Today's Defense Pulse
U.S. Treasury expands sanctions on Iran-linked shipping network
The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced a new sanctions round targeting a global network of shipping firms, tanker operators and intermediaries tied to Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical trades. Entities in Hong Kong, the UAE, India, Qatar, Singapore, China, Liberia and the Marshall Islands were added to the Specially Designated Nationals list.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Disciplined Growth Acquisition Corp raises $150M in IPO
Iran War Live: Trump Says Ceasefire Extended as Talks with Tehran in Limbo
Regional tensions escalated as Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps warned it will deliver “crushing blows” if the fragile cease‑fire ends, while Tehran executed a civil‑defence official convicted of spying for Israel. An IRGC gunboat damaged a container ship near Oman, and an Israeli drone strike in Lebanon’s Bekaa killed one civilian, underscoring the expanding battlefield. In Washington, analysts criticize the Trump administration’s shifting war goals in Iran as a recipe for prolonged conflict, and Democrats rallied behind Rep. Yassamin Ansari after she faced threats for opposing the war.
Rescue Mission Served as Cover for Secret Operation
An update on the rescue operation of the two American aviators, and why neither aircrew or details of the operation have been made public. This is a theory, based on my background in intelligence and my current experience embedding with...
CACI International Inc (CACI) Q3 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
CACI International reported Q2 fiscal 2026 revenue of $2.2 billion, up 5.7% year‑over‑year, and an EBITDA margin of 11.8%, a 70‑basis‑point improvement. The company raised its full‑year guidance, now forecasting $9.3‑$9.5 billion in revenue, 7.8%‑10.1% growth, and at least $725 million in free...
Redefine the Thing, Create a Whole New Category
Redefining what a thing is can create an entirely new category of thing. In 1945, Soviet schoolchildren gifted the US Ambassador a wooden Great Seal. It hung in his Moscow office for 7 years. It contained a listening device with no battery,...
Military Planners to Discuss Hormuz Reopening in London
Military planners from more than 30 nations will convene in London for two days to flesh out an international mission aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The coalition, led by Britain and France, follows a diplomatic push by over...
The Escalation Trap: Why the Middle East Ceasefire Is a Calculated Mirage
In this episode, host Danielle Moody dissects Donald Trump’s sudden extension of a cease‑fire with Iran, arguing it’s a strategic façade rather than a genuine peace effort. She critiques Trump’s foreign‑policy missteps, the role of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, and...
Unauthorized Group Has Gained Access to Anthropic’s Exclusive Cyber Tool Mythos, Report Claims
Anthropic’s newly announced AI cybersecurity tool, Mythos, was reportedly accessed by an unauthorized group through a third‑party vendor. The breach was uncovered after members of a Discord channel posted screenshots and a live demo of the tool. Anthropic says no...
Air Base Defense Would Get $1.4 Billion in ’27 USAF Budget
The U.S. Air Force is seeking $1.4 billion in its FY 2027 budget to fund Air Base Air Defense Systems (ABADS). The request includes a $1.3 billion procurement increase for new drone‑and missile‑defense technologies such as the Small Unmanned Aircraft Defense System (SUADS)...
How Trump’s Iran War Could Break the GOP — with Ben Shapiro
In this episode of Raging Moderates, hosts Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov discuss the unfolding Iran‑Israel conflict and its potential to fracture the GOP, with Ben Shapiro—host of The Ben Shapiro Show and co‑founder of The Daily Wire—arguing that President...
UK and France to Lead Multinational Strait of Hormuz Military Planning Conference
Military planners from more than 30 nations gathered at the UK’s Northwood headquarters for a two‑day conference aimed at finalising a multinational, defensive mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The effort follows a Paris summit where UK Prime Minister...
UK Intelligence: 100 Nations Have Spyware that Can Hack Britain
The UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) warns that roughly 100 countries have bought cyber‑intrusion software capable of targeting Britain’s infrastructure, businesses, and private networks. The commercial spyware market, exemplified by tools like Pegasus and Predator, has broadened its focus...
Trump Extends Iran Ceasefire as Talks to End War Stall
President Trump announced an extension of the U.S.-Iran cease‑fire at Pakistan's urging, despite stalled negotiations for a permanent peace deal. Iranian officials dismissed the extension as a tactical ploy, while the United States maintains its naval blockade of the Strait...
US Southern Command Stands up Autonomous Unit
U.S. Southern Command announced the creation of the Autonomous Warfare Command (SAWC), a new element designed to integrate autonomous, semi‑autonomous and unmanned platforms across land, sea, air, cyber and space domains. The initiative, mandated by Gen. Francis L. Donovan, seeks...
DHS Startles Congress with Request for Millions to Develop ICE ‘Smart Glasses’
The Department of Homeland Security has earmarked roughly $7.5 million in its FY 2027 budget to develop operational prototypes of smart glasses for ICE agents. The wearable devices would deliver real‑time biometric identification and video capture, merging existing facial‑recognition tools with augmented‑reality...
U-2 Fleet, Half of A-10s Would Retire; Air Force Plans to Add 108 Planes in ’27
The U.S. Air Force’s FY2027 budget proposes divesting 149 legacy aircraft, including the last 23 U‑2 spy planes and roughly half of the remaining A‑10 Thunderbolt II fleet, while retaining three squadrons. At the same time, the service seeks to purchase...
This High-Tech Drone Could Autonomously Scope Out Undersea Mines
Ulysses Maritime Technologies unveiled the Mako autonomous underwater drone, designed to locate and neutralize undersea mines. The modular platform can be reconfigured for agility—maintaining position in strong currents—or endurance, extending speed and range. Equipped with 2D/3D radar, cameras and payload...
Trump Extends Ceasefire With Iran Indefinitely
President Donald Trump announced an indefinite extension of the U.S. ceasefire with Iran, reversing earlier threats to bomb Iranian civilian infrastructure. The move follows weeks of heightened rhetoric and a looming deadline that could have triggered air strikes. While hostilities...
Trump Indefinitely Extends Cease-Fire. Congratulations Iran, It’s TACO Tuesday.
President Donald Trump announced an indefinite extension of the U.S. cease‑fire with Iran, while maintaining a naval blockade of Iranian ports until Tehran presents a unified proposal. The move follows a stalled diplomatic push involving Pakistan and a recent U.S....
Trump Taps Raytheon Executive for Top Military Space Acquisition Post
President Donald Trump nominated Raytheon executive Erich Hernandez‑Baquero as assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition and integration. The role, created in 2020, oversees the Pentagon’s satellite, ground‑system and data‑network procurement and aligns closely with the U.S. Space...
We Told You This Would Happen - But You Didn't Care.
The Iran nuclear negotiations collapsed after Tehran withdrew from the second round, blaming President Donald Trump’s contradictory statements, ongoing U.S. naval actions and a port blockade. Jared Kushner and real‑estate developer Steve Witkoff were already in the Middle East when...
Trump's Permanent Ceasefire Is Really A Total Surrender To Iran
Former President Donald Trump announced a “permanent ceasefire” with Iran, presenting it as an end to hostilities but many observers interpret it as a surrender. In a CNBC interview he bragged about a rebuilt, world‑leading U.S. military and threatened additional...
Over 400K Records Allegedly Stolen From Major Dutch Webshop Bol, Data Leaked
A hacker using the alias “Jeffrey Epstein” claims to have stolen data on over 400,000 Belgian customers of Dutch e‑commerce giant Bol. The alleged dataset includes names, birthdates, contact details, shipping information and order history, though passwords and bank data are...
Pentagon Wants $54B for Drones, More than Most Nations’ Military Budgets
The Pentagon’s FY 2027 budget request includes a historic $53.6 billion for drone production, operator training, logistics and counter‑drone systems, plus an additional $20.6 billion for one‑way attack drones and the MQ‑25 refueler. This investment would outpace the defense spending of most nations,...
Satellite Services for Border Security
Border agencies across Europe are moving from owning satellites to purchasing recurring satellite‑service outputs such as imagery, ship‑tracking, secure communications, and authenticated navigation. The shift is driven by the need for persistent, all‑weather coverage over remote land, sea and desert...
Crypto Stealing Wallet Apps Proliferate in Apple App Store
A wave of 26 counterfeit crypto‑wallet apps masquerading as Coinbase, MetaMask, OneKey and Trust Wallet surfaced in the Apple App Store. The apps redirected users to phishing pages that installed malicious provisioning profiles, enabling the theft of mnemonic seed phrases....
Air Force Budget Plan Seeks to Boost Munitions
The U.S. Air Force’s FY2027 budget request earmarks $15 billion for its munitions portfolio, with $10.8 billion for weapon purchases and $4.3 billion for research, development, test and evaluation. The plan adds $1.1 billion for the Joint Advanced Tactical Missile, $1.4 billion for AMRAAMs, and...
Space Force Seeks Bigger Operational Footprint With 4 New Ops Centers
The U.S. Space Force is seeking $1 billion in the FY 2027 budget to construct four new space operations centers, each costing roughly $250 million. The facilities will be sited at Kirtland AFB (New Mexico), Redstone Arsenal (Alabama), Schriever SFB (Colorado) and Grand Forks...
Microsoft Teams, Quick Assist Weaponized in Helpdesk Spoofing Intrusions
Threat actors are weaponizing Microsoft Teams and Quick Assist in a new help‑desk impersonation campaign. Attackers send spoofed Teams messages that convince users to approve a Quick Assist session, granting the intruder full control of the device within minutes. Once...
Novel Malware Campaign Bundles Gh0st RAT, CloverPlus Adware
A new malware campaign combines the Gh0st RAT remote‑access trojan with CloverPlus adware to monetize infected PCs while maintaining long‑term control. Attackers use an obfuscated loader that first installs CloverPlus to display ads and generate click revenue, then deploys a...
Pakistan PM Welcomes US-Iran Ceasefire Extension
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif publicly thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for agreeing to extend the cease‑fire between the United States and Iran in the ongoing U.S.–Israeli conflict. The extension, announced on April 22, gives Iran additional time to submit a...
Trump Verlengt Opnieuw Deadline Voor Akkoord Met Iran
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he is extending the deadline for the cease‑fire agreement with Iran, which was set to expire on Wednesday. The extension gives Tehran additional time to present a new peace proposal. Trump’s...
Republicans Launch a New Effort to Fund the Department of Homeland Security
The Senate voted 52‑46 to launch a budget‑reconciliation effort that would allocate roughly $70 billion to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol for the next three years, effectively reopening the Department of Homeland Security after the longest partial shutdown...
Space Capabilities Underpin Global Security Strategies
The recent SATShow Week highlighted how space, though not formally labeled critical infrastructure, underpins everyday life and global security. Experts at Via Satellite’s Cyber and Defense Special Edition stressed that Europe’s response to Russian aggression may be too slow, prompting...
President Trump Says the U.S. Will Extend the Iran Cease-Fire
The episode covers three main stories: President Trump announced a U.S. extension of the Iran cease‑fire and continued port blockades, while Senate hearings scrutinized Kevin Warsh’s nomination to replace Fed Chair Jerome Powell; and rising oil prices are driving steep...
Trump Extends Ceasefire, Keeps Blockade Until Proposal
🇺🇸 PRESIDENT TRUMP JUST POSTED THIS: "I have therefore directed our Military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions...
U.S.
USS Spruance Blasting A Ship With Its Deck Gun Is A First In Nearly Four Decades The Navy hasn't struck another ship in anger with its deck gun since 1988. https://t.co/zTsOCZA4W4
Transportation Celebrates Air Traffic Control Modernization, Asks Lawmakers for More Funding
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy marked the one‑year anniversary of the FAA’s air‑traffic‑control modernization push, noting that roughly half of the legacy copper wiring has been replaced and digital voice switches are now operating at 40 sites. While most workstreams remain...
267 F‑15EX Jets Needed: Correcting The
F-15EX buy now explodes to 267 jets. This is the right call. The original plan made no sense and since writing the article below, that has slowly been corrected. Now they are coming to terms with a USAF without F-15E...
Conflicting Claims Reveal Doubt Over Near-Term Peace
🇺🇸 Trump: Ceasefire extended, peace talks coming 🇮🇷 Iran: "Buying time for a surprise attack" + Hormuz stays shut Who do you think is lying? I'm not convinced peace is close. Still sell-the-rally over buy-the-dip?! $SPY $QQQ $USO $XOM $CVX $VIX $DJIA https://t.co/wzI3OltwU5
Whistleblower Says CIA Hid 2020 Election Threats To Help Biden
A declassified National Intelligence Council memo from January 2020 warned that foreign adversaries could exploit voter registration databases and other election infrastructure. Former cyber official Christopher Porter alleges the CIA suppressed the memo after President Trump ordered its public release,...
Air Force Seeks Funding for E‑7 Wedgetail Despite Budget Gap
Despite no funding in Pentagon's fiscal 2027 request, the Air Force is "evaluating options to resource the E-7 program" to finish the Wedgetail prototypes and continue EMD. https://t.co/mD86r3Qjmj
X‑BAT VTOL Fighter Gains F‑16 Thrust Vector Nozzle
X-BAT Autonomous VTOL ‘Fighter’ Looks Dramatically Different Development of X-BAT is accelerating, including the use of a thrust vectoring nozzle from an experimental F-16 that was borrowed "Indiana Jones style." Latest on X-BAT: https://t.co/iqlLGaor38
Ransomware Negotiator Pleads Guilty to BlackCat Scheme
Angelo Martino, a former ransomware negotiator at a US incident‑response firm, pleaded guilty to conspiring with the BlackCat/ALPHV ransomware gang to steal confidential negotiation data and facilitate extortion attacks in 2023. Together with two other cybersecurity professionals, he helped deploy...
Ceasefire Extension Likely as US‑Iran Talks Stall
I joined @BBC prior to the delay in US-Iran talks. My upside scenario was an extension of the ceasefire because both sides are too far apart for a lasting deal and the alternative — resumed strikes and further escalation —...
AI-Driven Research Will Shrink Attackers' Zero‑Day Arsenal
Sunlight seen through the storm. Mozilla security researchers say that after this wave of AI-augmented vuln discovery and exploitation, we'll reach a new equilibrium in which there are *fewer* vulns being used by attackers. “The zero-days are numbered”—https://t.co/MM5SNBJsjD
Don't Despise Your Enemy Too Much
President Trump has outlined two primary goals for a potential US air campaign against Iran: reopening the Strait of Hormuz and dismantling Tehran’s nuclear weapons program. The article questions whether aerial bombing can realistically achieve such expansive objectives, noting that...
Trump Extends Iran Ceasefire After Insisting He Wouldn’t Hours Earlier, Citing a ‘Seriously Fractured’ Iran
President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that the U.S.-Iran ceasefire will be extended, reversing his earlier claim on CNBC that it would not be prolonged. He cited a "seriously fractured" Iranian government and a request from Pakistan’s Field Marshal...
Trump Extends Ceasefire with Iran ‘Until Discussions Concluded’
President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that the two‑week U.S.–Iran ceasefire, which began on April 8, will be extended at Pakistan’s request until Tehran submits a unified proposal. The U.S. Navy will maintain its blockade of Iranian ports while the...
Navy to Equip Arleigh Burke Destroyers with 405 PAC‑3 Missiles
Patriot PAC-3 Missiles To Arm Navy Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers The Navy has awarded a contract to integrate PAC-3 MSE with the Aegis Combat System and wants to buy 405 of the missiles in Fiscal Year 2027. https://t.co/gWmaSr7Nao
The Missing Layer in Federal Data Protection
Federal agencies have long secured data at rest and in transit, but data in use remains vulnerable. Confidential computing, built on trusted execution environments (TEEs), encrypts memory and isolates workloads, offering a third layer of protection. The technology is already...