The Iran War has been defined by the swings between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States (and Israel), as well as by the swings of President Donald J. Trump. One day, the forty-seventh president threatens to annihilate the entire Persian civilization. The next day, Trump shrugs off the need to continue fighting the war at all. And through it all, the Iranian regime has defied the US military and strengthened itself–while tightening its grip on the Strait of Hormuz (SoH) to maximize its leverage over the United States. Aircraft from the 1st Fighter Wing conducted an Elephant Walk at Langley Air Force Base, Jan. 31, 2025, showcasing the wing’s readiness and operational agility. This demonstration highlighted the wing’s capability to mobilize forces rapidly in high-stress scenarios. The wing’s fleet includes F-22 Raptors and T-38 Talons. As Air Combat Command’s lead wing, the 1 FW maintains unparalleled combat readiness to ensure national defense at a moment’s notice. (U.S. Air Force photo by SrA Ian Sullens) A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor performs an aerial demonstration during Aviation Nation 2025 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, April 5, 2025. Aviation Nation is an airshow held at Nellis Air Force…

Donald Trump Disputes the Election Results… Again: President Donald Trump questioned the legitimacy of the midterm elections Monday in an all-too-familiar Truth Social post. Trump, who last week accepted the election results that saw the Republican Party lose control of both chambers of Congress, suggested early-voting totals and election machines had made it impossible for the GOP to win. Donald Trump speaking with supporters at a campaign rally at Veterans Memorial Coliseum at the Arizona State Fairgrounds in Phoenix, Arizona. Credit: Gage Skidmore. President Donald Trump participates in the swearing-in ceremony for Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Mehmet Oz, Friday, April 18, 2025, in the Oval Office. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley) The president has a history of disputing election results following the 2020 presidential election that he, without evidence, maintains was “stolen” by the Democratic Party. A Shift in Tone After last week’s midterms, Trump accepted results that saw his party’s candidates defeated across the country. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump did not challenge the Republican Party’s defeat, telling the publication: “I think we’ll work with the Democrats, and we’ll get along very well with them. If we don’t,…

Iran Scraps Its 2,000 KM Missile Cap; Threatens “Astonishing” Strikes – Iran just threatened that new “astonishing” strikes will be forthcoming if the US and Israel resume a third wave of fighting. Over the weekend, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesman Brig. Gen. Hossein Mohebbi told reporters at a Tehran press conference that the regime has scrapped its self-imposed 2,000-kilometer (roughly 1,240 miles) cap on ballistic missile range. U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds F-16 Fighting Falcons perform a formation maneuver during the California Capital Airshow at Mather Airport in Mather, California, Oct. 10, 2026. The aerial demonstration highlighted the precision and skill of the Air Demonstration Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Brian Collett) “That restriction has been lifted for us,” he said, according to The Associated Press. He didn’t say whether Iran actually has a missile that can fly farther. He said Iran would rather demonstrate it in practice. Then he went a step further. As Fox News reported, Mohebbi promised that if a “third wave” of fighting breaks out with the United States and Israel, Iran will roll out battlefield surprises that will astonish the entire world. He added that the regime’s next blows would leave its enemies crippled for…

Every November around the world, Marines celebrate the Corps’ birthday with a cake-cutting ceremony where the oldest Marine present passes the first slice off to the youngest Marine. The ritual represents one generation of Marines handing their experience and traditions off to the next, but rarely is it taken so literally as it was in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on Nov. 6, when a staff noncommissioned officer passed the cake to his son, who had just graduated boot camp earlier that day. Master Sgt. Philip Joseph Bender, 42, shared the moment with Pfc. Noah Riley Bender, 18, at the Marine Corps’ 251st birthday ball held by Combat Logistics Battalion 26. Cpl. Salvador Flores Perez interviewed and photographed the elder and younger Bender for a Marine Corps news article. That moment was a long time coming. Philip Bender graduated from boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, in 2006. He became a logistics/embarkation specialist and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Noah Bender was born shortly after Philip returned. “When Noah was born, I never could have imagined that he would want to follow in my footsteps,” Philip Bender, who was 23 at the time, said…

During likely the most dramatic moment of Clint Eastwood’s life, he wasn’t acting.Eastwood actually had no Hollywood aspirations when the U.S. Army drafted him in 1951. The United States was embroiled in the Korean War, but Eastwood wasn’t sent overseas. The Army kept him stateside, sending him to Fort Ord in California.Also Read: How Paul Newman survived 2 close calls in the Navy during World War IIAbout six months after joining the military, Eastwood’s familiarity with the water saved his life. On September 30, 1951, the transport plane that was carrying Eastwood—the only passenger on board besides the pilot, Lt. Francis Coleman Anderson—from Seattle back to base crashed in the Pacific Ocean.Eastwood and Anderson quickly grabbed life rafts and started making their way toward shore two miles away. Rough waves upended their rafts at some point, forcing them to swim the rest of the way. A Flight that Eastwood Never Forgot A U.S. Navy Douglas AD-1Q Skyraider, circa 1950. (U.S. Navy) Eastwood, 96, grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area with a goal of becoming a professional musician. He intended to study music in college before he joined the Army. Eastwood swam for his high school team and had…

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth holds a press briefing at the Pentagon. ‘NO AD’ subscription for CDM!  Sign up here and support real investigative journalism and help save the republic!   The post LIVE 0800 EST: First Pentagon Press Briefing In Six Months appeared first on Armed Forces Press.

The Republican Party suffered a generational defeat in the recent Midterm Elections. It lost control of both chambers of Congress and states like Texas that Democrats didn’t even consider competitive. President Donald J. Trump signs an Executive Order regarding childhood vaccines in the Oval Office, Monday, August 10, 2026. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley) President Donald J. Trump attends a Rose Garden Lunch for first responders Thursday, October 15, 2026. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian) Republicans lost so badly that some say this defeat is not just a setback for the GOP, which believed it would at most have lost the House, but that it might be a decade before the GOP is truly competitive again. In fact, the defeat was painful, and many questions are now being raised about the future of the “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement within the GOP and President Donald Trump’s legacy. A Reuters investigation found that the Republican defeat mattered because it triggered a wide-ranging, bitter debate among Trump supporters over whether President Trump is a political liability rather than an electoral asset for the party. That’s a stunning development, considering how firm Trump’s grip on the Republican…

SCMP More than 100 vessels have been reported in the western Pacific and South China Sea but no large-scale drill has been announced

Joe Sandri, RealClearDefense Starlink’s Rapid Rise, Military Power, Elections, and Public Risks

Rob Maness, RealClearDefense The United States has spent decades building military capabilities designed to deter conflict and respond to crises. But military power alone cannot eliminate every…

Channel NewsAsia North Korea identifies top students from a young age, training a select few for cyber operations and rewarding them with perks such as spacious apartments and huge hard currency…

K. Payne, NIPP The demonstrably bogus arguments advanced in support of the ABM Treaty more than five decades ago are, yet again, asserted in opposition to Golden Dome.

This video describes the military situation in Ukraine on the 10th of November 2026 0:00 👋 Intro 0:13 🤝 Trilateral talks begin — delegations arrive in Abu Dhabi 0:41 🗣 Rubio: only security guarantees that Russia agrees to; Trump sees a breakthrough chance 1:13 📰 NYT: talks won’t focus on ceasefire — security architecture of Europe is the topic 2:03 🇪🇺 Ukraine coordinates with the UK, France, Germany, Italy, NATO and EU first 2:32 ⏱ Main trilateral round begins — synchronizing positions before November 11 3:45 📝 Umerov: delegation has Zelensky’s mandate to discuss all issues 4:14 ❓ Zelensky left Ukraine 10 days ago and hasn’t returned 5:51 ❌ Kremlin: Russia will not agree to a freeze — full settlement only 7:01 🛩 Overnight attack: 162 drones + Iskander-M, 135 targets intercepted, 76 locations hit 8:13 🔥 Poltava substation, Dnipro warehouse, Zaporizhzhia and Kryvyi Rih under fire 9:42 📦 Logistics center in Kropyvnytskyi completely wiped out 10:29 🛡 Ukraine’s 155-drone attack on Russia repelled 11:14 💥 Sabotage: railway bridge with a fuel train blown up in Arkhangelsk region 12:46 🌉 Svitlovodsk dam to close — Ukraine reinforces bridges and dams along the Dnipro 14:36 🚗 Kyiv gridlock returns — Northern…

“I wanted disciplined but not regimented thinking. Commanders must encourage intellectual risk-taking to preclude a lethargic environment. Leaders must shelter those challenging nonconformists and mavericks who make institutions uncomfortable; otherwise you wash out innovation.”— James Mattis & Bing West, Call Sign ChaosFor the last decade, the Pentagon has had the authorities to buy commercially derived technologies at speed and scale, but not enough people who know how to use those authorities. Successive senior Pentagon leaders, both military and civilian, have asserted that these technologies will prove decisive in future wars. Panels, commissions, and directives created new pathways and the Pentagon’s The post To Implement Acquisition Reform, Empower Military Mavericks appeared first on War on the Rocks.

“I wanted disciplined but not regimented thinking. Commanders must encourage intellectual risk-taking to preclude a lethargic environment. Leaders must shelter those challenging nonconformists and mavericks who make institutions uncomfortable; otherwise you wash out innovation.”— James Mattis & Bing West, Call Sign ChaosFor the last decade, the Pentagon has had the authorities to buy commercially derived technologies at speed and scale, but not enough people who know how to use those authorities. Successive senior Pentagon leaders, both military and civilian, have asserted that these technologies will prove decisive in future wars. Panels, commissions, and directives created new pathways and the Pentagon’s The post To Implement Acquisition Transformation, Empower Military Mavericks appeared first on War on the Rocks.

In late 2023, Ukraine’s military leadership faced an institutional choice: establish a dedicated branch of the armed forces for unmanned systems or integrate drones into existing branches. Most senior officers I knew opposed the separate force, and their strongest argument was sound within classical doctrine. Each branch of service corresponds to a distinct domain of war: The army fights on land, the navy at sea, the air force in the air. Unmanned systems operate across all of these domains and possess none of their own. No domain, no branch of service. The advocates were mostly newcomers from civilian life, and The post Winning Time: Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces and the New Dimension of War appeared first on War on the Rocks.

One year after China’s first supercarrier, the Fujian, was commissioned into service on November 5 2025, Chinese sources have widely reported that the warship and its air wing are poised to take part in significantly more complex operations. Referred to by Chinese state media as having reached an optimised operational state, significant questions have been raised regarding how the carrier’s operations will now evolve. Developing and operating the supercarrier has posed significant challenges, with the warship integrating a much larger and more diverse air wing that preceding Chinese carriers, and using an electromagnetic catapult system with new training requirements. Having largely perfected operating individual aircraft successfully, the air wing is expected to shift towards coordinating as an integrated combat force under demanding conditions. The Fujian has three electromagnetic catapults, allowing it to launch multiple aircraft near simultaneously. Taking full advantage of this very high potential sortie generation rate require precise launch scheduling, aircraft positioning, and recovery operations, as well as maintaining high maintenance standards for the aircraft onboard. One of the most important developments would be moving from occasional catapult launches and recoveries towards sustained, high-tempo flight operations, launching and recovering aircraft repeatedly while managing aircraft movements, refuelling, rearming, maintenance and…

Ron DeSantis speaking at a Turning Point Action event. Photo: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons After the midterms, CBS News reported that the White House has discussed nominating Ron DeSantis to replace Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense before his term as governor ends on January 5. The President says he is keeping Hegseth. I am writing in case that changes. I have spent four years documenting how the DeSantis administration handles money, public records and citizen complaints. That record should end any talk of giving him the Pentagon. It should also follow him to any office he seeks afterward. I will take it in order: the iGas money, the Hope Florida transfer, and what his office did when Floridians reported problems with their elections. iGas USA is a refrigerant importer in Tampa run by Xianbin “Ben” Meng. In 2018 a Chinese manufacturer, Zhejiang Juhua, put $10 million into the company and kept a 34 percent stake. The U.S. Commerce Department has determined that the Chinese government controls Zhejiang Juhua. The Miami Herald reported in November 2023 that companies and employees tied to iGas and Meng gave more than $1.1 million in political contributions over five years.…

How Donald Trump Could ‘Become a Democrat’: President Donald Trump’s new White House Chief of Staff, Stephen Miller, is about to be put into a difficult position after Trump signaled that he could back down from his administration’s mass deportation of illegal immigrants, just days after he promoted Miller — an immigration hardliner — to run the Oval Office. Trump announced on Friday that Miller would serve as the new White House Chief of Staff after Susie Wiles, who had served in the role for nearly two years, was let go following the Republican Party’s catastrophic defeat in the midterm elections. President Donald J. Trump boards Marine One on the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., Friday, July 17, 2026, en route Joint Base Andrews, Maryland for a trip to New York. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks) Donald J. Trump at Summit Creative Commons While the promotion of Miller — long seen to be the most anti-immigration figure in Trump’s administration — was taken by many as a sign that the president would be devoting his final years in the White House to ramping up the deportation of illegal migrants, matters were complicated after Trump told “60 Minutes” that his deportation…

President Donald Trump said Vice President J.D. Vance had made a critical omission from his long social media post that pinned Republican losses in the midterm elections on the Iran war. While the president agreed with much of his second-in-command’s assessment, he noted that Vance did not address whether he would make the same decision again. Vice President JD Vance gives remarks at a Sports Council announcement, Thursday, July 31, 2025, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. (White House Intern Photo by Julian Casciano) Trump has long justified the decision to go to war to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. Vance Blames Iran War for Voter Frustration In a social media post published on Wednesday, November 4, Vance said the conflict with Iran had cost his party control of Congress’ two chambers. “The reason we lost is the war,” he wrote on social media. “If you’d like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so. Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree or disagree, that’s at least honest.” He continued: “But everyone knows why we lost. And any honest conversation about…

Democrats who will comprise the new Congress next year are poised for a fight after President Donald Trump doubled down on his ultra-conservative policies, hiring a known ultra-conservative as chief of staff and offering the press secretary job to another. ‘Willing to Work With Democrats’ No More? President Donald Trump greets President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, Friday, February 28, 2025, in the West Wing Lobby. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok) President Donald Trump greets President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, Friday, February 28, 2025, in the West Wing Lobby. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok) Following the massive Republican rout in the midterm elections, which saw conservatives lose seats in government in both federal and state positions, Trump was seemingly unfazed by the loss, saying a day later that he was willing to work with Democrats. He clarified, however, that this would be true only if Democrats did not become “destructive.” Otherwise, the president said, he would not hesitate to use his “power of the veto.” Trump has seemingly changed his tune, however, after posting on his social media platform, Truth Social, claiming that the Democratic victory was a “giant step back in History.” The president, who was…

Members of the new Democrat-controlled Congress have yet to take their oaths of office, but some leftist organizations are already jockeying for the party’s preferred candidates for the next presidential elections. One of these organizations is pushing for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to run to replace President Donald Trump in 2028. AOC. Image Credit: Creative Commons. AOC. Image CNN Screengrab. Calling themselves “Ready for AOC,” in reference to Ocasio-Cortez’s popular moniker, said that they are looking to connect with at least 10,000 community leaders around the country and get at least 1 million signatures signifying support for the progressive New York congresswoman. An Unsolicited Movement In its description on its website, the organization claims that “Right-wing extremists have captured the White House” and “Trump’s oligarchs are gutting our institutions and tearing our democracy apart,” calling for a different kind of candidate who, instead of widening the wealth gap in America, “will represent the needs of the working class instead of big tech billionaires.” Ready for AOC also clarifies that its movement, launched recently after the midterm elections, is completely unsolicited and not being run in coordination with Ocasio-Cortez. The organization’s bones are not new, however, as it is run by a number…

President Donald Trump admitted last week that his administration’s immigration enforcement policies may have gone too far, suggesting that his mass deportation campaign may have contributed to the Republicans’ disastrous performance in the midterm elections — even though the polls show it was actually the war with Iran and inflation. The president made the admission during a candid interview with CBS’ 60 Minutes. President Donald J. Trump participates in a courtesy call with Taoiseach Michael Martin at Farmleigh House, the official Irish state guest house, Saturday, September 12, 2026, in Dublin. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok) President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend a ceremony at the Pentagon in observance of the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, Friday, September 11, 2026. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley) During the discussion, which aired Sunday, November 8, the president also said he was willing to negotiate a new immigration deal with the Democrats. The comments constitute a significant change in tone from the president, who spent much of his 2024 presidential campaign promising to deport millions of illegal immigrants. President Trump now, however, seems to believe that the administration’s enforcement policies went too far…

President Donald Trump appears to be preparing for a significant political confrontation with the Democrats after Republicans suffered incredible defeats in last week’s midterm elections. After initially accepting the results, the president is now questioning the legitimacy of the results, and his administration is warning Democratic lawmakers against launching investigations into White House officials. Donald Trump Flickr/White House Photo President Donald Trump delivers remarks at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., Friday, March 14, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian) The president’s claim that the elections were not honest, which was made on Monday, November 9, comes as Congress returned to Washington for its final legislative session of the year. Republican legislators may be forced to vote on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in the coming weeks. And despite the scale of the Republicans’ losses last Tuesday, the appointment of Stephen Miller as White House chief of staff suggests President Trump has little intention of moderating his administration’s agenda during his final two years in office. While he has publicly suggested, including during his recent 60 Minutes interview with CBS, that his immigration enforcement may have gone too far, the president himself says he is prepared…

🛸Almost 400 drones. 30+ nations. One major Nato exercise In Latvia, allied forces tested their ability to counter drone swarms, cross-border incursions and electronic warfare Read the FULL story🔗https://www.forcesnews.com/nato/nato-exercise-fuses-huge-drone-swarms-cross-border-incursions-and-electronic-warfare #drones #tech #shorts #military #news #uk

The second Trump administration firmed up an agreement that will further expand ongoing interagency efforts to safely counter and intercept rogue drone threats in civilian airspace. The departments of Defense, Transportation, Homeland Security, Energy and Justice signed a new memorandum of understanding that outlines a more unified federal process to test and deploy counter-drone technologies in the U.S., according to a press release published Monday. It comes as the government scurries to respond to a recent surge in unauthorized drone incursions over American military bases and sensitive national security sites — including Fort McNair in Washington, D.C.  “Through this whole-of-government approach, the agencies are strengthening collaboration to adapt to the latest drone threats while ensuring these technologies do not adversely affect aircraft operations or navigation equipment,” officials wrote in the joint statement. Stopping unmanned aerial systems with jamming and other tech risks disrupting the radars, communications, and GPS of passing commercial airplanes and transportation assets.  But the recent uptick in drone swarms and unapproved flights detected around defense and critical infrastructure has moved the U.S. government, military and law enforcement enterprises to fuse their risk and response strategies. Officials involved shared updates about this and other elements of their unfolding…

Prominent political and poll analyst Nate Silver suggested on Wednesday that President Donald Trump could simply “quit” the presidency following the Republican Party’s catastrophic defeat in the midterm elections this month. During an appearance on the “Still Counting” podcast, Silver responded to Vice President JD Vance’s election post-mortem — in which he conceded that the midterms had been lost due to Trump’s Iran war — by saying, “It used to be a little more common for, like, presidents and vice presidents to be rivals… We haven’t seen that recently… That dynamic’s going to be interesting.” Donald Trump 2023 Rally Creative Commons Photo President Donald Trump speaks during the 136th Coast Guard Academy commencement exercise in New London, Conn., May 17, 2017.The ceremony was the President’s first service academy graduation as commander-in-chief.Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Patrick Kelley. “That’s part of why I had just the weird intuition that maybe Trump will find some pretense to quit,” Silver continued. “He could get very, very isolated.” Trump Could ‘Go Off to Mar-a-Lago’ and Just ‘Let JD Have the Job’ Silver proposed that Trump could “just go off to Mar-a-Lago, or go off to the West Village, and start a…

"We have a responsibility and our duty to stand by our armed forces"🗣️ Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has acknowledged the mounting pressures facing UK Special Forces on Remembrance Sunday🌹 Read more here🔗https://www.forcesnews.com/services/special-forces/not-simple-i-need-put-right-defence-secretary-legal-cloud-hanging-over-uksf #News #Streeting #defence #remebrance #specialforces

President Donald Trump said on Sunday that U.S. strikes against Iran are unlikely to escalate due to the Islamic Republic’s weakened state. “They’re a failing nation,” Trump said during an interview with CNN. “It just came out; you saw this year, 301% inflation. Highly unlikely it will be necessary.” 141208-N-WD464-386 ARABIAN GULF (Dec. 8, 2014) The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) prepares for flight operations in the Arabian Gulf. Carl Vinson is deployed in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, strike operations in Iraq and Syria as directed, maritime security operations, and theater security cooperation efforts in the region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alex King/Released) ATLANTIC OCEAN (June 4, 2020) The Ford-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) transit the Atlantic Ocean, June 4, 2020. However, following the midterm elections, which were a disaster for Trump and the GOP, Iran senses weakness in the administration and is pushing for a deal that is highly advantageous for Tehran. The regime has also threatened to “rain down hell” if the U.S. decides to resume its attacks.…

The Trump administration is effectively a lame-duck presidency after the Democratic Party’s decisive, overwhelming victory in the 2026 Midterms. The fallout is hitting the Trump administration everywhere, as newly elected Democrats vow to investigate–and prosecute–Trump administration officials for a wide array of perceived improprieties, ranging from corruption scandals to even potential war crimes. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth hosts a teleconference with NFL players Aaron Jones and Elijah Higgins during their visit to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing in Kuwait from the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., April 2, 2025. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza) U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth boards the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser, USS Chosin (CG 65), Panama, April 9, 2025. U.S. Southern Command and the Panamanian security forces collaborate to ensure and maintain regional stability during natural disasters, medical catastrophes or regional conflicts. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Van Hoang) And it’s that last bit that is the immediate focus of Washington insiders. Even before the disastrous Midterms, self-styled Secretary of War Pete Hegseth faced pressure both because of the failing Iran War and because of political disagreements. According to Axios, Republican leaders are preparing for the prospect that enough…

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky filed articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday, accusing the country’s top civilian defense official of usurping congressional power to wage war, overseeing extrajudicial killings abroad and attempting to suppress a member of Congress’ freedom of speech. Massie introduced eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth in the House of Representatives.  The first set of articles are related to Hegseth initiating and continuing war with Iran. They charged Hegseth with entering into war with Iran without congressional authorization; ignoring a congressional resolution to remove U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran; and carrying out a war past the 30-day time limit without congressional approval. Following articles allege that Hegseth ignored laws that minimize civilian casualties; directed extrajudicial killings in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean; retaliated against a member of Congress for their speech; kidnapped the sovereign head of a foreign government; and waged an “unlawful war” in Yemen without congressional approval.  Massie also accused Hegseth of moving to suppress free speech, citing the legal cases Hegseth brought against Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Az.) for participating in a video where members of Congress urged troops not to follow illegal orders.  With regard to…

The Defense Information Systems Agency is looking for an industry partner to build an enterprise identity, credential and access management prototype — a critical first layer of defense as the Pentagon moves to a zero-trust model for cybersecurity. DISA issued a commercial solutions opening solicitation Friday with the intent of awarding an Other Transaction Agreement for a “next generation E-ICAM prototype” that would “modernize legacy identity infrastructure with a modular, cloud-hosted commercial off-the-shelf/software-as-a-service solution operating across IL5 and IL6 environments.” In 2025, the Pentagon’s Office of the CIO delegated responsibility to DISA to develop and maintain an enterprise ICAM capability for the wider department up to the secret classification level, known as IL-6, by September 2027. The Department of Defense’s current legacy enterprise ICAM capability faces “complex challenges and gaps” that “inhibit modernization efforts and reduces DoW mission effectiveness,” the solicitation explains.  Among those challenges are a fragmented directory architecture for managing identities, an interoperability solution called FedHub that allows users to navigate beyond their service’s boundaries but that produces “severe latency,” legacy authorization models that prevent dynamic evaluation of identity attributes, and workflows that introduce issues for role separation that “directly violate Internal Control over Financial Reporting (ICOFR) mandates,…

A US deal with Iran won’t change the neighborhood or the players. That’s the core of a detailed analysis in Haaretz this morning, which argues that even if President Trump reaches an agreement with Tehran and the Strait of Hormuz reopens, the danger to the Gulf states remains. Reopening the strait doesn’t disarm the Iran-backed militias in Iraq. It doesn’t disarm Hezbollah. It doesn’t disarm the Houthis. A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron “Thunderbirds” performs during the 2026 Sioux Falls AirShow: Power on the Prairie at Joe Foss Field, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, July 17, 2026. The Thunderbirds’ demonstration featured close-formation flying and solo routines showcasing the precision and performance of the F-16 Fighting Falcon. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Luke Olson) U.S. Air Force Maj. Taylor “FEMA” Hiester, F-16 Viper Demonstration Team commander and pilot, performs aerial maneuvers in a U.S. Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon during AirVenture at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, July 24, 2026. The F-16, a multi-role fighter aircraft capable of both air-to-air and air-to-ground combat, demonstrates its versatility through dynamic aerial demonstrations across the U.S. and abroad. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff…

Are young people not prepared to fight?🤔 The First Sea Lord is placing his faith behind Britain’s next generation of soldiers, believing they will ‘do what is needed when it is required’ #shorts #military #remembrance #uk #armedforces #news

The state of Qatar has proposed a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and put an end to President Donald Trump’s ongoing war with Iran — a plan, however, that the president is extremely unlikely to agree to. Under Qatar’s plan, which was revealed by The Guardian newspaper, United Nations (UN) weapons inspectors would be allowed to visit Iran’s nuclear sites for inspection, but there would be no requirement for any stockpiles to be removed. Iran would also reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial tankers. U.S. Sailors pilot a rigid-hull inflatable boat toward Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115), as seen from Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Milius (DDG 69), Oct. 2, 2026. Milius and Rafael Peralta are deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to support maritime security and stability in the Middle East. (U.S. Navy photo) The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67) operates in the Mediterranean Sea Jan. 9, 2015. Cole, home-ported in Norfolk, is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jonathan B. Trejo/Released) (…

A member of the Blue Angels demonstration team was removed from its roster last week, a few days before their final show of the year. Marine Maj. Scott Laux, a Marine Corps aviator who has been with the team for two years and flew the #6 plane, is no longer with the Blue Angels, the Chief of Naval Air Training’s office confirmed. “Blue Angel #6 was removed from the team for failing to uphold the standards expected of members of the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron and will not participate in the team’s remaining performance this season,” the Navy said in a statement. The service did not elaborate on what led to that decision or what standards Laux failed to uphold. His name was removed from the roster, with no replacement for the #6 plane listed. His biography remains online, however.  Only on rare occasions does the military provide specific reasons for why officers and senior enlisted leaders have been relieved, often using boilerplate language in statements like “loss of trust and confidence” when announcing a dismissal or relief. Typically, military leaders are fired for a variety of reasons ranging from leadership failings to off-duty misconduct, such as being arrested for…

The peace talks are restarting. The shooting, however, never stopped. After a nine-month layoff, U.S.-brokered negotiations between Russia and Ukraine restart this week in Abu Dhabi. The New York Times reports that Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will run the American side, with an agenda built around postwar security guarantees, de-escalation, and humanitarian issues. Patriot Missile Interceptor Test. Image Credit: Creative Commons. Patriot Missile Launch. Image Credit: Creative Commons. However, the one item most Ukrainians care about is missing. A cease-fire isn’t on the table. According to the Times, the idea is to step back from the endless argument over territory and talk about the broader European security picture. The experts it cites don’t expect a breakthrough until spring at the earliest, because Moscow has shown zero interest in a cease-fire and hasn’t softened a single demand. Look at the weekend before the delegations even landed. Russia launched 317 long-range attack drones at Ukraine in one night, 105 of them jet-powered. Days earlier, a Russian strike flattened a village aid center in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, killing dozens sheltering inside. Ukraine answered by setting Russia’s second-largest oil refinery at Kirishi ablaze. That’s the situation facing the negotiators in Abu Dhabi.…

The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is one of the most recognizable American fighter aircraft ever built. Immortalized in the Top Gun film series, the Tomcat was a defining symbol of US naval aviation during the late Cold War. As you can tell from the original photos and video in this article, we really love spending time with the F-14 Tomcat. The aircraft’s final variant, the F-14D Super Tomcat, incorporated major improvements over the original aircraft. Yet the Navy retired its last Tomcats in September 2006, replacing them with the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. F-14 Tomcat in Museum. Image Credit: National Security Journal. Now, two decades later, the question persists: did the Navy retire the F-14D prematurely? The answer depends on priorities. The Ultimate F-14 Tomcat The F-14 entered Navy service in 1974 and was originally designed to defend aircraft carriers against Soviet bombers and anti-ship missiles. Its signature features included variable-sweep wings, twin engines, and long-range radar. The original F-14A used the troubled Pratt & Whitney TF30 engines, but the F-14D was upgraded with the more powerful (and less prone to blowing up) General Electric F110-GE-400 engines. The F-14D also featured the AN/APG-71 radar, improved avionics, digital flight controls, and enhanced electronic…

This video describes the military situation in Ukraine on the 9th of November 2026 0:00 👋 Intro 0:15 🤝 Trilateral talks begin — delegations head to Abu Dhabi 0:43 🇪🇺 E4, NATO and EU representatives also flying to the UAE 1:28 🇷🇺 Russian delegation revealed — Medinsky, generals, admirals 2:24 🚫 Peskov: talks without Europeans — Moscow rejects their presence 3:09 🛡 Lavrov: Russia’s security guarantees are the main agenda item 4:17 ✈️ Russian Tu-154 lands in Israel — evacuation of diplomats? Three US carriers near Iran 6:07 💥 72 hours of strikes: 1,000+ drones, 279 locations, 189 towns hit 7:00 📢 Russia’s attacks as an "advertisement" of the next season of the war 7:55 🚀 New Geran-5K modification — flies higher, faster, range 1,000 km 8:53 🚀 Russia produces more ballistic missiles than the world produces interceptors 9:19 🌉 Iskander-M gets optical guidance heads to strike Kyiv’s bridges 10:29 🗺 Trump: Ukraine will be different in shape — is federalization coming? 11:30 ⚔️ Coalition of the Willing launches drills in Poland — 2,800 troops, 11 countries 12:35 🛩 Nonstop strikes: truck parking site, Odesa warehouse, Kryvyi Rih substation 14:54 🎯 Jet drone strikes SBU building in Zaporizhzhia 15:25 📦…

In October, President Trump promised not to launch any strikes against Iran until after November’s elections. Now that the midterm elections are over, the whole world is waiting to see whether the U.S. will resume its strikes in the Middle East. USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) steams in the Pacific Ocean, Oct. 4, 2026. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan is underway conducting routine training in U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jaron Wills) Twenty-six ships from 13 partner and allied nations steam in formation with Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) during a multinational maritime exercise as part of Fleet Exercise (FLEETEX) 250 in the Atlantic Ocean, June 25, 2026. Nimitz is underway taking part in FLEETEX 250, a series of structured multilateral training events at-sea, aimed at building cohesiveness, validating tactical procedures, and strengthening the interoperability of participating units—which include warships, aircraft, and crews from the U.S. and 13 partner and ally nations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Julian Jaime) However, after suffering a massive defeat at the ballot box, Trump is reportedly trying to go the diplomatic route to end the eight-month-long conflict. The…

Welcome to The Ukraine Compass, a weekly digest of Ukrainian commentary and analysis from across the political spectrum, only for War on the Rocks members. Each week, we bring you a curated selection of articles from Ukrainian media offering insight into how Ukrainians themselves debate the issues shaping their country.Western coverage often narrows the view to the battlefield — these pieces widen it, revealing the texture of daily life, politics, and public argument in a nation at war. The perspectives gathered here are varied, candid, and often surprising, together forming a more complete picture of Ukraine as it really is.Frontline The post Stained Glass and Sacred Spaces: Symbolism Abounds in Ukrainian Media appeared first on War on the Rocks.

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel urged President Donald Trump to “just quit” the presidency on Wednesday after Trump’s Republican Party lost both the House and the Senate during this month’s midterm elections. Reacting during his monologue to the Democratic Party’s “blue tsunami” victory over Trump’s Republican candidates, Kimmel shot down the president’s claim that the Democrats won only because he wasn’t personally on the ballot. President Donald Trump addresses the audience after the inaugural parade during the 60th Presidential Inauguration at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., Jan. 20, 2025. Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. (DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Danny Gonzalez) President Donald J. Trump speaks during an event at Fort Drum, New York, on August 13. President Trump visited the U.S. Army post to recongize Soldiers before signing the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019, which supports the establishment of Army Futures Command which will provide unity of command and effort for the Army’s modernization enterprise. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Thomas Scaggs) 180813-A-TZ475-918 “That is such…,” protested Kimmel. “You were on the ballot. You’re like dog hair, you’re on everything. You’ve infected every nook and cranny of our lives. You divided…

The UK’s flagship heads to Oslo after a demanding deployment in the High North🇳🇴 HMS Prince of Wales has led Nato operations off Norway, with 17 nations, 20 warships and 40 aircraft taking part in Exercise Neptune Strike🪐 #navy #royalnavy #sailors #norway #uk #nato #shorts

President Donald Trump appears to be preparing for a significant political confrontation with the Democrats after Republicans suffered incredible defeats in last week’s midterm elections. After initially accepting the results, the president is now questioning the legitimacy of the results, and his administration is warning Democratic lawmakers against launching investigations into White House officials. Donald Trump Flickr/White House Photo President Donald Trump delivers remarks at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., Friday, March 14, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian) The president’s claim that the elections were not honest, which was made on Monday, November 9, comes as Congress returned to Washington for its final legislative session of the year. Republican legislators may be forced to vote on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in the coming weeks. And despite the scale of the Republicans’ losses last Tuesday, the appointment of Stephen Miller as White House chief of staff suggests President Trump has little intention of moderating his administration’s agenda during his final two years in office. While he has publicly suggested, including during his recent 60 Minutes interview with CBS, that his immigration enforcement may have gone too far, the president himself says he is prepared…

President Donald Trump said he is “highly unlikely” to start a renewed military campaign against Iran should negotiations progress toward a “very strong agreement.” Trump made the comments in an interview with CNN released Sunday, November 8, in which he said he would not issue an order to resume military action if discussions over Tehran’s nuclear program and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz continued. An Air Force F-22 Raptor executes a supersonic fly by over the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis. John C. Stennis is participating in Northern Edge 2009, a joint exercise focusing on detecting and tracking units at sea, in the air and on land. The F-35 performs a demonstration at the Mather Airshow in Sacramento, California, Sept. 23, 2018. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Lauren Parsons/Released) It follows repeated threats to reignite the conflict during a midterm election campaign that saw the Republican Party lose control of both chambers of Congress. Highly Unlikely That Strikes Resume Speaking to CNN’s Jim Sciutto, Trump pointed toward American successes during the conflict so far and the impact on Iran. “It depends on whether or not they sign a very strong agreement,”…

Kyiv is bracing for a cold winter as continued Russian attacks leave people fearing a lack of electricity, water, and heat. An 86-year-old woman with a broken foot is unable to leave her 13th-floor apartment independently due to the lack of electricity, per media reports. MSTA-S Russian Artillery. Image Credit: Creative Commons. Finnish artillery units fire Howitzers At Rovajärvi exercise area In northern Finland. Image Credit: NATO Flickr. Oleksandr Gramatskiy, the woman’s son, said that he and his mother were stuck outside the building for four hours waiting for the electricity to come back on, so they could take the elevator up to her home. “I thought I would have to carry her,” he told the Kyiv Independent, adding: “I even tried it one time, but it’s impossible.” Situations like these are becoming increasingly common across the capital as residents fear being without reliable electricity, heating and water during the winter after multiple attacks by Russia. Sofia Hohol, 22, told the Kyiv Independent that the city was “not ready” for the coming winter. “It’s just brutal,” said another resident, Yuliia. Russia Attacks Power Infrastructure The threats come after Ukraine’s Air Force said on November 9 that Russia launched 317 drones,…

Former President Joe Biden provided an update on his ongoing battle with cancer last week, revealing in a social media post that his illness is preventing him from appearing publicly to promote his forthcoming memoir as extensively as he originally planned. The 83-year-old former president announced on Sunday, November 8, that his doctors are encouraged by his response to treatment but admitted that his condition still affects his daily life. Former Vice President of the United States Joe Biden speaking with attendees at the 2019 Iowa Federation of Labor Convention hosted by the AFL-CIO at the Prairie Meadows Hotel in Altoona, Iowa. President Joe Biden receives an interagency briefing on the response to Hurricane Helene, Tuesday, October 1, 2024, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Oliver Contreras) The announcement comes only days before his new book, Promise Me, America, is set to be released on November 17. The memoir covers his four years in the White House and his decision to abandon his 2024 reelection campaign. The book is also expected to cover his relationship with President Donald Trump in detail. And on Monday, The Atlantic published an extensive excerpt of the upcoming…

The US Department of War (DoW) has named Machina Labs to develop and qualify a RoboCrafted metal airframe for a new low-cost uncrewed combat attack system (LUCAS)-class uncrewed aircraft.

Belgium has awarded Rheinmetall a contract for 20 Skyranger 30 air-defence systems, to be used for the protection of critical infrastructure.

457 lives, one march and a promise to remember🌹 Personnel at RAF Akrotiri have taken part in a 10km loaded march in memory of the 457 British Armed Forces personnel killed during operations in Afghanistan #remembrance #lestweforget #shorts #cyprus #uk 🔗https://www.forcesnews.com/operations/cyprus/sombre-reflection-raf-akrotiri-loaded-march-honours-457-killed-afghanistan Subscribe to Forces News: http://bit.ly/1OraazC Check out our website: https://www.forcesnews.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ForcesTV Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forcesnews/?hl=en X: https://twitter.com/ForcesNews