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
Video & Essay: Convo W/Rep. Crow on the Iran War; Dangers Trump & Hegseth Pose for the Military; "We Negotiate...
In this live interview, Rep. Jason Crow, a former Army Ranger and veteran‑rights advocate serving on the House Intelligence and Armed Services committees, discusses the unfolding Iran conflict and how President Trump’s autocratic decision‑making bypassed congressional oversight. Crow argues that Trump’s pursuit of power and domination, rather than any coherent foreign‑policy ideology, has eroded feedback loops, endangered service members, and jeopardized U.S. alliances. He warns that the U.S. is repeating costly regime‑change mistakes, citing $5‑8 trillion spent in Iraq and Afghanistan, and highlights the broader strategic risks of a fragmented intelligence leadership and weakened diplomatic channels.
Iran Threatens Retaliation over Planned Island Occupation
Iranian parliament speaker Ghalibaf. "Based on some data, Iran's enemies, with the support of one of the regional countries, are preparing to occupy one of the Iranian islands. All enemy movements are under the full surveillance of our armed...
As Marines Head Toward Iran, Boots on Ground Still TBD
The Pentagon has dispatched two Marine Expeditionary Units (MEUs) and accompanying naval forces to the Arabian Gulf as tensions with Iran intensify. Colonel William Dunn explained that the MEUs provide a flexible, self‑sustaining package of infantry, aviation, and logistics that...
Incident Response & Hiring Trends: What HR Can Learn From Semperis
Semperis has positioned its platform as a full‑stack incident response solution, offering real‑time threat detection, automated alerting, and rapid containment tools. The suite also streamlines recovery by rolling back unauthorized changes and supports compliance with detailed audit logs. In addition...
U.S. Must Overhaul Air Defense for Pacific Threat
US needs a totally new air defense strategy. This also includes congressional advocacy, procurement, etc. Leadership has failed us here. Little movement for many years when it was clear the nature of the mission was morphing rapidly. Time for a...
Space Force Exercise Aims to Solidify Responsive Space Processes
The U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command completed its second Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) exercise, Victus Diem, using a tabletop and field‑training simulation rather than an actual launch. The drill demonstrated that payload processing, checkout, and encapsulation can be completed...
Air Force Officials Say They’re Beating Cost Goal for CCA Drones
The Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program has surpassed former Secretary Frank Kendall’s target of delivering drone wingmen at roughly one‑third the cost of an F‑35, achieving unit costs at or below $34 million. Semi‑autonomous drones such as the YFQ‑44A...
CXO Advisor Reveals Current Security Leader Trends at RSAC
Great to sit down with Tom Field today at the ISMG studio at RSAC. We talked about CXO Advisor, the market, and what we’re seeing across security leaders right now. Always a great conversation.
Europe‑US Alliance Needed for Global Peace, Amid Middle East Chaos
I think this is more about Europe - war ends when Europe is entering on US side, because China needs a good relation with Europe. When Europa partners with USA (Trade, energy, defense and tech) the West has the upperhand...
Palantir Tests $151 Support as Pentagon Contracts Boost Outlook
Palantir Technologies' stock is trading around the $151.5 level, a key 20‑day and 200‑day EMA support, as a Pentagon memo elevates its Maven battle‑management system to a program of record. The technical bounce coincides with a $795 million Army contract modification,...
Iran Says Mediated Messages Aren't US Negotiations
This has been a week of the most confusing and contradictory headlines I’ve ever seen in 30 years. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that an exchange of messages between the two countries through mediators “does not mean negotiations with...
Judge Calls Pentagon’s Anthropic ‘Supply‑Chain Risk’ Designation Potential Punishment
U.S. District Judge Rita Lin said the Pentagon’s decision to label AI firm Anthropic a supply‑chain risk looks like an attempt to punish the company for its public stance on military AI use. The judge will rule on Anthropic’s request...
U.S. Stocks Slip as Iran Tensions Spike, S&P 500 Falls 0.4%
U.S. equities retreated on Tuesday as the S&P 500 slipped 0.4%, the Dow Jones fell 0.2% and the Nasdaq dropped 0.8% amid fresh missile strikes in the Middle East and contradictory statements from President Donald Trump and Tehran. The market...
NYT War Update Shows Iran Conflict Far From Over
NYT Iran War status check Certainly doesn’t 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 like this is on the verge of wrapping https://t.co/VNfArjsLyq
Beyond the Water’s Edge: How Are Embassies Adapting in an Increasingly Fractious and Data-Dense World?
Embassies are reemerging as critical security and intelligence hubs amid rising geopolitical tension. Nations such as China are building fortified compounds like the contested Royal Mint Court site in London, while the US and France are expanding modest “mini‑embassies” across...
LEO Satellite Operators Could Be Beyond Australian Data Laws
Australia’s Cyber Security Centre, together with international partners, warned that commercial low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) satellite operators can deliver connectivity to Australian users without a local footprint, leaving data outside the reach of domestic privacy laws. The advisory highlights that LEO constellations...
Got One of Those Weird Fake Microsoft Security Warning Screens
A fake Microsoft security warning overlay appeared in the Brave browser, locking the screen and preventing normal navigation. The pop‑up, triggered by malicious ads—often from Facebook—forced the user to terminate the browser via Task Manager. Upon restart, the warning did...
GitHub Adds AI-Powered Bug Detection to Expand Security Coverage
GitHub announced an AI‑powered scanning layer for its Code Security suite, complementing the existing CodeQL static analysis. The hybrid approach expands vulnerability detection to languages and frameworks such as Bash, Dockerfiles, Terraform, and PHP, while CodeQL continues deep semantic analysis...
US Army Special Operations Command Takes Home Top Prize in Sniper Competition
The U.S. Army Special Operations Command (SOCOM) team captured first place in the International Sniper Competition held at Fort Bragg from March 15‑19. Seventeen elite two‑person sniper teams from U.S. special‑operations branches and allied nations competed in day and night...
European Officials Highlight Private Sector Help in Major Cybercrime Takedowns
European cyber law enforcement leaders at RSAC highlighted the growing role of private‑sector partners in dismantling major ransomware groups such as LockBit and Scattered Spider. Officials from the Netherlands, UK and Germany noted that industry briefings helped legitimize takedowns and...
Iran Rejects Trump's Ceasefire Terms and Issues Own Demands as War Continues
Iran's military spokesperson rejected a U.S. cease‑fire proposal that included sanctions relief, nuclear monitoring, missile limits, and Strait of Hormuz de‑escalation, marking the fourth week of continuous airstrikes across the Middle East. The 15‑point plan, reportedly mediated by Pakistan, was...
Mideast Experts Analyze State of Iran War and Diplomatic Efforts to End It
In a recent interview, former State Department adviser Ray Takeyh and veteran diplomat Alan Eyre assessed the ongoing Iran‑U.S./Israel conflict. Both acknowledge that diplomatic proposals from Washington and Iraq remain far apart, making a direct cease‑fire unlikely. Iran continues to sustain a...
Shadow Fleet Set to Be Interdicted in UK Waters in Latest Blow to Russia
The United Kingdom has granted its armed forces and law‑enforcement agencies the authority to board and interdict Russian‑sanctioned shadow‑fleet vessels transiting UK waters. The decision follows recent Royal Navy tracking operations and aligns Britain with Joint Expeditionary Force allies such...
Beyond IOCs: A Framework for High-Impact Cyber Threat Intelligence - Samuel Hassine - RSAC26 #3
Samuel Hassine, CEO of Filigran, outlined a shift from reactive indicator‑of‑compromise (IOC) alerts to a business‑focused Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) framework. He emphasized unifying threat intelligence with adversarial attack simulation using platforms like OpenCTI to drive measurable risk reduction....
Navy’s Turning Small ‘Bets’ Into Enterprise Services
The Navy’s Program Executive Office for Digital is adopting a lean‑startup mindset, using small OTA‑backed bets to prototype emerging technologies. Early initiatives such as Naval Identity Services and the Enterprise Service Desk have transitioned from pilots to full enterprise services,...
Army to ‘Narrow’ Right-to-Repair Effort in Next NDAA After Industry Pushback
The U.S. Army is pushing a narrowed right‑to‑repair amendment for the next National Defense Authorization Act after Congress removed broader language following industry pushback. Undersecretary Michael Obadal said the effort will focus on limited repetitions, units, and years while preserving...
At RSAC, the EU Leads While US Officials Are Sidelined
At RSAC 2026 in San Francisco, U.S. agencies such as the FBI, CISA and NSA were absent, while European cyber officials dominated the stage. EU representatives used the forum to push AI‑code guardrails, discuss the upcoming Cybersecurity Resilience Act, and court...
Oracle Secures Disproportionate Power on Trump’s PCAST Council
The announcement of Trump's PCAST council looks like a who's who of Silicon Valley, Zuckerberg, Huang, Brin, Su. But the most surprising detail to me: Oracle has two seats at a 13-person table. Larry Ellison and Safra Catz give Oracle more...
IDF Allegedly Tortures Toddler to Force Father's Confession
Torturing a toddler to make his father "confess" is absolutely an IDF tactic. We've seen the evidence.
Convicted Spyware Chief Hints that Greece’s Government Was Behind Dozens of Phone Hacks
Intellexa founder Tal Dilian, convicted of orchestrating a mass‑wiretapping campaign in Greece, announced his intention to appeal the eight‑year prison sentence. The scandal, dubbed “Greek Watergate,” involved the Predator spyware compromising phones of ministers, opposition leaders, military officials and journalists....
689 Palestinians Killed Since Ceasefire, Trump’s Board Silent
Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that TWO Palestinians have been killed in the past 24 hours by Israeli forces. This brings the total number of Palestinians killed since the beginning of the so-called ceasefire to at least 689. What’s Trump’s "Board of Peace"...
UAV Countermeasures Known; Implementation Remains the Challenge
Lots of discussion of countering UAVs at the moment. @Justin_Br0nk and I published this in 2024: https://t.co/dsSGyI9mfx Lots of others with similar conclusions. The answers have been known for some time - the problem is implementation. @RUSI_org @roberttollast
EU’s Tech Sovereignty Plan May Include an Independent Biometric Evaluation Platform
The EU Innovation Hub for Internal Security recommends creating an independent biometric evaluation and testing platform to reduce reliance on U.S. standards like NIST. The brief highlights that Europe currently lacks a unified testing capability, putting it at a disadvantage...
General Predicts Limited Impact of US Boots in Iran
I thought this was an interesting interview with a former general about what "boots on the ground" in Iran might look like, and also what would (and wouldn't be accomplished) by some landing on Kharg Island https://t.co/DDEilUbnMz
US and Iran Reject Ceasefire Proposals, No Off‑Ramp
After Nearly A Month Of Epic Fury There’s No Off-Ramp In Clear Sight Rejected proposals from the U.S. and Iran show how far off the parties are on any negotiated ceasefire. https://t.co/r2LKTln6n8
Senior Enlisted Leaders Stress Quality of Life, Readiness
Senior enlisted leaders from the Air Force, Space Force, Marine Corps, Navy and Army testified before the House Appropriations Committee, emphasizing that quality of life is essential for maintaining combat readiness. They highlighted challenges such as inadequate housing, limited mental‑health...
Disarmament Deadline Should Wait Until Iran Operation Ends
I believe a deadline for disarmament should be set…after the operation with Iran has concluded.
U.S. Bases in Gulf Largely Uninhabitable, Kuwait Worst
“Many of the 13 military bases in the region used by American troops are all but uninhabitable, with the ones in Kuwait, which is next door to Iran, suffering perhaps the most damage.” -NYT just now First MSM admission I’ve seen of...
Official: UAS Marketplace Likely Not Army’s ‘Primary’ Option For Buying Launched Effects
The Army’s new UAS Marketplace, designed as an "Amazon‑like" portal for Group 1‑3 drones, will likely not serve as the primary acquisition channel for its launched‑effects programs. Capability executive Rodney Davis warned that launched effects demand massed capability and scale, which...
China Prepares for Imminent Hormuz Strait Closure
I said last June-July: China got the message, Hormuz Strait will be closed, and started preparing for it. Read details below.
Army’s SkyFoundry Plan To Build Own Cheap Drones Has ‘Evolved,’ Official Notes Commercial Involvement
The Army’s SkyFoundry program, originally slated to internally produce 10,000 cheap drones per year, has pivoted to a fully commercial partnership model. Rich Martin, AMC’s supply‑chain director, emphasized that the service cannot scale drone manufacturing alone and will rely on...
U.S. Shells Out $2 B Daily on Iran Conflict
US is spending at least $2b per day on Iran war -- FOR WHAT? https://t.co/cdN9y3a0Mo
Trump May Announce Iran Ceasefire Even WITHOUT a Deal, Israeli Media Reports
U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly considering a public cease‑fire announcement with Iran as early as Saturday, even if no formal agreement is in place. Israeli officials, cited by outlets such as N12 and Al Qahera, view the move as...
Trump Rejects Netanyahu's Call for Iran Street Uprising
rump rebuffed Netanyahu idea to call for Iran uprising: "Why the hell should we tell people to take to the streets when they'll just get mowed down," Trump said to Netanyahu during their call, according to a U.S. official...
Analyzing Strategic Risks in the Strait of Hormuz
My appearance today @OnPointRadio with @MeghnaWBUR talking about the Strait of Hormuz. On Point: https://t.co/X1Zkk3Qebt Spotify: https://t.co/ZpzVC27zml Apple: https://t.co/4ahkNZRGed
Resuming Hormuz Traffic Crucial Amid Iran War Uncertainty
My BNN Bloomberg conversation from earlier today for those who missed it. Talked about the state and trajectory of the Iran War, the growing physical-sentiment disconnect in oil markets, and how nothing really matters unless traffic through the Strait of Hormuz...
War in Ukraine Forces Army to Accelerate Gear Acquisition
Epic Fury Already Stress Testing More Agile Army Acquisition System, General Says The warp speed-like evolution of measures and countermeasures in Ukraine has forced the Army to change how quickly it gets new gear into the hands of its troops. https://t.co/L9dTNXGqgy
Iran Vows Continued Resistance, Rejects Negotiations, Claims Security Shield
"At present, our policy is the continuation of resistance", Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told state TV. “We do not intend to negotiate.” “In this war, we showed the world that no one can provoke the Islamic Republic, and in fact...
Curious About Israel's Potential Deal With Iran
Ok but I’m far more interested in what deal Israel is willing to make with Iran.
Trump Should Claim Victory, Cite 15‑point Plan
I really think the only way out for Trump is to declare victory and move on. He could just say 'they accepted the 15 point plan' and hope Iran opens the Strait.