🎯 Today's Defense Pulse
U.S. pauses multi‑billion Taiwan arms sales amid Iran war
The acting U.S. Navy secretary told Congress that all pending arms sales to Taiwan are on hold because the war in Iran is diverting production capacity. The pause affects a multi‑billion‑dollar package that includes F‑16 fighters, advanced missiles and M1A2T Abrams tanks slated for delivery over the next few years.
Also developing:
By the numbers: ICEYE secures $327M revolving credit facility
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DARPA and Northrop Grumman to Launch First US On-Orbit Satellite Servicing Mission This Summer
DARPA’s RSGS robot launches this summer to repair and upgrade satellites in orbit, marking a major step forward for U.S. space servicing. The post DARPA and Northrop Grumman to Launch First US On-Orbit Satellite Servicing Mission This Summer appeared first on Orbital Today.
Orbital Today
CISA to Allow Researchers to Report Vulnerabilities to Exploited Bugs Catalog
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) announced the creation of a nomination form on Thursday that they said enables “researchers, vendors, and industry partners” to report bugs that need to be added to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
The Record by Recorded Future
Poland Joins Pentagon’s Counter-Drone Marketplace Amid Unexpected US Deployment Cancellation
The Army is continuing to expand military cooperation with Poland through the Pentagon’s counter-drone initiative, the service announced on Wednesday.
Military Times
US Arms Sales to Taiwan on 'Pause' Due to Iran War, Acting Navy Chief Says
Nikkei Asia – Economy
The US Navy Is Full Speed Ahead on Building a Laser Fleet
Operation Epic Fury may have strengthened the case for laser weapons, but the U.S. Navy’s dream of putting one on every ship may take longer than expected.
Military Times
💰 Defense Fundraising
ICEYE Secures $327M Revolving Credit Facility to Scale Sovereign Satellite Intelligence
Finnish satellite imaging firm ICEYE announced a €300 million (≈$327 million) three‑year revolving credit facility backed by a seven‑bank syndicate. The facility will provide liquidity, support guarantees for customer contracts, and fund continued growth of its SAR satellite constellation serving defence, intelligence, and environmental markets.
Shastra VC Launches $100M Fund for Deeptech and AI Startups
Shastra VC, formerly Veda VC, announced the launch of its third fund, a $100 million vehicle aimed at early‑stage deeptech startups with a focus on AI, space, defence, climate tech, and renewable sciences. The fund will invest $500,000 to $3 million per company and builds on the firm’s prior $55 million deployed across its first two funds.
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Trump Tells Iran 'Clock Is Ticking, Move Fast' After New Peace Proposal As Analysts Predict Likely Return To War
Trump Tells Iran 'Clock Is Ticking, Move Fast' After New Peace Proposal As Analysts Predict Likely Return To War **Update(1410ET):** President Trump has warned Iran on Sunday that **the "clock is ticking"** as Pakistani-mediated talks have not only stalled, but show no signs at all of restarting anytime soon. "They better get moving, FAST, or there won't be anything left of them," he wrote on Truth Social. "TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!" He spoke the same day with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who along with Lindsey Graham has been calling for resumption of robust anti-Tehran action to ensure Iran can never go nuclear. Trump's words have been somewhat of a familiar refrain going back several weeks. As we detailed below, Iran says it received a counter proposal of '5 conditions' for peace from the White House. In many ways they are directly opposite the 5 conditions Iran sent to the US last week, which Trump had rejected as "garbage". But **as yet there's been no indicator that the US side has attached a timeline to its latest demands**. Trump is perhaps pushing this new "clock is ticking" as a timeline threat of sorts. But again, there was no specific date included in the fresh warning. Last week *Bloomberg Intelligence* circulated a report titled, **Iran Rejects Trump's Offer - Return to War Likely**. It concluded: > The diplomatic dance continues: the US and Iran exchanged offers yet again. But they remain far apart, shooting maximalist demands at each other. A comprehensive peace deal is unlikely to materialize. **We think the US and Iran will likely return to strikes**. But we **expect an intense exchange of fire to be temporary and reduce to lower-levels of fighting** – what we call the new normal in this protracted conflict. More from the *Bloomberg Intelligence* analysis: > **Short but Intense... and Costly** > Trump doesn’t want long war. His popularity is taking a hit as its economic impact is being felt. > > We think Trump will likely revert to a short air and missile strike campaign on Iranian infrastructure, military positions, and energy assets while simultaneously continuing the blockade. Tehran will likely respond with strikes of its own, both on US military assets and America’s regional partners. But we expect this to be a short bombardment, rather than the sustained, high-intensity strike campaign that marked the beginning of the war. > > The war has already imposed a heavy economic cost. Oil markets flipped from an expected record surplus to historic supply disruption. Major central banks, facing fresh inflation risks, are turning more hawkish. Consumers now pay more for energy, while their borrowing costs also rise, and the future grows more uncertain. > > The longer the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, the more it will drain the oil stockpiles cushioning governments, companies, and consumers today. Once inventories run thin, prices need to do the hard work: rising high enough to curb demand back in line with available supply. Since that report was issued, nothing has changed, and both sides seem to have dug in their heels even more. [](https://cms.zerohedge.com/s3/files/inline-images/image%20%2848%29_6.png?itok=XSWGN571) \* \* \* According to a Sunday report from Iran's semi-official *Fars* news agency, the United States has laid down a firm, take-it-or-leave-it ultimatum to Tehran. Both sides are still trying to patiently wait out the Hormuz crisis, hoping to inflict more economic pain on the other until they blink. At the top of [the list](https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20260517-us-outlines-5-conditions-for-iran-deal-report/), the US is **demanding a near-total dismantling of Iran's atomic ambitions**, "allowing only one Iranian nuclear facility to remain operational."  *Anadolu Agency* ](https://cms.zerohedge.com/s3/files/inline-images/iranmissles1.jpg?itok=rMYKvVzw) The list includes direct rejections in response to Iran's own five conditions from a week ago, which President Trump said were "unacceptable" and "garbage". For example the US is refusing to pay compensation for damage caused during strikes on Iranian territory - a 'maximalist' sticking point which Tehran had demanded previously. Washington is also reportedly insists that 400 kilograms of enriched uranium be transferred from Iran to the US, while only **one active nuclear facility would remain operational** inside the Islamic Republic. Iran for its part has recently vowed to never transfer its nuclear material out of the Islamic Republic, calling the issue a matter of national sovereignty and energy security which it alone has say over. This after even Russia offered to take it. The newly reported five conditions by the US side further states that the **US does not intend to release more than 25% of frozen Iranian assets**. Tehran has demanded the dropping of all US sanctions as a key basis for lasting settlement. Here are the five newly proposed Washington conditions, which some pundits have called ['wishful thinking'](https://x.com/AryJeayBackup/status/2055961148311114184): 1. **No war compensation from US** 2. **Give up 400kg of Highly Enriched Uranium to US** 3. **Iran can only have on nuclear facility to remain active** 4. **Not more than 25% of frozen assets to be unfreezed** 5. **Halting war on all fronts depends on negotiations** So this leaves a huge distance between the Washington list and Tehran's list, as the seemingly unbridgeable gulf remains, also as Iran is digging in its heels. As a reminder, the below is the Islamic Republic's list, which it hasn't backed down from. It has offered the following as the only basis on which to restart talks: 1. Ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon 2. Lifting all sanctions 3. Releasing frozen Iranian assets 4. Compensation for war damages and losses 5. Recognition of Iran’s sovereign rights over the Strait of Hormuz > US response to [#Iran](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Iran?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) includes zero compensation, not even 25% of frozen assets released, keeping only one [#nuclear](https://twitter.com/hashtag/nuclear?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) facility active, handing over 400kg of highly enriched uranium to the US, and ending the war on all fronts dependent on the negotiations. [https://t.co/riS7M4fEeF](https://t.co/riS7M4fEeF) > > — Abas Aslani (@AbasAslani) [May 17, 2026](https://twitter.com/AbasAslani/status/2055961268209492385?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) While a Pakistani-mediated ceasefire managed to take effect on April 8, subsequent talks in Islamabad completely collapsed, but then President Trump later extended the truce indefinitely, likely to buy time and to figure out "what's next" - while seeking a complete blockade of Iranian oil exports, and of all vessels entering or exiting Iranian ports. With Washington demanding total disarmament and Iran demanding control over the world's most critical oil transit choke point, the stage is set for a likely coming renewal of direct clashes, given the zero sum demands of each side now on the table. [Tyler Durden](https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden "View user profile.") Mon, 05/18/2026 - 05:10
Thread by @geopolitical.guy
Iran, Ukraine, Pakistan. These middle powers are punching above their weight. Source: Visual Capitalist https://www.visualcapitalist.com/ranked-the-worlds-largest-active-armies-in-2026/