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
The Cloud Is a Battlefield, and You're Enlisted
The episode examines the emerging reality that commercial data centers are becoming legitimate military targets, highlighted by the Iranian drone strikes on AWS facilities in the Gulf. It explains how massive AI‑driven cloud infrastructure, funded by Pentagon contracts and hidden behind NDAs, blurs the line between civilian services and classified military workloads, raising legal and safety concerns. The host outlines the environmental and community impacts of these gigawatt‑scale sites and the lack of international legal protection for them. Ultimately, the discussion warns that without new regulations, citizens will bear the costs—and risks—of AI warfare hosted in their backyards.
Tech, Not Troops, Drives Modern Military Dominance
America’s military success has never been a function of numbers of troops, it’s all about the use of advanced tech and an almost endless military supply chain
Belgium's UAE Evacuation Proves Civil Protection Mechanism Works
Belgium just airlifted 198 of their own + 39 citizens from other member states out of the UAE using the A330 MRTT via Muscat and Hurghada. This is why the Civil Protection Mechanism exists and it actually worked.
Boeing Christens Second Extra-Large Orca Submarine Drone
Boeing has commissioned its second extra‑large Orca uncrewed undersea vehicle, designated XLE2, marking the third hull in the program after XLE0 and XLE1. The 85‑ton, 85‑foot platform boasts a 6,500‑nautical‑mile endurance, hybrid electric power and a 33‑foot mission bay capable...
Trump’s “Unconditional Surrender” Targets Iran’s Weapons, Not Regime
"And yes, President Trump’s demand for “unconditional surrender” is consistent with the political objectives stated from the beginning of the war. It does not necessarily mean the surrender of the Iranian state. It means the unconditional end of the behaviors...
LIVE at 5p ET:
Former FBI deputy director Frank Figliuzzi announced a live broadcast at 5 p.m. ET, inviting subscribers to a real‑time discussion on emerging security threats. The session will cover a recently blocked terror report, heightened tensions in Iran, and allegations that Russia...
Royal Navy Crowsnest Airborne Surveillance Helicopters Deployed to Cyprus
Royal Navy Merlin HM2 helicopters fitted with the Crowsnest airborne surveillance and control system have departed RNAS Culdrose for a self‑deployed deployment to Cyprus. The Thales Searchwater pulse‑Doppler radar can detect low‑flying UAVs such as Shahed drones at ranges up...
Pete Hegseth Mocks 'Iranians That Think They’re Gonna Live' In Disgusting TV Interview
Defense official Pete Hegseth, appearing on CBS’s 60 Minutes, mocked Iranians while downplaying reports that Russia may be sharing battlefield intelligence with Tehran. He claimed the United States “has the best intelligence” and suggested only Iranians “thinking they’ll live” should...
British Startup Skycutter Stuns US Military-Industrial Complex in Pentagon’s ‘Drone Dominance’ Trials
British startup Skycutter topped the Pentagon’s ‘Drone Dominance Gauntlet I’ with a 99.3‑out‑of‑100 score, eclipsing U.S. competitors in a trial aimed at fielding 30,000 low‑cost expendable UAVs. The company’s SC‑1200 heavy‑lift, hydrogen‑powered SC Gryphon and backpack‑deployable SC‑ISR platforms impressed evaluators...
Samson Option: Why Israel’s Nuclear ‘Last-Resort’ Doctrine Is Back in Focus Amid US-Israel War on Iran?
The Samson Option—Israel’s undeclared nuclear last‑resort doctrine—has resurfaced amid escalating Iran‑Israel hostilities, including hypersonic missile strikes and broader regional conflict. While Israel maintains strategic ambiguity about its nuclear arsenal, estimates suggest it holds around 90 warheads and delivery capabilities across...
Iran Conflict Fuels Endless Oil‑price, Russia‑Ukraine Funding Loop
So the longer the Iran conflict lasts... 1. The longer oil prices are higher 2. The longer the Trump admin allows Russian oil to be sold without sanctions 3. The more financial firepower Russia has to support Iran to prolong the conflict ...rinse and...
Termite Ransomware Breaches Linked to ClickFix CastleRAT Attacks
Velvet Tempest, a long‑standing ransomware affiliate, leveraged a ClickFix malvertising lure to breach a U.S. nonprofit’s network of 3,000+ endpoints. The group performed hands‑on AD reconnaissance, harvested Chrome credentials, and staged the DonutLoader and CastleRAT backdoor, but stopped short of...
AI Accelerates US Iran Operations, Boosting Analyst Efficiency
“US military relying on AI as tool to speed Iran operations,” @business One of the many reasons the AI race is critical for the U.S. to lead. https://t.co/oOKSi9AgHM In the Iran campaign, AI technology has played a critical role by supporting the...
Seizing Iranian VLCCs Could De‑Escalate Conflict
My only difference with @ed_fin strategy is this: Vice hitting an Iranian VLCC, we wait until they exit the Strait and seize, a la Venezuelan tankers. Start grabbing these ships as they come out and threaten to impound them and...
The Quantum Curtain
A billionaire philanthropist, David Kilmer, has launched Harpocrates, a globally accessible quantum key distribution (QKD) satellite network comprising 210 CubeSats and open‑source ground stations. The system promises virtually unbreakable encryption, and its technical specifications were released publicly, spurring rapid adoption...
Bahrain Says Refinery Fire From Iran Strike Has Been Contained
A fire erupted at Bahrain's Sitra refinery after an Iranian missile strike, but the blaze was fully contained with no reported injuries and the plant remains operational. The incident comes as the refinery, part of a $7 bn Bapco Modernisation Programme,...
Microsoft: Hackers Abusing AI at Every Stage of Cyberattacks
Microsoft’s threat‑intelligence report reveals that cyber‑criminals are increasingly embedding generative AI across the entire attack lifecycle. Threat groups use large language models to draft phishing emails, create fake professional identities, and accelerate malware development. The report highlights specific North Korean...
Iran's Missile Strikes Fall, Drones Persist via China
We've seen a confirmed drop in Iran's missile attacks, but drones remain the larger LT threat. The complication that I'll be following closely is China's role. With Chinese shipments of drone components still entering Iran, the US will have to...
Iran's High-Risk Strategy for a No-Limits Middle East War
Iran has drafted a high‑risk, no‑limits war strategy that anticipates a multi‑front conflict across the Middle East. The plan, reportedly approved by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, ensures the Iranian military can continue operations even if its top commanders are eliminated....
U.S. Sub Sinks Iranian Warship to Protect Shipping
This is the question every admiral in the Pentagon was asking early this week that the media hasn’t covered. There is outrage in anti-Trump circles after a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship because it looked like an unfair fight. While weak...
George Answers Your Questions: First Thoughts on the Attack on Iran
George Friedman of Geopolitical Futures provides his first assessment of the recent attack on Iran, describing the immediate strategic context and the organization’s internal response. He explains that Geopolitical Futures has moved to a “Red Alert” posture, mirroring past crisis...
Over 100 GitHub Repositories Distributing BoryptGrab Stealer
Trend Micro uncovered a coordinated campaign distributing the BoryttGrab information stealer through more than 100 GitHub repositories. The malware harvests browser credentials, cryptocurrency‑wallet data, Telegram files, Discord tokens, and system information, then exfiltrates it via a C&C server. Some variants...
The Acceleration
The blog post claims that within a week the Trump administration is moving toward a ground invasion of Iran, citing rumors of U.S. special forces embedded with Kurdish fighters and coordinated air strikes with Israel. It asserts that Russia is...
Digest of Recent Articles on Just Security (Feb. 28-Mar. 6, 2026)
Just Security released a weekly digest (Feb. 28‑Mar. 6, 2026) that aggregates new legal scholarship on a range of security issues. The collection spotlights intensive analysis of the U.S.–Israel–Iran conflict, including pre‑emptive strike doctrine and international reactions, while also covering the Russia‑Ukraine war,...
Iran Signals Possible De‑Escalation, Strait Oil Flow Uncertain
Neighbouring countries will no longer be targeted, unless attacks originate from there, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says. What does this mean? — This could be the first sign of de-escalation in the one-week-old war. — Time will tell if Pezeshkian was actually speaking...
Pentagon Authorizes $53M Upgrade for LRASM Production Line
The Pentagon approved a $53.1 million contract modification for Lockheed Martin to upgrade the Long‑Range Anti‑Ship Missile (LRASM) production line, adding tooling and test equipment to boost output. The amendment lifts the overall contract value to $462.9 million and extends work through November 2028....
U.S. Army Awards $610M Deal for Insect Plant in Texas
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a firm‑fixed‑price contract worth $610 million to M.A. Mortenson Co. to construct a Domestic New World Screwworm Sterile Insect Production Facility at Moore Airbase in Edinburg, Texas. The plant will mass‑produce sterilized screwworm...
Iran Hits Tanker with Drone for Violating Strait of Hormuz Passage Ban, IRGC Claims
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said a drone struck a tanker that breached Tehran's newly imposed Strait of Hormuz passage ban. The IRGC claimed the attack was a defensive response to the vessel's unauthorized navigation. The incident comes as Iran's...
U.S. Army Evaluates SlingWorks Drone Strike System
The U.S. Army tested Elbit America’s SlingWorks launched effects system during the CDF CFWE 26 exercise at Yuma Proving Ground. The demonstration, conducted with soldiers from the 1st Armored Division, showed the platform’s ability to share targeting data across existing Army networks...
Forecasting Iran-Israel Conflict's Escalation Path
As a global forecaster, I’ve been closely watching the escalation dynamics around the Iran–Israel war. Subscribers to my research have already been tracking this trajectory, but for those following events more broadly, here are my key predictions for how this conflict...
US to Field 2,400 F‑35s, Becoming Fourth‑largest Air Force
The US is planning to build up a fleet of 2400 F-35s, which would make it the 4th largest global air force alone. https://t.co/YAnXK2vCUQ
Kazakhstan Reveals Production of Barys 6×6 Armored Vehicles
Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering announced the start of serial production for the Barys 6×6 armored vehicle, a domestically built variant of South Africa’s Mbombe 6 MRAP platform. The vehicle seats two crew members and up to eight troops, offering mine, IED and ballistic...
Trump's Iran War Drains Nearly $1 Billion Daily
CNN reports that Trump's war in Iran is costing the US more than $890 MILLION PER DAY. WAR = MASSIVE COST = FISCAL PROBLEMS. https://t.co/NDO5P1kaiE
Iranian Radar Strikes Expose Global Missile Defense Weaknesses
Iranian Attacks On Critical Missile Defense Radars Are A Wake-Up Call Iran's successful targeting of prized missile defense radars in the Middle East highlights global vulnerabilities. Feature: https://t.co/vGqhORYAMn
Rare Boeing 747 (Operated by IRIAF) Cargo Aircraft Targeted and Destroyed at Mehrabad Airport
A U.S. and Israeli strike on March 7 destroyed the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force's rare Boeing 747 cargo aircraft at Tehran's Mehrabad Airport. The aircraft, a modified 747‑100 used for long‑range logistics and previously spotted delivering military supplies...
Iran's Missile Fleet Crippled; Underground Storage Backfires
Iran would have been better off stuffing them in warehouses, garages etc. Centralizing all your crap (that is already road mobile) in places with a couple entrances and exits beneath a mountain is a problem when going against the USAF/IAF.
Maps Reveal Ongoing Frontline Shifts in Eastern Ukraine
Updated maps from the past few days showing Russian advances along the border in Sumy oblast, Hryshyne, and Huliaipole. https://t.co/2fOTZjg6ww https://t.co/vh0Uy67YYp
Assessing Whether the US Navy Should Seize Iranian Tankers
Should the US Navy Start Targeting & Seizing Iranian Tankers 1⃣Sea Power vs Seapower 2⃣How did the US Torpedo Global Shipping? 3⃣Convoying in the Past 4⃣Current US Naval Situation 5⃣Potential Strategy for the US H/T: @ed_fin @gCaptain @LloydsList @ianellisjones Video: https://t.co/XpwiR2J9Cb
Iran's Air War Halts Hormuz Shipping, Hits Regional Oil
Air War Against Iran Enters Week Two Iran continues to target its neighbors' oil production as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is nearly at a stand still. Latest: https://t.co/EOkyezfgoC
Ukraine’s Shifting Launch Sites Highlight OWA’s Adaptability
Ukraine uses a variety of launch sites and changes between them. It’s much easier to adapt OWA to launching from fields, rotating sites, or even using mobile platforms. Some things in wars are observations vs lessons. Context matters.
Four Seafarers Killed in Hormuz; IMO Warns Crew Risks
Four Seafarers Killed in Hormuz Attack, IMO Chief Warns of Growing Risk to Crews https://t.co/Rb5FINfXKz
Iranian Shadow Fleet and Greek Vessels Dominate Hormuz Transit
Are ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz? YES Who are they? IRANIAN & GREEK Iranian Shadow Fleet and Greek Affiliated Ships Lead Strait of Hormuz Transits https://t.co/ErnBCy9pVb
US Should Apply Venezuelan Seizure Tactics to Iranian Tankers
Okay, why is this a surprise? The Iranians have been loading at Kharg the entire time. It seems like the US could use that experience of seizing 10 Venezuelan tankers and start leveraging that capability against the 38 Iranian VLCCs.
Red Sea Tactics Resurface Against Iranian‑backed Houthis
Deja vu to the Red Sea of two years ago. We saw this same exact tactic against the Houthi. Which makes sense as the Iranians backed the Houthis.
Regime‑change Gamble Ignores Iran's Nuclear Reality
Again, because, at least implicitly, the aim is regime change and the theory is a new regime will solve the proliferation problem. It is not a wise strategy because these are foolish men.
Allies Alarmed as US Diverts Weapons to Iran War
NEW: U.S. allies are watching in disbelief as DOD reroutes weapons to aid the Iran war, worried long-promised American arms will never come. “The munitions that have been and will be fired are the ones that everybody needs,” said one European...
US
We now have reporting both that there was another Iranian Navy ship in the area, and also that the U.S. government took measures appropriate under Intl law to ensure rescue authorities were notified of the sinking of IRIS Dena, and...
UK Claims No US Aid, yet Relies on US Navy
Starmer repeatedly says Britain isn’t helping the US Navy Meanwhile his defense minister argues the UK doesn’t need to defend it’s territory because US Navy destroyers are doing it for them Why are 🇺🇸 ships protecting UK territory instead of focusing on...
Ukraine Hits Shahed Missile Hub at Donetsk Airport
Ukraine’s General Staff posted footage of a strike on Shahed storage and launch location in Donetsk airport with ATACMS and SCALP missiles. https://t.co/r3Dg02y4Ci https://t.co/pt5k00tXIW
Polymarket Predicts US Troops in Iran by Year‑end
MASSIVE: Polymarket traders expect US forces to enter Iran before the end of the year. https://t.co/2rC7Fs38kh