Browsing: All news

U.S. President Donald Trump has said that he is prepared to ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains open by force – a return to the tactics of the early days of the U.S.-Iran War. The president’s comments follow a weekend of intense military exchanges in which Tehran once again attempted to take control of one of the world’s most important waterways.

The weekend saw some of the heaviest fighting since the memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed in June, with Iran launching fresh attacks against commercial shipping and U.S.

The U.S. military launched one-way attack sea drones in combat for the first time as part of this weekend’s strike against Iran, according to U.S. Central Command.
Over the past week, U.S. forces have launched hundreds of attacks against Iranian targets following reported attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, for which CENTCOM has said Iran is responsible.
The most recent strikes, which concluded on Sunday, marked the combat debut for U.S. military drone boats, according to a CENTCOM news release.

The Defense Department has paid out millions of dollars to personnel affected by so-called Havana Syndrome and renamed a key cross-functional team as the Directed Energy Bio-Effects CFT to investigate associated issues, the Pentagon announced Friday.
According to a press release, the disbursements were the first payments associated with the 2021 HAVANA Act made under any presidential administration. The release did not say how many individuals have received compensation thus far.
The term “Havana Syndrome” emerged after U.S.

When I worked as a Defense Department desk officer two decades ago, you could set a clock by it: Every few months, someone newly assigned to the Iran file, whether in the Joint Chiefs of Staff or the Central Intelligence Agency, would read somewhere that Iran was a multiethnic country and suggest supporting ethnic separatism in Iran to fragment the country.

In early 2026, a National Guard soldier with over 15 years of service had his medication changed for a chronic condition. He received official notice that he was “unfit” for continued service and would have to appear before an Army Physical Evaluation Board —  a step in the process before receiving a medical discharge. 
The soldier, who asked his name not be used because his case is pending, had less than a week to respond. 
“I’m like, ‘great, cool,’” the soldier remembers thinking. “I’m going to talk to the lawyer.

Ukrainian Drone Strikes Hammer Russian “Shadow Fleet” Tankers: The Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS) struck 21 tankers and seven other ships belonging to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” in the Sea of Azov during an overnight operation on July 11, according to the commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert “Madyar” Brovdi.

Brovdi said that  Ukrainian drones hit 21 tankers, four tugboats, two dry cargo vessels, and one specialized vessel, recording 73 successful strikes during the overnight operation.

Su-35. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Ukrainian Drone Swarms Are Overwhelming Moscow’s Air Defenses: Ukraine fired more than 350 drones at the Russian capital, starting on Sunday night, most of which were shot down by air defenses. This was the second consecutive night of massive drone swarms against Moscow.

Russia’s defense ministry claims to have shot down 926 drones in just the past day, as the Ukrainian military has brought increasing pressure on the air defenses of Moscow and other large cities, overwhelming them with sheer numbers.

Sukhoi Su-34 Heading Into the Sky. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

A new contract from the UK Ministry of Defence will see 60,000 British soldiers trained each year using AI and advanced analytics.

Unmanned aerial systems or drones have become the driving force behind military strategy. They’ve offered cheap alternatives to costly weapons systems, drained interceptor stockpiles and proven to be a powerful force multiplier on the battlefield. But the Department of Defense’s lead task force on drones says they aren’t a “silver bullet” when it comes to war. And now it put out what it called a “practical handbook” on how drones are used in warfare and how they can be deterred.

Early in his historic baseball career, Ted Williams lost three full years while serving in the military during World War II.
Williams joined the United States Naval Reserve in 1942. Given a chance to fulfill his commitment by playing on a service baseball team, Williams declined. The well-known athlete didn’t want any special treatment from the military. He studied to become a pilot and was commissioned as a Marine Corps second lieutenant in 1944.