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 Rejects Trump’s 15-Point Peace Plan
Iran swiftly dismissed President Trump’s 15‑point peace proposal, issuing a counter‑offer that demands reparations, recognition of Hormuz sovereignty and an end to sanctions, while the U.S. bolstered its presence with an extra 2,000 troops, bringing its regional deployment to roughly 7,000. In Europe, Denmark’s Social Democrats suffered a historic loss, forcing Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen into complex coalition negotiations. Meanwhile, Kenya secured near‑full duty‑free access to China’s market, complementing its benefits under the U.S. AGOA program. The Russia‑Ukraine front remains volatile, with record‑high drone attacks underscoring the conflict’s persistence.
Trump’s Negotiation Talk Masks Oil and Troop Moves
if you’re iran right now, you hear lots of president trump talking about negotiations. while you see him 1) trying his hardest to talk down oil prices, 2) getting ground troops in place for phase two of operations.
Anthropic Sues Pentagon over Supply‑chain Risk Ban on Claude AI Model
Anthropic has filed a federal lawsuit seeking an injunction to block the Department of Defense's ban on its Claude AI system, arguing the Pentagon's "supply‑chain risk" label violates the First Amendment and due‑process rights. The case pits the AI startup...
The Fate of a Soviet Nuclear Sub Decades After It Sank
New research by Norwegian scientists using a deep‑sea submersible has detailed the condition of the Soviet K‑278 Komsomolets, which sank in 1989 with two nuclear warheads. The forward torpedo compartment remains sealed by titanium plates, preventing plutonium leakage, but the...
Flying Fox – Fox Lightening
Flying Fox Engineering is developing the Fox Lightning, a low‑cost, fixed‑wing UAV priced around $2,500 per unit. The drone offers a 25‑mile range and a 5.5‑lb payload, targeting rapid, large‑scale deployment in electronic‑warfare and GPS‑denied environments. The company has entered...
Bubble AI App Builder Abused to Steal Microsoft Account Credentials
Threat actors are exploiting Bubble, an AI‑powered no‑code app builder, to host malicious web apps that impersonate Microsoft login pages. By serving phishing pages from the trusted *.bubble.io domain, email security solutions fail to flag the links, allowing credentials to...
Jen Easterly, Cybersecurity's 'Relentless Optimist,' Hopes Feds Come Back to RSAC Next Year
Jen Easterly, former CISA director, took the helm of the RSA Conference (RSAC) as CEO, guiding the 2026 event to 43,000 attendees in San Francisco. She framed the moment as an inflection point where cyber and artificial intelligence are inseparable,...
PDW Raises Over $110M to Expand Military Drone Production
Performance Drone Works (PDW) announced a Series B round that raised over $110 million, led by Ondas and joined by strategic investors such as Hood River, Cedar Pine, Hanwha’s venture fund and Booz Allen Hamilton. The capital will fund a hiring...
Exclusive: Lockheed Martin's Martell Says Warfare Requires Human-Machine Teamwork
Lockheed Martin CTO Craig Martell told Axios that future warfare will rely on human‑machine teaming, not fully autonomous cognition. He emphasized that operators must train alongside AI systems to understand their limits and assume responsibility for any errors. Martell cited...
Syria’s Lessons for Regime Change in Iran
Lina Khatib argues that Syria’s 2011‑2024 upheaval offers a clearer template for any future regime change in Iran than the Iraq experience. She notes that Iran’s missile force and conventional capabilities are eroding under sustained U.S.–Israeli air strikes, while its...
TeamPCP Supply Chain Attack Hits LiteLLM PyPI Package
Open‑source Python library LiteLLM was compromised by the TeamPCP threat group, which uploaded malicious versions to PyPI that have since been removed. The packages deployed a three‑stage intrusion: credential harvesting, a Kubernetes lateral‑movement toolkit, and a persistent systemd backdoor. Endor...
Trojanized ConnectWise ScreenConnect Installers Deployed in Tax-Themed Malvertising Campaign
Cybercriminals have been running a tax‑season malvertising campaign since January 2026, hijacking Google Ads to serve fake W‑2 and W‑9 download pages that redirect to malicious ConnectWise ScreenConnect installers. The trojanized installers launch a trial instance, inject a multi‑stage crypter...
Iran’s Attacks Force U.S. Troops to Work Remotely
Following a series of Iranian missile and drone attacks on U.S. installations across the Middle East, the Pentagon has ordered thousands of American service members to abandon their bases and operate from makeshift locations such as hotels and office spaces....
Trends Revealed in Fortinet’s FortiGuard Labs 2026 Global Threat Landscape Report - Aamir Lakhani - RSAC26 #3
Fortinet’s FortiGuard Labs released its 2026 Global Threat Landscape Report, highlighting a sharp rise in AI‑enabled cybercrime. The report shows AI is accelerating attack techniques, from automated ransomware encryption to AI‑driven supply‑chain exploits. Aamir Lakhani, Fortinet’s Global Director of Threat Intelligence...
Advent's Malani Sees Gaps in Defense Tech Superiority
Advent Capital has poured roughly $15 billion into mature defense firms since 2020 and is preparing to commit an additional $1 billion to nurture early‑stage innovators. Malani highlighted investments in missile‑defense, AI‑enhanced submarine hunting, space‑based intelligence and V‑laser weapons, blending large‑cap take‑privates...
New Torg Grabber Infostealer Malware Targets 728 Crypto Wallets
Researchers at Gen Digital have uncovered Torg Grabber, a rapidly evolving infostealer that has harvested data from 850 browser extensions, including 728 cryptocurrency wallets, between December 2025 and February 2026. The malware gains initial access via the ClickFix clipboard‑hijacking technique, then executes...
Gov Proposes Disclosure Delay for Most Serious Cyberattacks
Australia is consulting on new rules that would allow a temporary, roughly 30‑day delay in publicly disclosing serious cyber‑attacks on critical‑infrastructure operators, including ASX‑listed firms. The proposal aims to give entities time to mitigate threats without compromising national security or...
Chained Vulnerabilities in Cisco Catalyst Switches Could Induce Denial-of-Service
Cisco disclosed four vulnerabilities in its widely deployed Catalyst 9300 series switches, two of which (CVE‑2026‑20114 and CVE‑2026‑20110) can be chained to elevate a low‑privilege Lobby Ambassador account into maintenance mode, effectively causing a denial‑of‑service outage. The chain requires only...
RT Misstates F‑18 Loss; only F‑35 Was Hit
RT drops IRGC claim: US F-18 'hit by air defenses over Iran' . In Reality the documented case is the March 19 F-35 that got tagged, pilot wounded by shrapnel, emergency landing confirmed by CENTCOM. No independent verification on a...
Terran Orbital Introduces New Star Tracker Product Line at SATSHOW 2026
Terran Orbital, a Lockheed Martin company, unveiled a new star tracker product line—M10, H6, and F4—at SATSHOW 2026. The three models are engineered to balance cost, mass, and performance while leveraging the firm’s extensive flight heritage. Each unit features robust...
Even U.S. Spy Offices Are Getting Lounges and Upgrades
The 2025 update to Intelligence Community Directive 705 tightens shielding against electronic surveillance, forcing many existing secure workspaces to undergo costly renovations. To comply, designers are relocating bathrooms, kitchens and plumbing outside the innermost secure zones, creating a new peripheral...
Inside the Data Fusion and Integration Challenges to Building the Golden Dome
The Golden Dome missile‑defense concept faces a formidable data‑fusion hurdle, requiring real‑time 3‑D tracking of ballistic and hypersonic launches from a patchwork of space‑ and ground‑based sensors. Industry leaders at a SATShow Week panel emphasized that the obstacle is less...
The United States Router Ban, Explained
The FCC announced a ban on future consumer Wi‑Fi routers that are manufactured abroad, citing national‑security concerns. Existing routers can remain in use and receive firmware updates through March 1 2027, but no new foreign‑made devices will receive FCC authorization. The rule...
Iran Targets US Public Opinion with Online Information War
Following President Trump’s announcement of US‑Israel strikes on Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps quickly launched an online information campaign using AI‑generated videos and images. Within 24 hours, dozens of IRGC‑linked accounts posted deepfakes that mocked Trump and fabricated battlefield...
Is Cuba Next? | Mario Braga, RANE
The Trump administration has signaled it may target Cuba next, prompting a livestream analysis by RANE’s Latin America analyst Mario Braga. Cuba is grappling with a deepening crisis marked by chronic energy shortages, an economy on the brink of collapse, and...
CYBERCOM 2.0 Seeks to ‘Deny Adversaries Freedom of Maneuver’
The Department of Defense is rolling out CYBERCOM 2.0, a revamped force‑generation model aimed at retaining elite cyber talent, deepening specialization, and preparing for AI‑driven threats. The initiative integrates cyber capabilities across all warfighting domains, treating the cyber sphere as connective...
KBR Loses $1.8 Billion NASA Contract Challenge to Ascend JV
KBR’s protest of NASA’s $1.8 billion COSMOS contract was rejected by the Government Accountability Office, leaving the award to the Ascend joint venture of Amentum and Aerodyne. The five‑year contract, with two optional extensions, supports command‑and‑control systems for Orion, the Space...
34th ‘Rude Rams’ Named Top 2025 Air Force Fighter Squadron
The U.S. Air Force’s 34th Fighter Squadron, nicknamed the “Rude Rams,” was awarded the 2025 Raytheon Award as the top fighter squadron in the service. Based at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, the unit spent 11 of the past 12...
How Are Iran’s Partnerships with Belarus and Russia Holding Up During War?
Russia’s reliance on Iranian‑designed drones has grown, while Belarus has become a pivotal production hub. The two allies announced a joint facility capable of churning out up to 100,000 drones per year and have already stepped up component manufacturing for...
Ukraine's Strikes Cut 40% of Russia's Oil Exports
Ukraine struck another Russian export terminal today. Reuters calculates that 40% of Russian oil export capacity is currently offline. Ukrainian sanctions at work.
Space Force Releases StriX-6 Orbital Data and Stage Details
Space Force orbital data now out for StriX-6, launched on Mar 20, showing it in a 557 x 580 km x 50.3 deg orbit with Electron stages in 173 x 491 km and 340 x 558 km.
Romania Pays the Cyber Price for Backing Ukraine. Where Is the EU?
Romania’s water agency, coal‑power producer and oil‑pipeline operator have suffered ransomware attacks linked to Russian‑aligned groups such as Qilin and Gentlemen, which the country’s top cyber official says are timed with its support for Ukraine. The EU possesses a cyber‑sanctions...
Don't Deploy Destroyer Without Navy's Availability Confirmation
You tried to rush in with a Destroyer until your Navy told you it had no ships ready and available you putz.
2019 Book Predicted Missile‑Drone Dominance
2019 book that predicted the “missiles + drones > naval ships” dynamic we are watching play out in real time in Hormuz. Martyanov’s warnings apparently fell on deaf ears in DC unfortunately. https://t.co/4nsMkPDhTm
StarTech.com Is Raising the Bar for Classified Workstations
StarTech.com has introduced a new line of secure KVM switches designed for classified workstations, achieving National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP) compliance and supporting zero‑trust architectures. The devices provide hardware‑based isolation that physically separates classified and unclassified systems while allowing a...
IEA Chief to Brief EU Ministers on Iran War Impact
IEA chief to brief EU finance ministers on Iran war impact this week https://t.co/MQ3pSEFj3B via @europressos https://t.co/7Eo8OA83pz
Ukraine Escalates Successful Strikes on Baltic Export Hub
Doubling down on its strikes in the Baltic, Ukraine has launched an even more impressive and successful strike on Ust-Luga and other export facilities. Full analysis available exclusively for Analyst Tier members on Patreon ➡️ https://t.co/Vp7XCb4HTR #russiaukrainewar #energy https://t.co/nwoDcCn3T7
Inside Beijing's Strategy: The Trump-Xi Summit, Taiwan & the Tech War with Chris Johnson
The latest episode of Intel at the Edge features former CIA China analyst Chris Johnson dissecting the Trump‑Xi summit and Beijing’s evolving tech strategy. Johnson highlights how past rare‑earth disputes have reshaped China’s playbook, Xi’s drive for tech sovereignty, and...
FPV Drones Threaten Parked U.S. Aircraft at Home and Abroad
Drone Attack On Parked U.S. Army Black Hawk In Iraq A Harbinger Of What’s To Come The ballooning threat from FPV drones pose a major risk to American aircraft parked on ramps in war zones and in the United States. https://t.co/VnieHpJqsL
Trivy Compromise Spreads to Major Python Package
Aqua Security’s Trivy vulnerability scanner compromise is trickling down into a hugely popular Python package. https://t.co/oj8J8KJrGo
Russia Arrests Alleged Owner of Cybercrime Forum LeakBase, Report Says
Russian police detained the alleged administrator of LeakBase, a cybercrime forum once described by the U.S. Department of Justice as one of the world’s largest platforms for sharing hacking tools and stolen credentials. The site, which was shut down earlier...
Export Controls Must Prioritize Cost‑Benefit Over Honor System
#ChipSecurityActWatch America’s Export Controls Shouldn’t Run on the Honor System No, but it should run based on clear cost benefit analysis and with minimal impact on industry and supply chains. A short thread 🧵 https://t.co/KArD3li5Ly
Government AI Defense Contracts Spark Complex Disputes
Supplier contract disputes can be complicated. And when it’s a govt. contract, in a sensitive spend area like defense, and for a high-profile service/application like AI or other emergent tech, then things can get really tricky. Via @CristinaCriddle @FT https://t.co/OJzNWfcs68
Iran Rewards Spain with Free Hormuz Passage After Condemnation
🚨 LATEST Iran grants Spain free passage through the Strait of Hormuz The move comes right after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez publicly called the war “illegal” and a “colossal mistake.” https://t.co/l8uXSjtTvr
Netanyahu Ramps up Iran Strikes Before Peace Talks
Netanyahu to increase strikes on Iran. Before peace talks. Any thought on what Iran may do to retaliate? The Strait?
Iran Tightens Hormuz Passage, Demands Full Ship Details
Iran Demands Crew, Cargo, and Other Details to Send Ships Through Hormuz. Asserting control. https://t.co/xKxQYK4JFV
B‑2’s Organic, Curvy Leading Edge Defies Straight Lines
This spooky image of the B-2 is another great study of the aircraft's very organic-like leading edge shape. Nothing straight. https://t.co/vcqFIHYorX
Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Plant Hit Again, Defying Trump’s Promise
🚨 UPDATE Reports are circulating that Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant has reportedly been struck again, despite President Trump saying U.S. forces would not target energy facilities. https://t.co/JvTpB0cjPL
Mearsheimer: No Viable Deal to End Iran War
Distinguished UChicago Prof. John Mearsheimer on ending the war in Iran: “When you look at the demands on both sides… there’s just no way you get a deal here.” https://t.co/yJ9abF5l9f
Army's FY27 Ammo Funding Peaks, Then Slashes
A tiny peak at the upcoming DOD budget: The Army is looking to continue high spending on GOCO ammo production in FY27 before a sharp drop off in the following years, according to new slides. https://t.co/hCSeV8VFbd