Know What's Happening in Defense
Know What's Happening in Defense
U.S. IDFC boosts reinsurance guarantees for Hormuz shipping to $40 billion
The U.S. International Development Finance Corp has doubled its reinsurance guarantees for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to $40 billion, adding major insurers such as AIG and Berkshire Hathaway. The step is intended to reinforce maritime security amid escalating regional tensions.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Kraken Robotics acquires Colvya Group for $615M
Chinese fishing fleets gathered in the East China Sea in massive, geometric formations, involving up to 2,000 vessels. Satellite and AIS data captured parallel inverted L shapes and rectangles that persisted for 30 hours before dispersing. Experts interpret the coordinated maneuvers as a state‑directed test of China’s maritime militia, potentially supporting future blockades or an invasion of Taiwan. The events mark the largest civilian vessel concentration observed outside ports, raising regional security concerns.
The latest 60 Minutes episode examines two stark developments: AI‑controlled drones that can hunt and kill without human input, and a high‑profile media showdown involving former security firm owner Micky Ahuja, who faces accusations of worker exploitation and sexual predation. The...
Senate Democrats filed a war‑powers resolution demanding congressional approval before any U.S. attack on Cuba, aiming to force the president to pull troops from hostilities. The measure, introduced by Sens. Tim Kaine, Ruben Gallego and Adam Schiff, could be brought...
Over the past ten weeks the United States removed President Nicolás Maduro from power, sparking intense debate over the legality and necessity of the action. While Washington frames the move as a moral imperative against an authoritarian regime, critics argue it...
A discussion with @CondoleezzaRice — she visited the White house a week ago. Very helpful as she makes it clear that regime change is not only not the goal, but not even feasible, pointing out that autocratic regimes are...
The most annoying people now are those who keep saying the Iranian regime lies about everything, yet believe it when it says it will block the Strait of Hormuz—simply because it serves their agenda.
A viral photograph of the Arleigh Burke‑class destroyer USS Dewey revealed extensive rust as the ship entered Singapore’s Sembawang port on February 18, 2025. The image sparked public concern about the U.S. Navy’s maintenance practices and highlighted corrosion as a long‑standing vulnerability. In...
The stories that the admin/pentagon was blind sided by Iran closing the strait is the most outrageous oversight I have ever seen in war planning if true.
Here’s decades of Netanyahu saying Iran is days away from making a nuclear bomb. https://t.co/i5X0wYscGm
Episode 150 of the Irregular Warfare Podcast explores how Iran’s modern state evolved from the 1953 coup and the 1979 revolution to adopt proxy warfare as a core foreign‑policy tool. Guests Dr. Arman Mahmoudian and Behnam Ben Taleblu explain why...
U.S. military investigators have concluded that an American Tomahawk missile strike mistakenly hit the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls' elementary school in Minab, Iran, killing roughly 175 people, mostly children. Republican Senator John Kennedy publicly apologized for the tragedy, describing it as...
The U.S. Central Command confirmed that a KC‑135 aerial refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq during Operation Epic Fury, stating the loss was not caused by hostile fire. A second KC‑135 landed safely, and rescue teams are searching for survivors....
He learned little/nothing from the drone warfare between Russia and Ukraine. Or the Houthis in the Red Sea. Or Hamas in Gaza against Israel. They ignored the Ukrainians when they said they have a defensive option against drones. Generals always prepare for the last...
Bangladesh’s economic lifeline to the Gulf hinges on 3 million migrant workers and $24 billion in annual remittances. Recent Iranian missile and drone attacks across GCC airspace have heightened security risks for these expatriates. The government is weighing a neutral diplomatic stance...
Trump’s Plan for #Cuba Would Make the US the Island’s Patron My story tonight https://t.co/XiwNVUwIPt
Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, still recovering from a U.S. strike, declared that Iran will keep the Strait of Hormuz closed, leaving roughly 1,000 vessels stranded in the Gulf. While the closure is driven by political retaliation, insurers have confirmed that...
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a state weapons factory on March 13, 2026, where he personally tested pistols alongside his daughter. The visit was documented with images showing Kim aiming a rifle while surrounded by a drink, cigarettes and an ashtray....
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is expected to announce Tokyo’s participation in the United States’ “Golden Dome” missile‑defence program during her March 19 meeting with President Donald Trump. The Golden Dome initiative envisions a layered shield of space‑based interceptors and sensors...
How does the US not plan on the closing of the Strait of Hormuz when it executes a multi-week bombing campaign against Iran. https://t.co/PD1g7fvdte
I kid you not... The same White House that forgot that didn't realize that Iran might close the Strait of Hormuz, is now arguing (through Ron Vara) that the war is a good idea because it'll prevent Iran from closing...
British Defence Minister John Healey warned that Russia may be covertly supporting Iran’s drone operations in the ongoing Middle East conflict. He referenced analysis of an Iranian-made drone that struck the UK’s Akrotiri base in Cyprus, seeking evidence of Russian...
Ukraine war is a glimpse into the future of warfare and everyone should be paying attention Photo of the year candidate here. (Jamming means drones increasingly use fiber optic wire, leaving frontline towns enveloped in a web of fiber)
12 days into Trump’s war and we get an objective. Also - “destroying Iran’s missiles”isn’t going to solve anything when they still have: -drones -control over the strait -nuclear fuel -khamenei leader (just more hardline)
The U.S. Treasury on March 13 sanctioned two companies and six individuals for operating overseas IT networks that funneled money to North Korea. The schemes, which included malware attacks and data theft, generated roughly $800 million for Pyongyang’s weapons programs in...
Who knew that when Hegseth was talking about lethality he meant our planes crashing into each other?
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a short‑term general licence that lets countries buy Russian crude already stranded at sea, aiming to ease the price surge triggered by the U.S.-Israel‑Iran conflict. The licence covers oil loaded onto vessels by March 12...
The Dutch coalition has introduced a “freedom contribution” tax to help meet its NATO‑mandated defence target of 3.5 % of GDP by 2035, raising the current 2.49 % level. Across Europe, governments are weighing three financing routes—public debt, new taxes, or welfare...
Japan and the United States announced plans to broaden classified information sharing between their defense forces, aiming to boost deterrence and response capabilities. In parallel, the United States and China will hold high‑level talks in Paris ahead of a Trump‑Xi...
Indonesia and Australia announced plans to broaden their security partnership by creating two trilateral arrangements, one with Japan and another with Papua New Guinea. The initiatives follow the recent Jakarta Treaty, which already deepens bilateral consultations and joint training, and...
The United States has reportedly exhausted ammunition stockpiles equivalent to several years of supply since the onset of the Iran‑related conflict earlier this year. Defense officials cite accelerated use of precision‑guided munitions, artillery shells, and air‑to‑air missiles supporting regional operations...
Nachum Kaplan argues that the October 7 Hamas attack, while a tactical shock, became a strategic catastrophe for Iran and its proxy network. The assault provoked a massive Israeli‑U.S. retaliation that dismantled Hamas’s infrastructure, crippled Hezbollah, and exposed Iran’s regional ambitions....
Analysts Alan Eyre and Behnam Ben Taleblu assess the U.S.-Israel war against Iran, noting that the IRGC has retained hard‑line control while the conflict has crippled Iran's ability to project power. They argue that military successes have also heightened Tehran’s...
Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon’s undersecretary for defense policy and former critic of Middle‑East militarism, released the delayed 2026 National Defense Strategy and is testifying before both Senate and House Armed Services committees. The strategy pivots toward great‑power competition and positions...
A Pentagon official said the military is experimenting with generative AI chatbots to rank and recommend strike targets, with human operators retaining final authority. The approach would layer large‑language models such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, xAI’s Grok, or Anthropic’s Claude onto...
A U.S. Air Force KC‑135 Stratotanker crashed in Iraq during Operation Epic Fury, the campaign against Iran. CENTCOM said the incident occurred in friendly airspace and was not caused by hostile or friendly fire. Casualties remain unclear and rescue efforts...
A U.S. Air Force KC-135 tanker crashed in western Iraq, killing all six crew members. The incident occurred during Operation Epic Fury and involved two aircraft, with the second landing safely. CENTCOM said the loss was not caused by hostile...
Rick Freeman, Amazon's vice president for Leo Government, left the company in late February, prompting a quiet reorganization of the satellite business’s marketing teams. Amazon Leo, formerly Project Kuiper, is building a 3,000‑satellite low‑Earth‑orbit network and currently has about 200...
U.S. strikes against Iran, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, showcased the Pentagon’s push toward an AI‑first warfighting posture. AI‑enabled planning tools allowed 900 attacks to be planned and executed within a 12‑hour window, while the low‑cost LUCAS one‑way attack drones provided...
The post decries recent US and Israeli airstrikes against Iran, noting that British bases in England and the Indian Ocean have been granted to the United States for "defensive" operations. It highlights the ease of the attacks, likening them to...
Japan’s government cautioned domestic firms that aid Ukraine’s reconstruction about the risk of technology and sensitive data leaks via Huawei‑supplied 5G networks. The warning follows a Ukrainian telecom operator’s 5G trials with Huawei and a failed bid by Japan’s Rakuten...
The Pentagon’s recent strike on Iran showcased a firepower surge that dwarfed its 2003 Iraq assault, a boost attributed in part to artificial‑intelligence integration. Hours before the attack, the Defense Department’s partnership with Anthropic ended after the AI firm raised...
The International Energy Agency (IEA) just authorized a 400 million barrel reserve release to offset oil disruptions caused by the Iran war and the Strait of Hormuz blockade. That stabilizes markets—for now. However, with global demand at around 100 million...
Yes, I think the message is now loud and clear. The US Navy will escort vessels through the Strait as soon as the Strait is safe for navigation. 😅😅😅
Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) is now openly partnering with cyber‑criminal groups, embedding tools like the Rhadamanthys infostealer into its APT operations. The strategy, highlighted by Check Point research, shows MOIS‑run groups such as Void Manticore and MuddyWater buying...
While France wants to extend its nuclear umbrella, the far more likely outcome is a Europe where multiple countries build their own nukes. #eu #nuclear #geopolitics https://t.co/Msz4bhjb8H
The amount of war PROPAGANDA from the US military in 2026 is staggering….. a whole refuelling aircraft can’t just go missing, it was hit by Iran
Lots of people asking me my opinion on the Hormuz situation. The truth is I don’t really know what to think. But my inclination is to direct everyone to this link: https://t.co/YQsMAPHfJr
KC-135 Tanker Crashes In Iraq During Operation Epic Fury Sortie U.S. Central Command says two aircraft were involved in the incident and that a search and rescue effort is currently underway. https://t.co/kNmwYcORgp
Navy Is Firing Its Railgun Again After Abandoning It For Years The Trump class "battleship" has breathed new life into the Navy's railgun ambitions, which it previously shelved after hitting technical hurdles. https://t.co/vUjsBEgcLx
6 French soldiers injured in a drone attack on their joint base with Peshmerga forces in Makhmour, northern Iraq.
