Qatar’s domestic weapons, Turkey’s drone arsenal and the Mecca pact’s next test
Middle East Bureau Chief Agnes Helou breaks down efforts by Turkey and Gulf nations to bolster their defense capabilities amid ongoing regional instability.
Qatari Barzan unveils aerial drones, unmanned surface vessels at Milipol 2026
“This is a significant achievement, particularly as we continue to expand Qatar’s domestic defence and security capabilities in a year where we have had to rise to a number of regional challenges,” the company said in a statement.
Saudi Arabia’s nuclear program could outlive its government, so plan accordingly
Nuclear technology can outlive the strategic assumptions that justified its transfer, two experts caution US lawmakers.
Pentagon weighs force posture, costs of rebuilding Middle East bases
“We're meeting with CENTCOM and doing the assessments right now from an installation perspective. Part of this is what will the global posture be in the future, and what does that require us to have?” a senior defense official told reporters today.
Army sent balloon swarms to Middle East to support CENTCOM operations
The Army gleaned a trio of observations about how those balloons operated, but it is not yet clear what path the service will pursue when it comes to stratospheric sensing capabilities, Andrew Evans said.
After B-1’s leave England, analysts point to limited options, importance of base defense
“Withdrawing these bombers to [the US] will provide an opportunity for more significant maintenance on the aircraft, but it does reduce the potential sustained strike capacity US forces could bring to bear against Iran,” Timothy Walton, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, told Breaking Defense.
US withdraws last remaining troops out of Iraq
“As we step back and hand full primary responsibility for Iraq’s security to the Government of Iraq and the brave people of Iraq, US and Coalition forces stationed across the region will remain ready to respond to any ISIS threats that arise,” CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said.
Riyadh gets closer to F-35s, Damascus presses sovereignty and an expert take on Iran
Middle East Bureau Chief Agnes Helou reviews top news from the region before speaking with defense analyst Ryan Bohl.
‘Cyber magazine’ can run out ‘pretty damn quick’ in modern conflict: Admiral
In the wake of public debates about the health of physical US munitions, a senior Navy official said the "cyber magazine" isn't infinite either.
The US needs an information-warfare strategy for Iran — and beyond
In the face of authoritarian oppression, a US-made information warfare tool set could enhance the lives of those living in restrictive countries.
US clears $24B F-35 sale for Saudi Arabia
The approval comes a year after President Donald Trump announced Riyadh would be permitted to buy the highly advanced stealth fighters, though lawmakers could still block the sale.
Spain’s Indra unveils Squall, a new low-cost cruise missile for ‘mass attacks’
It's the latest small cruise missile to head to market, as militaries around the globe look to replenish their stocks.
Iran war costs: $38B, plus $2-3B per month going forward, CBO says
The Congressional Budget Office reported it would take "at least five years" to rebuild American munitions inventories.
‘Hundreds’ of buildings, ‘dozens’ of aircraft destroyed or damaged during Iran ops: DoD IG
Operation Epic Fury has "resulted in strategic inventory shortfalls" of key munitions, Pentagon officials told investigators.