golani and Nahal infantry brigades, in a move aimed at expanding the Ground Forces.
The IDF said the two battalions will specialize in operating drones, robotics, surveillance and other visual intelligence systems, as well as advanced weaponry and precision-guided munitions, “to improve reconnaissance and attack capabilities on the battlefield.”
6. The White House is "cautiously optimistic" as peace talks between Russia and Ukraine resume in Abu Dhabi this week, U.S. officials said on Monday.
CENTCOM Forces Disable Ship Attempting to Leave Iranian Port + Report: Syria to Deploy Forces in Support of Saudi Arabia + UK & France to Lead Multinational Force - Ukraine Deployment Rehearsal in Poland
For review:1. The Houthis claimed attack on Saudi oil facilities, Riyadh airport and troop positions, and said they would continue responding to Saudi military action, warning that Saudi Arabia would face …
Show notes
For review:
1. The Houthis claimed attack on Saudi oil facilities, Riyadh airport and troop positions, and said they would continue responding to Saudi military action, warning that Saudi Arabia would face further attacks.
2. Thousands of Syrian troops are set to deploy to Saudi Arabia and Yemen, with some already on the ground, multiple Yemeni officials have told AFP.
Syria will send around 3,000 troops to join the Saudi-led coalition’s fight, a source from the Presidential Leadership Council, Yemen’s top governing body, told AFP.
3. US President Donald Trump said Friday that the US military carried out limited strikes on Iran, targeting an air defense system.
Iranian media reported that two missiles struck Qeshm Island.
4. The US military said late Saturday it disabled a St. Kitts-flagged ship after it ignored multiple warnings and attempted to leave the region after visiting an Iranian port.
Saturday’s disclosure comes in the wake of at least two instances in which US Central Command did not announce military strikes it has carried out in the region, and officials at the command declined to confirm strikes when asked about local reports of explosions.
5. Washington is offering a $20 million reward “and possible relocation” for information about Iran’s nuclear program, the US military said Friday, as President Donald Trump reiterated his claim that Tehran wants to make a deal to end the war.
6. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Saturday that a self-proclaimed limit of 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) on the range of its ballistic missiles “has been lifted,” suggesting the country may seek to develop missiles capable of reaching more distant targets amid fears of renewed all-out war.
7. Thousands of European troops will gather in Poland next week for the Coalition of the Willing’s first major military exercise, a rehearsal for deploying a multinational force to Ukraine once the war with Russia comes to an end, European officials announced this week.
President Trump Meets With National Security Team to Discuss Iran War + President Trump Announces End of Military Aid to Israel by End of Year + Saudi Arabia & Syria Sign Military Cooperation Agreement in Riyadh
For review:1. The Saudi and Syrian defense ministries signed a military cooperation agreement on Wednesday, as relations between the two countries continue to deepen.The pact was signed during Syrian President …
Show notes
For review:
1. The Saudi and Syrian defense ministries signed a military cooperation agreement on Wednesday, as relations between the two countries continue to deepen.
The pact was signed during Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s visit to Riyadh, where he met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the second time in a month.
2. Turkish legislators have ratified a defense cooperation agreement among Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia as Riyadh seeks increased regional support in its conflict with Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen.
3. President Trump met with his national security team Thursday to discuss whether to resume military operations against Iran, senior officials confirmed to Fox News.
4. US President Donald Trump’s announcement on Tuesday that the United States would cease providing nearly $4 billion in annual military aid to Israel by the end of this year, rather than nearly two years from now, sent shockwaves through the Israeli defense establishment.
5. US First Lady Melania Trump expressed hope that the humanitarian ceasefire in Oleshky would inspire progress toward a “more enduring” peace, as she hosted representatives from Russia and Ukraine at the White House on Thursday.
6. North Korea leader Kim Jong Un inspected the ongoing construction of a new warship that is larger than the country’s 5,000-ton destroyers on Monday during a visit to North Korea’s Nampho Shipyard, state media reported Wednesday.
The under-construction warship is believed to be a 10,000-ton cruiser.
US CENTCOM Defensive Strikes on Qeshm Island; President Trump Identifies Target as Anti-Aircraft Facility + US - Russia - Ukraine Talks in Abu Dhabi Next Week + Report: Houthi Cross-Border Raids into Saudi Arabia
For review:1. Yemen’s top diplomat says the Houthi rebels are not willing to strike a peace deal with the internationally recognized government to end the country’s yearslong civil war.Foreign Minister Afrah …
Show notes
For review:
1. Yemen’s top diplomat says the Houthi rebels are not willing to strike a peace deal with the internationally recognized government to end the country’s yearslong civil war.
Foreign Minister Afrah al-Zouba speaks to The Associated Press in Paris, where she met with French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot.
“The problem is that the Houthis aren’t willing, and they will not be ready for peace,” al-Zouba tells AP.
2. The Houthis have launched multiple cross-border raids into Saudi Arabia in recent months, in an expansion of the conflict beyond Yemen a western and Arab official with direct knowledge of the raids told Middle East Eye.
3. The US carried out strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, an American official said late Monday.
The strikes, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, appeared to be limited and were not a resumption of major combat operations, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Another official said the strikes were defensive measures against Iranians “using surface-to-air missiles against US assets.”
4. The Trump administration on Monday signaled a negotiated deal with Iran was possible after Tehran offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, albeit under strict conditions.
5. Russia on Tuesday confirmed that peace talks with Ukraine and the U.S. will go ahead next week in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, while also signaling that a meeting between Presidents Trump, Putin, and Xi Jinping to end the conflict was on the table.
Putin aide Vladimir Medinsky will serve as Moscow’s chief negotiator at the talks in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 10-11, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call, according to Reuters.
6. Australian military officials have been furtive about how they will use Anduril-developed Ghost Shark extra-large autonomous underwater vehicles – or XLAUVs.
In an official unveiling at Anduril Australia’s manufacturing center in Sydney on Oct. 19, three Ghost Shark payloads were revealed.
One entailed sea mines, another was a swarm of Altius-600 loitering munitions, and the third was logistics supply caches.
President Trump & Israeli PM Hold Phone Call Saturday AM; Discuss Resumption of Strikes on Iran + Iran's Supreme Leader Promises "Unrestricted Response" + Oleshky Ceasefire Between Russia & Ukraine Successful End; 0 Violations from Either Side
For review:1. Saudi air defenses intercepted at least two suspected Houthi drones on Saturday morning, according to the spokesman for the Saudi Arabia-led military coalition.2. Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba …
Show notes
For review:
1. Saudi air defenses intercepted at least two suspected Houthi drones on Saturday morning, according to the spokesman for the Saudi Arabia-led military coalition.
2. Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Saturday reportedly warned the United States and Israel against returning to war, according to a written statement, following threats from Tehran’s foes of a possible resumption of strikes, which a report said could come as early as November 4, the day after the US midterms.
3. US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly spoke on Saturday morning over the phone as the United States laid plans to resume strikes on Iran.
The Wall Street Journal reported the call, citing people familiar with the conversation, as Trump told reporters in Palm Beach later in the day that the US wanted to destroy up to two more targets in Iran.
4. Iran on Sunday said that any renewed war with the United States or Israel could last longer than the previous round of fighting, warning that US President Donald Trump would not be able to dictate its end.
5. A multi-day ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv in the Russian-controlled Ukrainian city of Oleshky ended late Sunday with no violations reported by either side.
The truce, announced by US first lady Melania Trump to facilitate humanitarian aid deliveries and civilian evacuations, took effect Tuesday and was extended beyond Oleshky, in the Kherson region, to provide safe passage for humanitarian convoys.
6. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Oct. 30 denied that Moscow seeks to arrange a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelensky instead of a face-to-face meeting.
7. German tank maker KNDS and Norway’s Ritek have begun producing Leopard 2A8 tanks in Norway, adding a land-based industrial foothold to a security partnership spanning submarines, missiles and military operations in Europe’s north.
8. Hanwha Philly Shipyard has won a $269 million contract to build the Marine Corps’ Landing Ship Medium, according to a Friday announcement from the program’s vessel construction manager.
Report: US CENTCOM Commander Briefed President Trump on Military Options for Iran + Qatari & Pakistani Mediators Continue Push for Negotiations Restart + Russia Tests Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile
For review:1. Pakistan’s military is “cautiously optimistic” about its mediation between Iran and the United States, its spokesman said on Friday.Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir— has been to Tehran twice …
Show notes
For review:
1. Pakistan’s military is “cautiously optimistic” about its mediation between Iran and the United States, its spokesman said on Friday.
Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir— has been to Tehran twice this month, most recently on Monday alongside Saudi and Turkish officials.
Qatari mediators returned Friday to Tehran, a source briefed on the talks told Reuters, after US Vice President JD Vance contacted Mohsen Rezaei, the hardline head of Iran’s National Security Council, whom Washington reportedly sees as the best-placed official to head off renewed fighting.
2. The US military’s top commander overseeing the Middle East met President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday to present military options concerning Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials and others with direct knowledge of the meeting.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine also joined the meeting, at which US Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper presented the options, according to the report.
3. As Israel continues to target Hamas operatives in Gaza, the Shin Bet security agency reportedly has been calling members of the terror group ahead of strikes, offering them a choice: Leave their homes and be killed alone, or be killed along with their family members.
4. The State Department announced today that it has approved the potential sale of 500 Patriot missiles to Ukraine.
5. Switzerland narrowed down the choice of the country’s second future long-range air defense system to either Israel’s Barak MX system or the French-Italian SAMP/T NG, while also sticking to plans to buy the United States’ Patriot air-defense system.
6. Nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine (K-553), assigned to the Russian Navy Pacific Fleet, launched a RSM-56 Bulava SLBM from the sea of Okhotsk in northwest Russia.
Report: US Preparing for Military Offensive Against Iran After Midterm Elections + Possible Tri-lateral US - Russia - Ukraine Talks in Abu Dhabi Next Month + Leaders of Finland & Norway Hold Call with Russian President
For review:1. The Houthis reported 12 killed in strikes Thursday on residential areas of western Yemen, which they blamed on Saudi Arabia, while explosions later rocked Riyadh.The Saudi-led coalition fighting …
Show notes
For review:
1. The Houthis reported 12 killed in strikes Thursday on residential areas of western Yemen, which they blamed on Saudi Arabia, while explosions later rocked Riyadh.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis said on Thursday it had intercepted two ballistic missiles launched by the group toward the Saudi capital, soon after fresh explosions were reported there.
2. The United States has informed several unspecified Gulf Arab countries to be ready for a short yet intensive military offensive against Iran following the American midterm elections on November 3, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday evening.
3. US Vice President JD Vance has contacted Iran’s security chief in a bid to revive peace talks that could head off a renewed American assault on the Islamic Republic.
VP Vance sent a letter to Mohsen Rezaei, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, the WSJ reported, in a move that one of the newspaper’s sources said was directed by US President Donald Trump.
4. Russia’s next round of trilateral talks with Ukraine and the US could take place in Abu Dhabi after Nov. 4, but Moscow has yet to confirm a date and will not invite European representatives, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said.
5. The leaders of Norway and Finland held a rare call Tuesday with Russian president Vladimir Putin to discuss Ukraine.
6. The United Kingdom plans to reach 3 percent GDP spending on defense by 2030, Chancellor John Healey announced today. In addition, he said that next year’s spending review would spell out exactly how the UK plans to hit the NATO commitment of spending 3.5 percent GDP on defense by 2035, and how the UK will be at 3 percent by 2030.
Report: Russia Providing Iran and its Proxies Satellite Imagery for Precision Strikes in Saudi Arabia + Representatives from Mecca Mutual Defense Pact Nations Meet in Tehran + USAF Air-launched Hypersonic Missile
For review:1. Top officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan met Iranian officials in Tehran on Monday in a bid to de-escalate the Middle East conflict.2. Qatar’s ruler and the Iranian president discussed …
Show notes
For review:
1. Top officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan met Iranian officials in Tehran on Monday in a bid to de-escalate the Middle East conflict.
2. Qatar’s ruler and the Iranian president discussed the Middle East war and the blockaded Strait of Hormuz during a meeting in Moscow, the emir’s office said Tuesday.
3. A private geospatial intelligence firm said it examined 40 missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and militias in Iraq between July 1 and October 19.
In every case, the firm found the same pattern of Russian government and military satellites orbiting above the areas for days before and after.
4. The Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group has spent three months preparing for a possible resumption of hostilities with Israel, after receiving an infusion of cash from Iran, according to Lebanese security personnel briefed on its activities.
5. Albania finalized its participation agreement with the International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza over the weekend, with Albanian liaison officers expected to deploy to the region in November, according to a statement from the US-backed Board of Peace.
6. The U.S. Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin a nearly $700 million contract for the production and fielding of a hypersonic missile.
The service granted Lockheed the $694 million contract in late September as it moved the AGM-183A Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon from prototyping and flight testing to production.
President Trump Endorses PM Netanyahu in Upcoming Israeli Elections + IDF & Shin Bet: Hamas Not Willing to Disarm; Rebuilding its Forces + Report: China Leading the World in Combat Shipbuilding Tonnage
For review:1. Havana on Friday, October 23, mocked the "desperation" of the United States after it called for Cubans to collaborate with the CIA, as Washington intensifies its pressure on the communist …
Show notes
For review:
1. Havana on Friday, October 23, mocked the "desperation" of the United States after it called for Cubans to collaborate with the CIA, as Washington intensifies its pressure on the communist island.
2. Houthi media reported Saturday that Saudi strikes killed 11 people in Yemeni capital Sanaa, shortly after the Saudi-led coalition fighting them said it had intercepted two missiles targeting Saudi cities.
3. Two Iranian officials, one of them a Revolutionary Guards member, confirmed to NYT on Saturday that the Islamic Republic is preparing to target US diplomats and personnel, the newspaper said.
The unnamed officials US officials were seen as “fair game” given the number of Iranian officials and their relatives that the US and Israel have killed.
4. US President Donald Trump doubles down on his endorsement of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, telling Israelis he needs to be reelected on Tuesday so that the two leaders can “finish the job” against Iran.
5. Senior Israeli military officials have presented intelligence to their US counterparts that indicates Hamas has no intention of disarming and is instead rebuilding its forces in the Gaza Strip in preparation for possible renewed fighting.
6. Denmark will acquire two types of long-range precision missiles in an effort to “strengthen national and collective deterrence.”
The purchases of F-35 Joint Strike Missiles, and ground-launched Anthem cruise missiles, “are a significant step towards making Denmark better able to defend itself,” said Minister of Defence Jeppe Bruus in a statement.
7. China built more than twice the naval tonnage of the United States in the 2024-25 period, narrowing the gap between the two countries’ navies, according to the World Defense Shipbuilding.
The combined tonnage of combat ships built by China in the two years through to December 2025 amounted to 636,208 tons, compared to 270,509 tons for the United States.
Create Positive Change: US Secretary of State Encourages Cuban Population to Partner With CIA + US First Lady Mediates Russia - Ukraine Humanitarian Ceasefire + UK Fighter Jets Deploy to Defend Cities & Infrastructure in Saudi Arabia; No Offensive Strikes
For review:1. US SEC of State urged Cubans seeking political change Friday to discreetly cooperate with the CIA."To those who seek to create positive change in Cuba - now is the time," Sec of State Rubio wrote …
Show notes
For review:
1. US SEC of State urged Cubans seeking political change Friday to discreetly cooperate with the CIA.
"To those who seek to create positive change in Cuba - now is the time," Sec of State Rubio wrote in a post on X.
2. The UK is sending military support to Saudi Arabia as Iran-aligned Houthi rebels launch repeated attacks on the kingdom.
The aircraft will protect Saudi cities and critical infrastructure from drones and missiles, the Ministry of Defense said. They will not carry out offensive strikes against Houthi targets.
3. Tehran has drawn up detailed plans to target undersea communications cables in the Persian Gulf if the United States and Israel attack Iran again, two senior Iranian security officials told Reuters.
4. A US envoy claimed Friday that Washington could strike Iran this weekend, but President Donald Trump appeared to pour cold water on the idea, subsequently telling reporters he was unfamiliar with such plans.
5. Up to 500 Moroccan personnel have undergone training in preparation for deployment with the International Stabilization Force in Gaza, a Board of Peace official told The Times of Israel Monday, as preparations for the multinational force continue despite significant delays in implementing the US-backed Gaza peace plan.
6. French and British air forces have for the first time staged a joint exercise simulating a nuclear strike, the countries’ defense ministries said in a statement Friday.
7. U.S. First Lady Melania Trump has mediated a localized ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in and around the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in Kherson Oblast to allow the safe evacuation of civilians and delivery of humanitarian aid.
8. The Pentagon and LM announced today they reached a framework agreement covering a decade’s worth of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter production and sustainment, potentially inaugurating a transformative deal for the stealth jet’s enterprise.
9. The U.S. Marine Corps stood up its first Medium-range Missile Battalion last week as the service works to integrate longer range and maritime strike capabilities across the force.
10. The U.S. Army’s recently activated a Guam-based air defense battalion meant to protect the island from increasingly advanced air and missile threats fielded by China and North Korea.
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 …
Show notes
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 comments from the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.
3. Turkey’s government has asked parliament to ratify a mutual defense agreement it signed with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan,.
Mirroring NATO’s Article 5, the so-called Mecca Joint Defense Agreement commits the sides to view an armed attack against one as an attack on all three.
4. Qatar, Turkiye, Pakistan and Indonesia signed a deal on Wednesday to deepen their defence industry cooperation,.
The four countries signed the memorandum of understanding in Doha, building on existing military projects through joint production, technology transfers and more closely integrated supply chains.
5. Turkish spending on platform procurement is projected to increase by 229 percent under the proposed fiscal 2027 budget, said Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz.
6. Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei told visiting Pakistani army chief Asim Munir on Tuesday that Tehran will not allow nuclear material to leave the country, according to state TV, and delivered the message that there would be no talks with Washington until its demands were met.
7. Dozens of Israeli fighter jets and refueling aircraft reportedly flew over Syria and Iraq toward the Iranian border earlier this week, following a flight path resembling an attack on Iran.
The aircraft turned around shortly before reaching Iranian territory and returned to Israel, according to an Axios report citing unnamed US and Israeli officials.
8. Russian President Vladimir Putin said the Kremlin would be ready to resume trilateral Russia-US-Ukraine peace talks after mid-November, at the request of US special envoy Steve Witkoff who met with Putin for around three hours Wednesday.
The meeting in St. Petersburg came off the back of Witkoff’s “productive” Tuesday summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Norway, as the United States seeks to advance proposals to end to the war.
9. Norway is set to begin receiving its 16 South Korean-made Chunmoo rocket artillery systems in 2028, the acting chief of the Norwegian army told Breaking Defense, as the country faces an increasing Russian threat.
“Initial capability is expected by 2029 and the operators will be trained in Norway.
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 …
Show notes
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 deployment. Separately, several hundred soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division are expected to help staff a new Western Hemisphere military command based in Miami.
2. More than 50 people were killed and over 200 wounded when Yemen’s Houthis hit a military camp in the energy-rich Shabwa province with ballistic missiles, officials and military sources said on Monday.
3. Egypt's top security body said Sunday it has agreed to support close ally Saudi Arabia in the major escalation of fighting between the kingdom and Houthis in Yemen, which has marked the latest front in the Iran war.
4. Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir placed the military on its “highest state of alert” ahead of next week’s election and canceled soldiers’ leave, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Israel’s enemies not to test the country.
5. Ukraine and Russia should focus on ending the war between them, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters during his visit to Uzbekistan on Monday.
6. US President Donald Trump said Monday, Oct. 19, that he was willing to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in China next month, potentially without President Volodymyr Zelensky, while renewing his criticism of Kyiv and suggesting that someone else should negotiate on Ukraine’s behalf.
7. The German Ministry of Defence has formally notified Boeing that it will not be directly procuring the company’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat drone wingman, as Berlin readjusts plans for a lucrative Collaborative Combat Aircraft procurement.
8. A specialized Army artillery battery focused on the European theater carried out its first test fire of a Tomahawk Land Attack Missile from a Typhon missile system in recent weeks.
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 …
Show notes
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 attacks on the kingdom, and parliament announced an emergency session on Sunday.
3. Adm. Brad Cooper, head of the US military’s Central Command, said in a video statement Saturday that “there are reports” that Tehran’s regional proxies were withholding payments to fighters to “funnel money back” to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
He also said the “Strait of Hormuz is controlled by the United States and our regional partners, not Iran,” even as at least one tanker was reportedly struck in the key waterway.
4. Four Hamas operatives, including a terrorist who invaded Israel during the October 7 onslaught, were killed in recent strikes in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military announced Saturday.
5. The U.S. Army laid out its plans to prepare for a prolonged fight in the Pacific along the First Island Chain in the service’s new warfighting guidance released this month.
6. Ukraine is negotiating with its European partners to establish a separate European track for dialogue with Russia aimed at achieving a diplomatic settlement to the war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
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 …
Show notes
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 Trump should decide to renew combat in the war that has hit a deadlock, CNN reported Thursday.
3. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated Wednesday that he is against a US or Israeli attack on Iran in the coming days, ahead of the Israeli election on October 27.
4. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday told Druze supporters that he spoke with Syria’s leader Ahmed al-Sharaa shortly after Israel, citing the need to protect Syrian Druze, bombed government targets in Damascus last year.
5. France will develop a next-generation combat aircraft domestically as a successor to the Rafale, after a joint project with Germany and Spain for a future combat air system collapsed earlier this year, Air and Space Force Chief of Staff Jérôme Bellanger said.
6. US Army is looking to expand its Common Autonomous Multi-doman Launcher (CAML) program by adding a third, light variant in partnership with the Australian military.
7. Lockheed Martin is investing $300 million to expand its plant in Grand Prairie, Texas, which supports all programs across its Missiles and Fire Control business, including the PAC-MSE, THAAD interceptors, the Precision Strike Missile, and the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile.
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 …
Show notes
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 coordinated in Iran, and almost certainly directed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
3. Iran is strengthening defenses around its nuclear sites and preparing for possible renewed fighting with the United States, while Iranian officials have warned of possible ground incursions into neighboring countries, The WSJ reported on Monday.
4. The foreign ministers of Australia, Canada, France and the United Kingdom have called on the Palestinian Authority to reverse its decision to delay legislative and presidential elections, originally planned for November, until September 2027.
5. US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to what he described as an “energy ceasefire,” prompting surprise from Ukraine’s leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, who said the announcement was “news” to him.
6. France will begin training Ukrainian pilots on the Rafale fighter jet next month, Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin said in a parliamentary hearing.
7. The U.S. Army has taken delivery of its first Korean-made mobile tactical cannon less than a year after first issuing a solicitation, service officials said Thursday.
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 …
Show notes
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 government launched an operation to recapture lost territory.
3. Greece has reached a deal with the US worth up to $4 billion for weapons purchases and F-16 upgrades.
The package would upgrade older F-16s to the Viper configuration and supply advanced missiles and bombs for the country’s F-16 Vipers, planned F-35 fleet, and Black Hawk helicopters.
4. Lockheed Martin on Friday unveiled PAC-3 Edge, a missile interceptor designed to defend against hypersonic and advanced missile threats.
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 …
Show notes
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 airspace
The 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 for three days of intensive strikes on Iranian military and energy sites, focusing on its missile and drone arsenals, NYT reported on Thursday.
3. US Vice President JD Vance said in an exclusive interview with Reuters that Iran must make a “meaningful” reduction in its nuclear enrichment capacity to satisfy US demands and end the countries’ seven-month war, even as Washington was unsure how Tehran makes decisions in negotiations.
4. Palestinian Authority Vice President Hussein Al Sheikh has informed France that a Palestinian legislative election planned for November 28 will be postponed, possibly until September 2027, because of worsening conditions throughout the Palestinian territories, according to a letter seen by Reuters.
5. President Trump decided to make a diesel fuel deal with Russia after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ignored half a dozen U.S. requests to stop attacking Russian oil refineries, a U.S. official with direct knowledge told Axios.
6. Fielding of the M8 carbine, which appears set to replace Sig Sauer’s M7 as the Army’s standard rifle less than three years after the M7’s initial fielding began, will begin in December with some units at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, company executives confirmed to Military Times Monday.
7. The Pentagon inked a five-year contract with Raytheon for the steady production of ballistic missile interceptors that use force to destroy targets, rather than explosives.
The $6.3 billion contract, which provides two additional option years, will see Raytheon provide the Defense Department with a continuous supply of Standard Missile-3 Block IB interceptors manufactured primarily in Tucson, Arizona and Huntsville, Alabama.
8. A new U.S. Army multi-domain task force was activated this week with a ceremony at Fort Carson, Colorado.
The 4th Multi-Domain Task Force will focus on synchronizing long-range precision fires in the Indo-Pacific region “to deny, disrupt and disaggregate adversary capabilities” and create advantages for other units in the joint force, the Army said in a release.
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 …
Show notes
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 Strait shipping route and the city of Mokha.
2. New satellite images show “significant renewed activity” at the underground Minzadehei nuclear facility near Tehran, which the IDF bombed during the war with Iran this year, according to a report published Tuesday by the Institute for Science and International Security.
3. Iran has “lost complete control” of the Strait of Hormuz, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday, adding that Tehran’s economy was “in total and complete freefall.”
4. Lithuania is ready to pay the cost to set up a permanent U.S. military base if Washington should agree to establish one there, Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius said on Tuesday.
The US has kept an armored battalion of almost 1,000 troops there since 2019, in overlapping rotations, meaning the troops arrive and leave every few months.
5. France test-fired an upgraded version of its M51 strategic ballistic missile from a submarine for the first time on Tuesday, a capability demonstration that President Emmanuel Macron called “very important” for the country’s strategic credibility and which he said would be monitored by allies and adversaries alike.
6. Anduril is establishing a new shipyard to manufacture parts for Virginia-class Submarines in Baltimore County, Md., the company and the White House announced today.
The new facility, dubbed Arsenal-2, comes with a $6.6 billion investment, including $3.7 billion in private capital and up to $2.9 billion from the Navy. And notably, today’s announcement marks Anduril’s first entry into the supply chain for a major legacy defense program.
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 …
Show notes
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 group.
3. Forces of the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen have recaptured several key areas around Bab el-Mandeb Strait from Iran-backed Houthi rebels, Yemeni officials said Monday.
The officials said forces allied with the internationally recognized government have retaken the crucial town of Dhubab just north of the strait.
They also captured the towns of Bab and Hadeid.
4. The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen say they struck the international airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh, an Aramco refinery and sites across the kingdom’s south.
5. Britain has warned Israel that it could expel 27 Israeli diplomats from the embassy in London if Israel follows through on its decision to close the British consulate in East Jerusalem, where 27 British diplomats work, according to an unsourced Ynet report on Monday.
6. The United States is pushing for Ukraine and Russia to hold negotiations at the technical level before the end of the month, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Oct. 4.
7. German Chancellor Merz has announced a new round of military aid for Ukraine, valued at approximately €1 billion ($1.1 billion), to include turbojet-powered drone interceptors, standoff weapons and space-based technology.
8. Germany plans to stand up its first dedicated drone regiment next year, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced. Pistorius said ground forces will begin forming the regiment in 2027.
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 …
Show notes
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 and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government army.
3. Saudi Arabia is planning an offensive against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, with options being considered including a coastal push to secure the Red Sea shipping route or an assault on multiple fronts, regional and Western officials told Reuters.
4. The first batch of Taiwan’s new-build Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 fighter jets have arrived on the island, the country’s military announced today.
5. The U.S. Army on Tuesday signed agreements with Anduril, Castelion, Lockheed Martin, Mach Industries and RTX to create advanced long-range missile prototypes, Redstone Arsenal announced this week.
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 …
Show notes
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's far east, killing six members of its crew, the Defense Ministry said.
The ministry said in a statement that the Tu-95 bomber went down in an unpopulated area in the Amur region, adding that one crewmember survived the crash and was hospitalized with injuries.
3. Iranian officials indicated Wednesday that they have received an official US response to Tehran’s latest proposal to end the seven-month war, which US President Donald Trump had publicly rejected just days earlier.
The officials did not say what the response contained, nor whether it was a rejection or not.
4. British police have arrested a dual UK-Iranian national on suspicion of plotting a terror attack following a security incident at a US-run military airbase in England that was used to carry out strikes on Iran, police said Thursday.
5. Finland celebrated the recent delivery of its first pair of F-35 fifth generation fighter jets today at a special ceremony hosted by the Finnish air force’s Lapland Air Wing.
6. RTX’s unit won a multiyear contract worth up to $24.4 billion to produce Standard Missile-6 interceptors for the U.S. Navy, the service said on Thursday.
7. The U.S. Air Force has ordered four more MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters, the first under full-rate production, Boeing said Thursday, just weeks after the service declared the aircraft ready for its nuclear missile security mission.
8. Secretary of War Speech to Senior Officers at Quantico
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 …
Show notes
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 infrastructure around the Middle East, intensifying its rhetoric as it awaits a formal response from Washington on a new plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
3. US President Donald Trump on Monday denied a report that he is prepared to offer Iran sanctions relief and the release of frozen funds in exchange for nuclear concessions by the Islamic Republic.
4. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Monday pushed for the further implementation of a framework agreement with Israel during his meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington.
5. The commander of Hamas’s Northern Gaza Brigade was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City early Tuesday, marking the third top commander in the terror group to be killed in recent weeks.
6. Russian special services were behind the fire at a building used by an Estonian military robotics company last month, the government in Tallinn said on Tuesday.
7. Russia plans to spend $202.6 billion, on defense in 2027, around 27% more than the $159.8 billion, originally budgeted and the highest figure since the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022.
8. The Navy has chosen Boeing over Northrop Grumman to build its sixth-generation strike fighter, dubbed F/A-XX, two sources told Breaking Defense ahead of the formal announcement.
The selection locks Boeing in as the sole supplier of sixth-generation fighters for the US.
9. The Defense Department has awarded Raytheon a multiyear contract worth up to $20.7 billion to build Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles, or AMRAAMs.
The Pentagon said the deal will nearly double AMRAAM production.
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 …
Show notes
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 after a Dutch ban on goods from Israeli businesses in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights went into effect.
Their diplomatic privileges granted by Israel will expire at the end of that period, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced on X.
3. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew to the UAE today to meet with Emirati President Mohamed Bin Zayed, Channel 12 reports, citing two sources.
4. Iran stood firm Sunday on its conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, after US President Donald Trump rejected its proposal.
Iran’s plan called for a cessation of all hostilities in the Middle East, including in Lebanon, according to Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and fulfilling conditions in the ceasefire deal that fell apart months ago.
5. US President Donald Trump said Sunday that he expects talks with Iran to resume in the coming week, despite his rejection of a truce proposal put forward by Tehran.
6. British police said on Sunday they had arrested five men on suspicion of “preparing a terrorist act” and offenses under the Explosives Act, and the army was examining several vehicles after security was stepped up at a British air base used by US air forces in southwest England.
7. Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya said on Saturday that Hamas agreed last year to a roadmap that ultimately includes the establishment of a Palestinian state.
In an interview with Qatar’s Al-Araby channel, Hayya was asked about Israel’s demand that Hamas disarm as part of the Gaza ceasefire, but did not directly say whether the terror group would agree to disarm.
8. North Korea test launched a new weapon over the weekend that appears to be a hypersonic missile, according to photos released Tuesday by state media Korean Central News Agency.
9. The first Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) KF-21 was handed over to the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) Tuesday.
The KF-21 is considered a 4.5-generation fighter jet and will be equipped with a mix of indigenous and Western sensors and weapons in service, including the KGGB precision glide bomb and European MBDA Meteor air-to-air missile.
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 …
Show notes
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 Authority President Mahmoud Abbas knocked US President Donald Trump’s administration for preventing him from attending the forum in person for the second year in a row.
In his roughly 22-minute speech, Abbas bitterly criticized Israel for its policies against the Palestinians, insisting that Ramallah has completed the reforms demanded by the international community and recommitted to a two-state solution with a demilitarized Palestinian state alongside Israel.
3. US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s proposal for a seven-day ceasefire and told aides he expects to resume bombing Iran after the November midterm elections.
4. An Israeli official has claimed that another round of strikes against Iran is “only a matter of time,” saying Tehran is racing to reactivate and fortify its nuclear program in anticipation of a possible attack, Saudi news channel Al-Hadath reported on Thursday.
5. China has sent around 1,300 air shipments containing dual-use components for drones and missiles to Iran’s Defense Ministry this year through the end of June, The Wall Street Journal reported.
6. Saudi Arabia intercepted six ballistic missiles fired by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis on Thursday that the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said were aimed at Taif in western Saudi Arabia and the Yanbu area on the Red Sea.
7. The United States has proposed that the United Arab Emirates host a trilateral meeting with Ukraine and Russia to discuss efforts to end their four-and-a-half-year war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday.
8. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has lobbied U.S. defense leaders to allow the production of PAC-3 MSE interceptor missiles in Germany, arguing an additional production site would help alleviate a glaring shortfall in the global supply chain for the vital air-defense weapons.
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 …
Show notes
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 States hinted on Tuesday at the prospect of reviving negotiations to end the months-old war, with a senior Iranian official suggesting that the Strait of Hormuz could soon be reopened, as the presidents of both countries were due at the UN General Assembly in New York.
4. Syrian President Ahmed Sharaa held out the possibility of peace with Israel in a speech to the United Nations on Wednesday, while sharply criticizing Israeli military activity in Syria and vowing that Damascus would not relinquish its claim to the Golan Heights.
5. Responding to Syrian President Ahmed Sharaa’s insistence that the Golan Heights are Syrian territory, Defense Minister Israel Katz says that the strategic plateau in the northeast is “an integral, eternal part of Israel,” and that the IDF will not withdraw from a buffer zone it has held in Syria since Syrian dictator Bashar Assad’s ouster in 2024.
6. On Monday, the UK and France said they would provide defensive assistance to Saudi Arabia, which the Houthis have repeatedly struck during the renewed conflict.
7. US Invites Russian President Putin to December G20 Summit in Miami.
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 …
Show notes
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 limited military support to Saudi Arabia to repel attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Burnham tells reporters as he flies to the United Nations General Assembly in New York that he has agreed that the Royal Air Force will provide air-to-air refueling of Saudi planes.
4. Iran’s central military command said in a statement on Sunday that it had received information that the United States, with the backing of some regional countries, was preparing to resume military actions against it, state media reported.
5. Russia has effectively "lost control" of its diesel production sector as a result of the war with Ukraine, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sept. 21, urging an end to the fighting.
6. Latvia’s government has approved the acquisition of Morana 155 mm self-propelled wheeled howitzers from Czech manufacturer Excalibur Army, reversing its earlier decision to pursue a deal with Sweden’s BAE Systems Bofors, the producer of the rival Archer artillery system.
7. The US plans to reopen a former Cold War-era military base in southern Greenland and set up a military presence at an east coast base under an agreement to be signed by the US, Denmark and Greenland on Tuesday.
8. A Nevada Air Force Base was picked to house General Atomics’ FQ-42, a week after the U.S. Air Force dubbed the Collaborative Combat Aircraft as Vengeance.
On Friday, a new FQ-42 Vengeance aircraft was delivered to Creech Air Force Base.
9. Lockheed Martin was awarded $1.2 billion by the ground branch for work on the early operational capability munitions of PrSM Increment 2, a variant that integrates a new seeker capable of mobile targets.
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 …
Show notes
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 time in their itineraries to squeeze in a sit-down, a US official told The Times of Israel on Friday.
3. Two IDF soldiers were lightly injured by a Hezbollah explosive device in southern Lebanon on Saturday morning, prompting Israeli strikes on the terror group’s sites, the military said.
According to the IDF, an engineering vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb planted by Hezbollah inside the military’s southern Lebanon buffer zone.
4. Denmark on Saturday hailed a “binding” deal announced by US President Donald Trump to give Washington “permanent control” over Greenland’s security and bar Russian and Chinese bases from the Arctic territory.
Denmark and Greenland — an autonomous Danish territory — both hailed the agreement and said they would sign it on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York next week.
5. German and US officials celebrated the rollout of Berlin’s first F-35 in a ceremony today, with both sides praising the moment as a sign of the close defense alignment between the two partners.
6. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says that Ankara and Washington were working on “creative ideas” to lift US sanctions imposed on Turkey over its purchase of Russian S-400 missile systems.
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 …
Show notes
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 following the Iran-backed group’s military blitz in the past week, according to three Iranian sources familiar with the matter.
3. Saudi Arabia is running low on missile interceptors and has turned to regional and Western allies for assistance as its standoff with Houthi rebels in Yemen drags on, two regional officials said Wednesday.
The regional officials said the Saudis have asked France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt to deploy air-defense support to the region to help defend against missiles and drones fired by Houthis and other Iran-backed groups.
4. Democratic and Republican US senators asked President Donald Trump’s administration on Wednesday to declassify and release all information about a proposed agreement with Saudi Arabia on civil nuclear energy, including two classified “side letters” reached with Riyadh.
5. The US State Department has cleared the potential sale of F-35s to Saudi Arabia, fulfilling a commitment of President Donald Trump despite security concerns over transferring the highly advanced stealth jet to the Gulf kingdom.
6. Iran is rapidly advancing the reconstruction of a nuclear facility that was previously bombed by Israel, according to satellite images cited in a report Thursday by the Institute for Science and International Security.
7. US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he was approaching a major decision on whether to resume large-scale attacks on Iran, as Washington weighs how to bring the months-long war to an end.
8. Fourteen Russian spy satellites flew above a US military base in Saudi Arabia in March, just days before a major Iranian strike during the US-Israeli war with the Islamic Republic, according to CNN.
9. The US has approved visas for an Iranian delegation headed by its President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi to attend next week’s UN General Assembly in New York, an official familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel on Thursday.
10. The Board of Peace will hold a briefing for representatives from dozens of countries on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly next week to update them on efforts to implement US President Donald Trump’s plan for rebuilding the Gaza Strip.
11. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy says a Togo-flagged oil tanker was struck while attempting to make an “illegal passage” through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media says.
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