I - On Defense Podcast

For Review:1. Saudi Arabia bombed Yemen's port city of Mukalla on Tuesday over what it described as a shipment of weapons for a separatist force there, which arrived from the United Arab Emirates. 2. US Drone Strike on Venezuelan Port.The drone strike targeted a remote dock on the Venezuelan coast that the US government believed was being used by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua to store drugs and move them onto boats for shipping. There were no casualties, according to the sources.3. The United States is offering Ukraine security guarantees for a period of 15 years as part of a proposed peace plan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday.4. A top Russian official on Monday issued personal threats against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after Russia claimed that Ukraine launched a drone attack on one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's official residences.5. President Trump meets wit Israeli PM Netanyahu; Discusses Gaza Peace Deal; Iran Missile Development; Lebanon; & Syria.  6. The United States defended Israel's right to recognize the breakaway territory of Somaliland as a state at the United Nations on Monday, comparing it to the recognition of a Palestinian state by numerous countries.7. Chinese forces fired more than two dozen rockets and rehearsed port seizures on the second day of ongoing blockade drills around Taiwan.In statements and posters, Beijing cites Washington's recent $11 billion arms sale of artillery systems, short-range ballistic missiles and loitering munitions to Taipei as one of the main reasons for the Justice Mission drills. 

For review:1. The United States hasn't given up its pursuit of the massive, rusted oil tanker it chased into international waters near Venezuela last weekend, Officials no longer expect the Bella 1 to return to the country to load up with oil as the US military and Coast Guard chase it. The ship is currently empty.2.  Busy Week: President Trump to Meet with Ukraine President & Israeli PM.3. Israel on Friday became the first country to recognize Somaliland, a former British protectorate that unilaterally declared independence from formerly Italian-ruled Somalia in 1991.4. The United Nations Security Council will convene an emergency session on Monday to discuss Israel's recognition of Somaliland, with members slated to condemn the move.The European Union joined the chorus of condemnations of Israel's move.5. The Israeli Defense Ministry announced on Sunday the delivery of the first operational high-power laser interception system developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., dubbed “Iron Beam,” to the Israel Defense Forces.6. The Pentagon has claimed that Chinese missile forces are operating a new type of anti-ship ballistic missiles that are capable of reaching the West Coast of the United States, according to the annual report on Beijing's military power.  

For review:1. US Strikes ISIS Militants in Nigeria.2. Venezuela's ambassador to the United Nations on Tuesday accused the United States of committing the “greatest extortion known in our history” at an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council called over Washington's seizures of Venezuelan oil tankers.3. Russia's foreign ministry said on Thursday that the United States was reviving piracy and banditry in the Caribbean Sea by blockading Venezuela and said it hoped that U.S. President Donald Trump's pragmatism would help avoid a disaster.4. US Coast Guard Still Pursuing Sanctioned Venezuelan Tanker in Caribbean. 5. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he will meet US President Donald Trump in Florida at the weekend, as talks continue on ending Russia's full-scale war.6. Lebanon's foreign minister on Wednesday criticized Hezbollah and demanded its entire military system be dismantled and disarmed, saying that it was “unacceptable” that a non-state armed organization continues to operate within the country.7. China Sanctions 20 US Companies over Recent Taiwan Arms Package.The recent announcement of the $10 billion U.S. arms-sale package for Taiwan has drawn an angry response from China, which claims Taiwan as its own and says it must come under its control. 

For review:1. US Continues Military Build-Up in Puerto Rico.The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that at least 10 CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, which are used to transport special forces, arrived in the Caribbean theater from Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico.The Journal also reported that C-17 cargo planes from Fort Stewart and Fort Campbell Army bases arrived in Puerto Rico on Monday.2. Israel reportedly started shipping weapons to the Syrian Druze just days after Syria's Iran-backed President Bashar al-Assad was ousted a year ago.3. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met on Wednesday with Hamas officials in Ankara to discuss the ceasefire in Gaza and advancing to the second phase of the agreement, a Turkish foreign ministry source said.4. As President Volodymyr Zelensky unveiled details of a U.S.-Ukraine draft peace plan on Dec. 24, aimed at ending Russia's full-scale war, two key provisions remain unresolved.The disagreements center on provisions 12 and 14 of the 20-point proposal. Both deal with issues Kyiv calls existential: territories and the future of critical infrastructure.5. Senior Russian General Killed by Car Bomb in Moscow.6. Sweden will soon have the capability to conduct deep strikes far behind enemy lines, as the Gripen will be integrated with the German-made Taurus cruise missile earlier than planned (2028).7. China Plans Future Naval Force with Nine Aircraft Carriers.

For review:1. Israel has reportedly warned the Trump administration that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps may be using an ongoing military exercise focusing on missiles as cover to launch an attack on Israel, amid fears that Jerusalem and Tehran are readying for another confrontation.2. Finland's President (Alexander Stubb): Russia - Ukraine Peace Closer than Any Point in the War3. US Coast Guard Pursuing 3d Sanctioned Venezuelan Tanker.4. President Trump Announces New "Trump-Class" Battleship.The U.S. Navy will buy two new “battleships” as part of the “Golden Fleet” effort, President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Navy Secretary John Phelan announced Monday at Mar-a-Lago.5. The U.S. Coast Guard Legend-class will serve as the basis of a new Navy frigate program, Secretary of the Navy John Phelan and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle announced on social media Friday.The new frigate design will focus on American designs and American yards.6. The US Air Force has awarded nine companies contracts for an early stage of the second round of its Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, selecting a wide array of designs that will be evaluated for potential future prototyping, an Air Force spokesperson told Breaking Defense today. The spokesperson did not say when the awards were made or what companies were picked. The nine successful firms will now compete for a prototyping deal, which the spokesperson said could be offered to more than one company.7. U.S. President Donald Trump signed into law a nearly $1 trillion annual defense policy bill. The fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, authorizes a record $901 billion in annual military spending, $8 billion more than the President requested.

For review:1. US Seizes Second Venezuelan Sanctioned Tanker.2. US Strikes 70 ISIS Targets in Syria.The attack was conducted using F-15 Eagle jets, A-10 Thunderbolt ground attack aircraft and AH-64 Apache helicopters, the U.S. officials said. F-16 fighter jets from Jordan and HIMARS rocket artillery also were used.3. NBC Report: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will present plans for a possible fresh attack on Iran to US President Donald Trump during his upcoming visit to Washington. According to the report, Israel is growing increasingly concerned that Iran is rebuilding and even expanding its ballistic missile production in the wake of the nations' 12-day war in June.4. Russia & France Consider Dialogue.5. Chinese Aircraft Carrier Fujian 18 Sails Thru Taiwan Strait.

For review:1. President Donald Trump said Thursday that he is leaving the possibility of a war with Venezuela on the table.2. US Secretary of State: We Need to Clarify (ISF) Mandate Before We Can Expect Countries to Contribute Troops.3. Report: Turkey to Return S400 System to Russia to Allow F-35 Purchase.4. European leaders on Dec. 19 approved a $105 billion interest-free loan for Ukraine.5. Potential US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cases for Taiwan- estimated $11 billion include:·        82 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), 420 ATACMS systems and other strike weapons, valued at up to $4.05 billion·        60 M109A7 Self-Propelled Howitzers valued at up to $4.030 billion ·        Altius Autonomous Air Vehicles valued at up to $1.1 billion·        Tactical Mission Network Software valued at up to $1.01 billion·        1,050 Javelin Missiles valued at up to $375 million·        1,545 TOW 2B Missiles valued at up to $353 million·        AH-1W Helicopter spare and repair parts valued at up to $96 million.“China firmly opposes and strongly condemns it,” said a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  

For review:1. President Trump Orders Blockade of Sanctioned Venezuelan Oil Tankers.2. Speaking at an annual meeting with top military officers, Russian President Putin said Moscow would prefer to achieve its goals and “eliminate the root causes of the conflict” by diplomatic means, but he added that “if the opposing side and its foreign patrons refuse to engage in substantive dialogue, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historical lands by military means.”3. Six Countries Join (Gaza) Board of Peace. The US has secured commitments from Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Italy and Germany to have their leaders join US President Donald Trump on the Board of Peace.4. The United States Central Command hosted a conference in Qatar on Tuesday with dozens of partner nations to discuss plans for an International Stabilization Force for the Gaza Strip.Egypt, Indonesia, Qatar, Jordan, the UAE, Italy, France, the UK, and Azerbaijan were among the attendees. Other countries at the summit included Cyprus, Georgia, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Jordan, Japan, Greece, Singapore, the EU, Saudi Arabia, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Kuwait, Morocco, Bahrain, Bosnia, Finland, Kosovo, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Spain, and Yemen.5. Senators voted 77-20 on a bipartisan basis to send this year's National Defense Authorization Act to the desk of President Donald Trump, who has indicated he will sign the bill. The 2026 NDAA authorizes $900.6 billion in defense funds, or about $8 billion more than the White House's request. 

For review:1. US Agrees to Unspecified Security Guarantees for Ukraine; Talks to Continue.2.  Estonia Begins Installing Concrete Bunkers on Border with Russia. The initial batch represents the first phase of the Estonian 600-bunker network as part of the Baltic Defense Line project- coordinated with Lithuania and Latvia.3. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday met with the US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria and Lebanon Tom Barrack, amid concerns that Israel could launch a major military offensive against Hezbollah if Beirut does not step up its campaign to disarm the terror group.4. The US is hosting a conference in Doha tomorrow aimed at offering potential donor countries more details on how the ISF will operate in a bid to move ahead with the initiative that has appeared to stall since the UN Security Council backed its formation roughly a month ago.5. Tom Barrack (US Ambassador to Turkey), said there were “ongoing discussions with Türkiye regarding their desire to rejoin the F-35 program and their possession of the Russian-made S-400 air defense system.”6. Trinidad & Tobago Allow US Military Access to Airports. Only 7 miles (11 kilometers) separate Venezuela from the twin-island Caribbean nation at their closest point. It has two main airports: Piarco International Airport in Trinidad and ANR Robinson International Airport in Tobago.

For review:1. Joint US-Syrian Patrol Ambushed; Two US Soldiers Killed; President Trump Vows Serious Retaliation.2. WSJ Report: A US special operations team in the Indian Ocean raided a ship headed to Iran from China last month and seized military-related articles.3.  The Israel Defense Forces on Saturday issued a warning to residents of the southern Lebanon town of Yanouh ahead of planned airstrikes against Hezbollah infrastructure, but postponed the strike after Lebanese troops went to search the site.4. On Friday, Lebanese Officials  received warnings from Arab and international parties that Israel is preparing for a wide-scale military operation against Hezbollah.5. Top Hamas commander Raad Saad was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on Saturday afternoon, the Israel Defense Forces said.6. International troops could be deployed in the Gaza Strip as early as next month to form a UN-authorized stabilization force, two US officials told Reuters, but it remains unclear how the Palestinian terror group Hamas will be disarmed.7. US and Ukrainian negotiators are set to meet for high-stakes peace talks in Berlin on December 14 as disagreements persist over territorial control and security guarantees.8. Switzerland has decided to cut an order of 36 Lockheed Martin F-35A fifth-generation fighter jets due to a price increase of roughly $610 million enforced by the US government.

For review:1. US President Donald Trump's administration is reportedly planning to appoint an American two-star general to command the International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza.2. Taiwan's high-profile Deputy Foreign Minister Francois Wu made a previously unpublicized visit to Israel recently, three sources familiar with the trip told Reuters, at a time when Taiwan is looking to Jerusalem for defense cooperation.3. Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said on Thursday that he would travel to Beirut for talks after his Lebanese counterpart had declined a day earlier to visit Tehran.4. The United States has suggested creating a “free economic zone” in parts of the eastern Donbas region from which Ukraine would withdraw under a negotiated peace with Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday.5. The Croatian Ministry of Defense has placed an order for 44 Leopard 2A8 tanks, a deal valued at almost €1.5 billion ($1.8 billion).6. Russian and Chinese bombers conducted a joint patrol Tuesday, flying over the East China Sea and Western Pacific, prompting Seoul and Tokyo to scramble fighter aircraft to monitor the flights.7. — South Korea's Hanwha is set to invest in a new $1 billion plant in the United States to produce Modular Charge Systems (MCS) for 155mm howitzer ammunition.8. The House passed the fiscal 2026 defense policy authorization bill, setting up passage in the Senate before Congress goes on holiday break.Lawmakers voted 312-112 to advance the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which authorizes $900.6 billion in defense funds, or about $8 billion more than the White House's request.

For review:1. Latest in Ukraine/US/European negotiations to end war.2. A Hamas source told The Times of Israel on Sunday that the group will only agree to give up its weapons through negotiations that result in the establishment of a Palestinian state.3. Armor Not Dead: Australian Army's 3d Brigade (Armored) Transformation.The first tranche of the new AS9 Huntsman SP 155mm howitzers is set to reach the 3d Brigade by the end of 2027,.Other new kit heading the brigade's way includes M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks, AS21 Redback infantry fighting vehicles, several types of Abrams-based combat engineering vehicles, and Boxer 8x8 combat reconnaissance vehicles.

For review:1. Ukrainian President to Meet with E3 Leaders in London to discuss last week's US Negotiations (Miami).2. US Envoy Kellogg Says Deal Close; Sticking Points include Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant.3. The Russian and Chinese militaries conducted joint anti-missile drills in on Russian territory in early December as part of scheduled military exercises, China's Defense Ministry said on Dec. 6.These drills followed joint artillery and anti-submarine exercises that were conducted in the Sea of Japan in August.4. Hamas is ready to discuss “freezing or storing” its arsenal of weapons as part of its ceasefire with Israel, a senior official says, offering a possible formula to resolve one of the thorniest issues in the US-brokered agreement.5. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that the first phase of the ceasefire in Gaza is “almost” complete, and that he expects to move on to its second phase soon.6. Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Abdulrahman Al Thani suggested Sunday that his country will not foot the bill for rebuilding Gaza, despite speculation that it would be the main backer of reconstruction.“We are not the ones who are going to write the check to rebuild what others destroyed,” Al Thani said during an onstage interview at the Doha Forum, an annual diplomatic conference. 7. During a visit to the Gaza Strip on Sunday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said that the Yellow Line, demarcating where the Israeli military withdrew to under the terms of the ongoing ceasefire, is “a new border line.”“We will not allow Hamas to reestablish itself. We control large parts of the Gaza Strip and stand along [strategic] lines. The Yellow Line is a new border line, a forward defensive line for the communities and an offensive line.”8. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has called for stepped-up military recruitment after the United States deployed a fleet of warships and the world's largest aircraft carrier to the Caribbean. 9. President Javier Milei on Saturday hailed the arrival of Argentina's first six F-16 jets purchased from Denmark, describing them as “guardian angels” that will strengthen the South American country's armed forces.The US-built aircraft are among the 24 fighters bought last year from Copenhagen for roughly $300 million. 

For review:1. Remains of Thai Hostage Sudthisak Rinthalak Returned From Gaza Strip.2. Israel has told mediators in Cairo that Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad know how to reach the remains of Master Sergeant Ran Gvili, the last hostage held in the Gaza Strip, Israeli television reported Friday. 3. The Israel Defense Forces carried out a wave of airstrikes against what it said were Hezbollah weapons depots in southern Lebanon on Thursday.4. The head of the US military's Central Command congratulated Syria's security forces on Friday for thwarting several weapons shipments to Lebanon's Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah. 5. Iran Launches Cruise & Ballistic Missiles During Naval Drill Near Strait of Hormuz.6. US & Ukraine to Continue Third Day of Talks in Miami on Saturday.7.  The United States has offered to sell Poland  250 used Stryker vehicles for a single ceremonial dollar, and Warsaw is preparing to accept that deal as soon as the logistics can be worked out, according to Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense.8. UK Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard said today he would order a review into advice he received from top military officials that the Ajax armored vehicle was “demonstrably safe to operate"-  just weeks before many soldiers grew sick from riding in the vehicle that the program had to be paused. 

For review:1. President Trump: US is Preparing for Land Operations Against Narcotics Manufacturers in Venezuela.2. US - Russian Talks in Moscow "Useful & Constructive" -  But No Concrete Deal.3. The Israel Ministry of Defense delivered the first operational Arrow 3 Air Defense System to Germany in a formal ceremony at a German Air Force base near Berlin, Israel's Ministry of Defense said today. 4. The Red Cross transferred the body of a presumed hostage from Hamas to Israeli security forces in Gaza on Wednesday evening.5. The family of Sudthisak Rinthalak, one of the two remaining hostages whose bodies are held in the Gaza Strip, spoke Wednesday about the long wait for the return of their son and brother.Mr. Rinthalak came from the town of Ratnawee in northern Thailand.6. Lebanese and Israeli civilian representatives held their first direct talks in decades Wednesday, part of a year-old ceasefire monitoring mechanism in the war with Hezbollah.The meeting was held at the UN peacekeeping force's headquarters in Naqoura in Lebanon, near the border with Israel.7. Australia is launching a new independent acquisition system to better cope with increasingly complex weapons systems, one that will report directly to the defense minister and not pass through the secretary of the Defense Department.“It is the biggest reform to the Defense Organization in 50 years,” Pat Conroy, Minister for the Defense Industry, told reporters on Monday, 

For review:1. President Trump Discusses Venezuela with Key Advisors.2. Pope Leo XIV arrived Sunday in Lebanon from Turkey, where he opened his first trip as Pope. He is set to wrap up his visit on Tuesday with a prayer at the site of the 2020 Beirut port blast and a Mass on the waterfront.3. US Cautions Iraq Against Support to Hezbollah. 4. Negotiations between the U.S. and Ukraine on Sunday focused on where the de facto border with Russia would be drawn under a peace deal.Representing the US were Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump's adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner. The Ukrainian side was represented by national security adviser Rustem Umerov, military chief of staff Gen. Andrii Hnatov and deputy head of military intelligence Vadym Skibitskyi.5. Ukraine's former military chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi has called for political change and reform once a peace deal is reached, in an op-ed for the Telegraph published on 29 Nov.6. Taiwan Funds Island-Wide AD System.The Taiwan President outlined his administration's proposal for a $40 billion defense supplemental this week that would fund an island-wide air defense system and the procurement of missiles, drones and other anti-invasion capabilities.

For review:1. President Trump: Airspace Above Venezuela Considered To Be Closed In Its Entirety. “To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY,” President Trump said in a post on Truth Social.2. President Zelensky's Chief of Staff Resigns From Corruption Scandal.Andriy Yermak resigned as chief of staff on Friday after an anti-corruption raid at his home. 3. Ukraine is sending a high-level delegation to the U.S. on Saturday for more talks on the Trump administration's Peace Plan- ahead of White House envoy Steve Witkoff's visit to Moscow expected early next week.The Ukrainian delegation will now be led by the head of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, Rustem Umerov, after Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's chief of staff was forced to resign on Friday amid a corruption scandal.4. German Chancellor Merz said Friday he is pressing the Belgian government to come to an agreement with the EU to use frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine.Belgium, which hosts international deposit organization Euroclear, fears such a move could expose it to crippling legal and financial reprisals from Moscow.5. Hezbollah's leader (Naim Qassem) on Friday said the terror group had the right to respond to Israel's killing of its top military chief in a strike on Beirut's southern suburbs.6. The Lebanese army took dozens of journalists from local and and international media outlets Friday on a tour of the rugged border area between Israel and Lebanon. Parts of the zone south of the Litani River and north of the border with Israel were formerly a Hezbollah stronghold, off limits to the Lebanese national army and UN peacekeepers deployed in the area.7. The IDF is considering an expanded operation in southern Syria if it finds that Syrian government forces were involved in gunfire at IDF soldiers during an arrest operation in Syria's south early Friday morning. The IDF could transition to conducting fewer arrest operations against terror operatives active near the border and instead increase airstrikes to eliminate targets.8. The US Navy is cancelling its Constellation frigate program following months of cost overruns and delays but plans to keep two vessels that are already being built in Wisconsin.

For review:1. US Sec of State: Security Guarantees to Ukraine After Ceasefire.2. The body of Mr. Dror Or was returned to Israel from Gaza by Palestinian terror groups on Tuesday evening, Israeli authorities announced Wednesday morning.The bodies of two slain hostages now remain held in Gaza.3. Israel reportedly conveyed a proposal to Hamas last week that would allow the release of dozens of Hamas fighters believed to be trapped in tunnels in an IDF-controlled area of eastern Rafah, as long as they surrender.4. Report: Iran Continuing to Fund Hezbollah in Lebanon. In November, the US undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, John Hurley, stated that Iran had managed to funnel about $1 billion to Hezbollah in 2025.5. The IDF confirmed launching a wave of strikes on southern Lebanon Thursday — the first anniversary of the ceasefire largely ending the cross-border fighting last year — saying it hit rocket-launching sites, weapon depots and military posts belonging to Hezbollah.6. Poland to Procure Saab A26 Submarines.7. BAE Systems has received a $390-million contract to produce additional Bradley A4 Infantry Fighting Vehicles.The vehicle has been a core component of the military's Armored Brigade Combat Teams since the early 1980s, with more than 6,500 currently in service.8. US Army Developing New 155mm Cluster Munition.

For review:1. US Official: Ukraine Agrees with Revised 19-Point Peace Deal; President Trump Dispatches Steve Witkoff to Meet With Russian President.2. European Union lawmakers voted on Tuesday to deepen integration of the bloc's defense industry with Ukraine. European Parliament legislators voted 457-148, with 33 abstentions, to approve a 1.5-billion euro ($1.7 billion) program, with 300 million euros ($345 million) slated for the Ukraine Support Instrument.3.  IDF Military Drill Evaluates Readiness After Strike on Senior Hezbollah Official.4. Gazan terror groups handed over what they said was the body of one of the three remaining deceased hostages on Tuesday evening, with Israel saying the remains were brought to a forensic institute for identification.5. Dozens of Hamas operatives remain trapped in an area of the southern Gaza Strip that is under Israeli control, military commanders told reporters on Sunday, vowing that they would hunt them all down.

For review:1. Europe Preparing Counterproposal to President Trump's 28 Point Russia - Ukraine Peace Plan; Talks Occurring in Switzerland & Angola.2. Estonia still wants to buy six additional M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) from the US, and possibly more, according to Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur.Estonia Minister of Defense statement: “This is why we are looking for additional systems for the deep strikes. It's not only HIMARS and it's not only Chunmoo,” he later added. “It's also the cruise missiles. It's loitering munitions. So different types of systems. What will give us more reach, because we don't have the strategic depth.”3. Israel Eliminates Hezbollah's Second-in-Command in Beirut Missile Strike.Israel said on Sunday it had killed Hezbollah's military chief of staff, Haytham Ali Tabatabai, in a targeted airstrike in the southern suburbs of Lebanon's capital, Beirut. Mr. Tabatabai was considered second only to Secretary-General Naim Qassem, in the Iran-backed terror group's command structure.4. A Hamas delegation was in Cairo on Sunday to meet with Gaza mediators on the recent escalation of hostilities in the Strip, as both Israel and the Palestinian terror group continued to trade accusations of ceasefire violations.

For review:1. President Trump 28 Point Peace Plan for Russia & Ukraine Released.2. Initial Reaction

For review:1. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted that there will not be a Palestinian state, even at the cost of normalization with Saudi Arabia.2. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio guaranteed him that Israel's “qualitative military edge” will remain intact in a phone call following US President Donald Trump's announcement this week that he would sell F-35 warplanes to Saudi Arabia.3.  IDF-Hamas Combat Along Gaza Strip Yellow Line.4. US Draft 28-Point Plan to End Russia-Ukraine War. A senior White House official confirmed to CBS News on Thursday that President Trump was backing a 28-point plan drafted by envoy Steve Witkoff and an adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has received a draft plan, his office confirmed Thursday.5. U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for Ukraine, Retired LTG Keith Kellogg, will step down from his role in January, the White House confirmed on Nov. 19.6. Russian Su-57 (NATO - Felon) at the Dubai Airshow. The warplane is billed as Moscow's answer to the F-35. 7. Armor Not Dead: New Leopard 2A8 Main Battle Tank.The German army is slated to get 123 tanks, with deliveries beginning in 2027 and to be finalized in 2030.

For review:1.  UN Security Council Passes US-Sponsored Gaza Resolution. (Russia & China Abstain)2. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said Tuesday during his White House meeting with US President Donald Trump that Riyadh wants to join the Abraham Accords, but calls for the need to secure a path towards a two-state solution.3. Saudi Arabia to Procure F-35 Fighters & M1 Tanks from US.4. The Israeli Air Force presented an explicit objection to the US's potential sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia in a formal position paper submitted to Israel's political leaders on Sunday.5. The Israel Defense Forces carried out an airstrike Tuesday, on a Hamas training facility, near the Lebanese coastal city of Sidon. 6. Russian troops have been spotted outside the northern outskirts of the Pokrovsk, the Ukrainian military has reported, as intense battles for the city continue.7. President Volodymyr Zelensky will visit Turkey on Nov. 19 to "reinvigorate negotiations" with Russia, the Ukrainian president announced on Nov. 18. US special envoy Steve Witkoff will also visit Turkey and join possible talks with the Ukrainian president, Reuters reported on Nov. 18, citing an unnamed Turkish source.8. A blast that destroyed a train track in a village south of the country's capital Warsaw was an act of sabotage, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Nov. 17, one day after the resulting damage was detected on the rail link used to connect Poland with Ukraine.9. Ukraine signed a letter of intent to buy up to 100 Rafale warplanes from France, the Ukrainian Embassy and the French president's office said.

For review:1. US Defense Secretary Hegseth announced a new military and surveillance campaign in the Western Hemisphere on Thursday, dubbed “Operation Southern Spear,” to pummel “narco-terrorists.”2. US SOUTHCOM Release: On Nov. 15, at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization. 3. CNN Report: The UK has stopped sharing intelligence with the US for its campaign against suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean.4. The U.S. will not be sending military forces to Mexico or undertaking any unilateral actions in the fight against drug trafficking, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday.5. UNSC Vote Expected Monday on Gaza Peace Plan Resolution.6. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday vowed Hamas will be disarmed, following reports that the United States is considering moving ahead with rebuilding parts of Gaza even as the terror group retains its weapons.7. Russia & Ukraine Negotiating Prisoner Exchange.8.  Aircraft Carrier USS Gerald Ford (CVN-78) Enters Caribbean Sea.

For review:1. The body of slain hostage Israeli Meny Godard was returned to Israel by Hamas on Thursday night, officials confirmed. The bodies of three slain hostages now remain held in the Strip — two Israelis and one Thai national.2.  US Secretary of State Optimistic About Gaza International Stabilization Force.3. Indonesia has trained up to 20,000 troops to take on health and construction-related tasks during a planned peacekeeping operation in the war-torn enclave of Gaza, the defense minister said on Friday.4. US President Donald Trump urged Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in a phone call last month to normalize relations with Israel following the October 9 Gaza ceasefire.5. President Trump Considers F-35s for Saudi Arabia.6. Ukraine President Zelenskyy said Ukraine is facing a “very difficult” situation in the city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, where Russian forces are attempting to seize control after months of intense fighting.Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg, President Zelensky said decisions about any troop withdrawals from the area are being left to military commanders on the ground. “Nobody is pushing them to die for the sake of ruins,” he said.7. The U.S. Coast Guard said Thursday that it had detected and tracked a Russian intelligence-gathering vessel off the coast of Hawaii late last month.8. Colombia on Friday signed an agreement for 17 Gripen E/F fighter jets, with a value of €3.1 billion ($3.6 billion). Delivery of the jets will take place between 2026 and 2032. 9. The US Navy has begun efforts to salvage a fighter jet and helicopter from the South China Sea, Breaking Defense has learned.The MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter and F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter crashed within 30 minutes of each other on the afternoon of Oct 26 while conducting routine operations from the USS Nimitz.

For review:1. US Envoys Visit Israel to Discuss Hamas Fighters Trapped in Rafah Tunnels.2. France hosted Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Paris for a meeting on Tuesday, during which French President Emmanuel Macron committed to helping the PA draft a constitution for a future state.3. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa threw cold water on the prospect of his country joining the Abraham Accords, saying that conditions were premature for talks on a normalization deal with Israel.4. Houthis Indicate a Halt to Military Operations Against Israel and Red Sea Shipping.5. Inspectors of the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) visited Iranian nuclear sites last week, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday.6.  Dense Fog Enables Russian Forces Entry into Pokrovsk.7. Finland's former president Sauli Niinistö has called on the European Union to open direct channels of communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin to press for an end to the war in Ukraine.8. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is keen on ordering more than two dozen Raytheon-produced Patriot air defense systems.Figures from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) thinktank claim that a Patriot battery costs $1.1 billion — split between $690 million for the weapon systems' missiles and $400 million for the system itself.9. The Navy has awarded General Dynamics a $1.7 billion contract to construct two more John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oilers.The fleet oilers are 742 feet in length with a displacement of nearly 50,000 tons when fully loaded and can carry 162,000 barrels of oil and dry cargo.

For review:1. Pakistan said Sunday it was committed to “dialogue” with Afghanistan despite peace talks ending after deadly violence, with Islamabad stressing its security concerns persist.2. IDF Officer's Body Returned After More Than 11 Years in Hamas Captivity; 4 Hostages Remain.3. Israel has warned Lebanon's army that it is not satisfied with the actions taken so far against the Hezbollah terror group, vowing to continue its stepped-up bombing campaign unless the situation changes.The Israel Defense Forces has recently stepped up these strikes, killing three Hezbollah members in two separate strikes on Saturday, after an intense bombing campaign on Thursday.4. In a late Friday interview, John Hurley, the undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said Iran has managed to funnel about $1 billion to Hezbollah this year despite a raft of Western sanctions that have battered its economy.5. Another Israel-Iran war is “only a matter of time,” according to a report by The NY Times, which says Iran still has a stockpile of enriched uranium and is racing to build thousands of missiles.6.  Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov Ready to Meet with US SEC of State Rubio to Discuss Ukraine.7. German Armed Forces counter-Drone Munition.Dubbed SADM, the Small Anti-Drone Missile will be fitted onto Rheinmetall-made Skyranger 30 anti-aircraft vehicles. The missile will extend the Skyranger's effective engagement range from 2 to about 6 kilometers 

For review:1. Secretary of War Hegseth Speech to Defense Industry Leaders.2. Ukrainian forces continue to stubbornly defend the pocket around Pokrovsk despite relentless Russian assaults, leading to an ever-increasing threat of encirclement.3.  US to Establish Presence at Airbase in Syria.4. The US has added the entire text of US President Donald Trump's 20-point plan for ending the Gaza war to the UN Security Council Resolution.5. US President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the Central Asian, Muslim-majority country of Kazakhstan will be the first country to join the Abraham Accords in his second term.6. Senate Republicans blocked a war powers resolution on Thursday aimed at preventing President Trump from conducting strikes against Venezuela.The vote to advance the resolution failed with 49 supporting it and 51 senators opposing. 7. A pair of US B-52 bombers flew over the Caribbean Sea along the coast of Venezuela on Thursday, in the fourth such show of force by American military aircraft in recent weeks.

For review:1. Hamas & PA Agree on Temporary Committee to Manage Gaza.2. Saudi Arabia Requests Purchase of F-35 Fighters from US. The Trump administration is considering a Saudi Arabian request to buy as many as 48 F-35 fighter jets.3. US President Donald Trump will host Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa for talks on November 10, the White House announced Tuesday.4. Ukraine General Staff: No Encirclement of Units & Divisions in Pokrovsk.The important hub in Ukraine's Donetsk region lies on a major supply route for the Ukrainian army and has been in Moscow's sights for over a year.5. North Korea has dispatched around 5,000 military construction troops and 1,000 engineers to Russia since September, according to South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS).6. Ukraine has signed up approximately 2,000 Colombian nationals as contract soldiers to help fill critical manpower gaps according to German media (Die Welt).7. A Russian Il-76 cargo plane that recently arrived in Venezuela- later made several stops in other Kremlin-aligned Latin American countries before returning to Russia, flight records show. 

For review:1. US Draft UNSC Resolution to Establish Gaza International Stabilization Force.International Stabilization Force will be in charge of securing the borders with Israel and Egypt, ensuring the safety of civilians and humanitarian zones, and training new Palestinian police officers who it will partner with.The force's mandate will apparently include disarming Hamas.2.  Gaza's future must be Palestinian-led and avoid any new system of foreign hegemony, Turkey and six of its top Muslim allies said Monday, after talks in Istanbul.3. IDF said Monday that it killed two Hezbollah operatives in separate strikes within an hour in southern Lebanon.4.  IRGC Says Precision Missile Killed Hamas Leader Haniyeh; Not Remote Bomb.5. Renewed US Nuclear Testing: President Trump alleged Sunday that countries including Russia and China have conducted underground nuclear tests unknown to the public, and that the United States would follow suit.6. Washington Post Report: Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has asked Russian President Vladimir Putin for military assistance as the U.S. concentrates forces in the Caribbean. According to the report, President Maduro requested help to strengthen air defense systems, including the delivery of 14 missile units, and the restoration of several Russian-made Sukhoi Su-30MK2 fighters. Plus, the overhauls of eight engines, five radars, and unspecified “logistical support.”7. A Russian transport aircraft (Ilyushin Il-76) has landed in the Venezuelan capital over the weekend, signaling heightened Russian interest in the Latin American country. 8.  Australian Navy Receives First Ghost Shark Extra-large Autonomous Underwater Vehicle.Australia plans to use the platform for stealthy long-range intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and strike operations.

For review:1. President Trump said Friday he is not considering strikes on Venezuela, which fears that a major US military buildup in the region is aimed at regime change in Caracas.2. President Trump Directs Department of War to Prepare for Action in Nigeria. President Trump on Saturday announced the US will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria if its government continues to allow the killing of Christians.3. Jordan and Germany said on Saturday that the International Stabilization Force expected to deploy in Gaza under US President Donald Trump's postwar governance plan should have a UN mandate.4. US Ambassador Tom Barrack had blunt words for Lebanon on Saturday, repeatedly calling the country a “failed state,” dubbing its leaders “dinosaurs” and saying that it probably won't be able to comply with the central US demand that it disarm Hezbollah.5. At least 59 UN personnel are being held by Houthis in Yemen, according to the United Nations, which has condemned what it calls arbitrary detentions.Forty-three detained local United Nations staff will face trial on suspicion of links to an Israeli airstrike that assassinated top Houthi leaders in August.6. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran has no desire for direct talks with the US over its nuclear or missile program, insisting that the Islamic Republic would not give up its ability to enrich uranium.7.  Kyiv Closes Embassy in Havana; Cuban Citizens Fighting Alongside Russia in Ukraine. Ukraine's military intelligence reported that at least 1,076 Cuban Nationals have joined or are currently fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.8. Anduril's prototype bid (YFQ-44A) for the Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft program achieved its first flight, the USAF announced today. 9. US Secretary of War to Give Acquisition Speech to Top Defense Industry Leaders on 07 Nov.

For review:1. President Trump Meets Chinese President in S. Korea; Discusses Ukraine.2. President Trump Directs Renewed Nuclear Testing.3. Qatari Prime Minister al-Thani indicated on Wednesday that Hamas violated the US-brokered ceasefire in Gaza on Tuesday when it attacked IDF soldiers- but did not specifically blame Hamas, referring instead to “the Palestinian party.” 4. Hamas on Thursday returned to Israel the remains of two deceased hostages, Amiram Cooper, 84, and Sahar Baruch, 25, with Israeli authorities confirming their identities within hours. The remains of 11 deceased hostages are still being held in Gaza.5. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Thursday that Hamas will be disarmed and the Gaza Strip demilitarized, asserting that if the international community doesn't do it, then Israel will.6. IAEA Estimates Iran Still Has 400kg of 60% Enriched Uranium.7. Officials in Budapest on Thursday said that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday, November 7.8. President Donald Trump in a social media post Wednesday said the United States will share sensitive nuclear submarine propulsion technologies with South Korea, “South Korea will be building its Nuclear Powered Submarine in the Philadelphia Shipyards, right here in the good ol' U.S.A. Shipbuilding in our Country will soon be making a BIG COMEBACK,” Trump said on Truth Social.9. US Senate Confirms New USAF Chief of Staff- General Kenneth Wilsbach.

For review:1. President Trump Meets Japan's Prime Minister; On to S. Korea for Meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.2. Russian President Vladimir Putin received North Korea's top diplomat at the Kremlin on October 27.North Korean media said Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui discussed "many future projects to constantly strengthen and develop" the bilateral relationship while also passing on leader Kim Jong Un's "brotherly regard" to Putin. 3. Gaza Ceasefire Holding Despite Violations & Reprisals.4. Lebanon's army has blown up so many Hezbollah arms caches that it has run out of explosives, as it races to meet a year-end deadline to disarm the Shiite terror group in the south of the country under a ceasefire agreed with Israel, two sources told Reuters.5. UK & Turkey Agree to Eurofighter Deal Worth $11 Billion.6. Germany's navy could have a fielded laser weapon ready by 2029, following nearly a decade of work between contractors Rheinmetall and MBDA, the companies said today.7. General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) is pushing its railgun program forward, positioning it as a potential modern air defense solution for saturation attacks and high-speed threats.General Atomics said it has three scalable railgun designs.The smallest, a 3-megajoule demonstrator dubbed “Blitzer,” is roughly the size of a 35mm gun.A 10-megajoule medium-caliber model is comparable to the size of a howitzer, while the more powerful 32-megajoule variant is larger than a 155mm artillery system.8. The US Navy is investigating the fuel supply of aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) as a possible cause for two U.S. aircraft crashes in the South China Sea.

For review:1. While in Malaysia - President Trump Oversees Peace Agreement Between Thailand & Cambodia; Next Stop Japan.2. Israel Allows Egyptian & Hamas Search Teams Access Beyond the Yellow Line.3. Kirill Dmitriev, Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy for investment and economic cooperation, said Friday that Russia, US, & Ukraine are “quite close” to reaching a diplomatic solution to end the war.4. Russia Tests Nuclear-Powered Skyfall (NATO) Cruise Missile. A video released by the Kremlin showed Russian President Putin receiving a report from Gen. Valery Gerasimov, Russia's chief of general staff, who told the Russian leader that the Burevestnik Missile (NATO designation Skyfall) covered 14,000 kilometers (8,700 miles) in a key test Tuesday.5. The Chinese Communist Party has named a veteran (Zhang Shengmin) who has overseen anti-corruption efforts in the military to be the country's second highest ranking general, just days after nine generals were expelled in a major purge.6. On Friday, South Korea's unification minister- Chung Dong-young- said he believed there was a “considerable” chance that President Trump will meet with N. Korean Leader Kim Jong Un, during his visit to the peninsula next week.7. Estonia inked a deal to purchase K239 Chunmoo rocket launchers, made by Hanwha Aerospace of South Korea, for its next tranche of launchers (press release). The release did not disclose how many Chunmoo systems Estonia will receive, nor how much the deal is worth.8. An F/A-18F Super Hornet and an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) crashed in the South China Sea on Sunday in two separate incidents in the Pacific.All crew are safe and in stable condition and the incidents are under investigation.

For review:1. US Secretary of State Visits Israel.2. IDF Strikes Hezbollah Targets in Lebanon.3.  Russia Exercises Nuclear Triad.4. Latest in US Army Self-Propelled Howitzer Modernization. 

For review:1. US Secretary of State Travels to Israel; Far East this week.2. United States Vice President JD Vance projected confidence on Tuesday that the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip was going to last as he paid a visit to a new US-Israel ceasefire coordination center in Kiryat Gat, southern Israel.3. There will be no Turkish troops in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office insisted Wednesday- as part of the planned International Stabilization Force (ISF).4. IDF Strikes Hezbollah Targets in S. Lebanon.5. US Sanctions Russian Oil Companies; President Trump and Putin Meeting in Budapest Cancelled. The US blacklisted Rosneft and Lukoil and issued other sanctions because Russia has failed to commit seriously to the peace process, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. 6. Opinion Article in Defense News written by John Moore, a former British Ministry of Defense official: Should the US Army bring back the Pentomic Division?7. President Trump nominates LTG Christopher LaNeve to replace GEN James Mingus as US Army Vice Chief of Staff. 

For review:1. Vice President Vance Travels to Israel to Shore Ceasefire Agreement.2. Ceasefire Status Returns After Two IDF Soldiers Killed in Rafah Leads to Israeli Retaliation.3. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday told US President Donald Trump to “keep dreaming” if he thinks US airstrikes in June destroyed Iran's nuclear facilities.4. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he would honor the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and have him arrested if he traveled to Canada in an interview published on Friday.5. Ukrainian general Mykhailo Drapatyi has been named the commander of the Armed Forces' new Joint Forces Task Force, a new command structure responsible for the front line in and around Kharkiv Oblast, the force announced on Oct. 20.6.  Germany and the Netherlands are set to receive hundreds of Jackal infantry fighting vehicles under a €3.4 billion ($4 billion) contract.The procurement is based on a split between 150 Jackal units for German armed forces and 72 for the Dutch military.  A “call off” of up to an additional 248 units is also included.7.  Poland's Defense officials have sent requests for information to six countries for submarine designs for the Polish Orka (Orca) submarine program.8. Azerbaijan and South Korea have held defense talks in Baku to expand cooperation on military development and regional security.9. President Donald Trump threw his support behind the trilateral AUKUS agreement today, even suggesting the US is moving more quickly to provide nuclear-powered subs to Australia. 

For review:1. Pakistan & Afghanistan Agree to Ceasefire.Security issues are at the heart of the tensions, with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan of harboring militant groups led by the Pakistani Taliban on its soil- a claim Kabul denies.2. Hamas terror group transferred to Israel two caskets Saturday night which it said contained the remains of two dead hostages held in Gaza. If the bodies are confirmed to belong to hostages, it would mean that the number of bodies of dead captives still held in the Strip would go down to 16, after 28 were there at the start of the current ceasefire.3. Hamas intends to maintain security control in Gaza during an interim period, a senior Hamas official told Reuters, adding he could not commit to the terrorist group disarming.4. The White House is considering sending US Vice President JD Vance to Israel on Monday to hold meetings with top Israeli officials on implementing the next phases of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.5. A multinational team meant to help secure the Gaza Strip following the end of Israel's war with Hamas will likely be headed up by Egypt, according to a report Saturday. Citing unnamed diplomats, The Guardian reported that Egypt would likely lead the stabilization force, although Cairo has not issued any statements on the matter.6. President Trump to Ukraine: No Tomahawks - At least For Now.7. Over the past three months, an Australian E-7A Wedgetail surveillance aircraft has been employed as part of NATO operations to monitor Russian activities near Ukraine.8. The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG) transited the Singapore Strait on Friday and is now operating in the South China Sea following a three-month stint in the Middle East.9. The Army plans to expand its autonomous air capability portfolio with a CCA-like option. 

For review:1. The military commander of the Houthi rebels in Yemen, Muhammad al-Ghamari, has died, the Iran-backed group announced Thursday afternoon. The Israel Defense Forces later confirmed that al-Ghamari had been killed during a 28 Aug airstrike in Yemen's capital, Sanaa.2.  US-Led Gaza Coordination Center Operational in Days.The command center will be led by a US three-star general, at least initially, who has not been identified publicly. The commander will have a foreign deputy, who would be the equivalent of a two-star officer, the officials said. 3.  US denies Hamas violating ceasefire deal, vows no hostage will be ‘left behind' in Gaza.4. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told The Associated Press that 15 Palestinian technocrats have been selected to administer postwar Gaza. 5.  Russia' postponed Arab summit. May be held in November instead. 6. President Trump and Russian President to Meet in Budapest within Two Weeks. The Trump-Putin meeting is expected to follow talks next week between teams led by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, at a location to be determined. 7.  United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth warned Moscow on Wednesday that if its war on Ukraine does not come to an end, the US and NATO allies would “impose costs on Russia for its continued aggression.” 8. The US and the Netherlands signed a pact today for the European nation to participate in the development of the US Air Force's CCA program.CCA = Collaborative Combat Aircraft 9.  First US Army Hypersonic Battery Fully Equipped in December.10.  The Army plans to "field" its next-generation M1E3 Abrams tank before the end of next year.The test vehicle would be sent to a small unit (identity and location not yet been determined). 

For review:1. Israel To Keep Rafah Crossing Closed & Limit Aid Until Hamas Returns Remaining Hostages.2. Post Gaza Ceasefire: Hamas gunmen tightened their grip in Gaza on Monday and Tuesday, sources in the Strip said, including carrying out public executions.Hamas has killed at least 33 people since a ceasefire took effect on Friday in a crackdown on groups that have tested its grip, sources in the strip said.3. Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said on Monday that supplying U.S. Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine could end badly for everyone, especially U.S. President Donald Trump.Mr. Medvedev, said it is impossible to distinguish between Tomahawk missiles carrying nuclear warheads and conventional ones after they are launched - a point that President Vladimir Putin's spokesman has also made. 4. Secretary of the Army Driscoll today teased a shake-up in the way the Army buys its weapons and platforms, saying that he wants to adopt more of a private sector-like model that “speeds up the cycle of innovation for us.”5. Leonardo DRS is partnering with European land defense specialist KNDS to throw their hat in the ring for the US Army's forthcoming howitzer competition.The two signed a “strategic teaming agreement” to offer the Army the CAESAR self-propelled howitzer. Though KNDS makes the CAESAR, Leonardo DRS, the US arm of Italian parent Leonardo, will be the integrator and prime for the project.6. A year after the program was cancelled, the Army may reverse course and back the development of a next-generation interceptor for the Patriot Missile System-  called the Lower-Tier Future Interceptor (LTFI).  7. The UH-60 Black Hawk is now fully reconfigured to be an unmanned aircraft capable of flying a variety of missions, according to Lockheed Martin's Sikorsky.The aircraft is designated the S-70 UAS and nicknamed the U-HAWK. 

For review:1. 20 Living Hostages Returned to Israel After Two Plus Years of Captivity; 4 of 28 Hostages Bodies Also Returned.2. President Trump Addresses Knesset.3. President Trump and Leaders of Egypt, Qatar, & Turkey Sign Peace Declaration.4. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that President Donald Trump's success in brokering a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas has renewed his hope that Trump can help facilitate a similar agreement in Russia's war against Ukraine.

For review:1.  Pakistan & Afghanistan Trade Fire on Border Regions. 2. All of Israel Prepares for the Return of the Hostages (Monday AM).3. President Trump to Arrive in Israel to address Knesset; Then to Egypt for Summit. Egypt will host an international summit in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday to finalize an agreement aimed at ending the war in Gaza, an Egyptian presidential spokesperson said on Saturday.The summit will be attended by more than 20 leaders, including US President Donald Trump, the spokesperson said in a statement.Several leaders have confirmed their attendance, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Jordan's King Abdullah II.4. Iran dismissed the idea that it would establish diplomatic ties with Israel, describing the idea on Saturday as “wishful thinking.”The statement came nearly two weeks after US President Donald Trump suggested that Iran could normalize relations with Israel after decades of calling for its elimination.5. The Department of War plans to siphon $8 billion in leftover fiscal 2025 research and development funding to ensure troops get a paycheck during the ongoing government shutdown, a department official said in a statement on Saturday. 

For review:1. IDF Withdraws to Yellow Line in Gaza; 72-Hour Clock to Release Hostages Begins. Noon Monday (13 Oct) is the deadline for Hostage Release.2. US President Donald Trump is set to arrive in Israel on Monday morning and address the Knesset (in Jerusalem) before departing that same day.3. Opposition activist María Corina Machado of Venezuela won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, dashing US President Donald Trump's hopes of collecting the prestigious award after mediating a ceasefire deal in Gaza.4. An American military team of 200 people will be deployed in the Middle East to “oversee” the Gaza ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of the US military's Central Command (US CENTCOM), “will initially have 200 people on the ground. His role will be to oversee, observe, make sure there are no violations,” one senior official told reporters.5. Qatar will build an air force facility at a US military base in Idaho to host its F-15 fighter jets and to train pilots, according to an agreement signed Friday between US War Secretary Pete Hegseth and his visiting Qatari counterpart.6.  Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday praised US President Donald Trump's peace efforts, despite not winning the Nobel Peace Prize. 7. Denmark to Procure 16 More F-35s; Includes CCAs.CCA = Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) wingman drones.

For review:1. President Trump Announces Ceasefire & Hostage Agreement between Israel & Hamas.Deal to be Signed Thursday in Egypt.Hostage Release to Begin Saturday.President Trump to Visit the Region this Weekend.2. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty tells the Saudi channel Al-Arabiya that “additional Arab countries will sign peace agreements with Israel if the war in Gaza comes to an end.”3. The German budget committee approved a long-planned order of advanced Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets, greenlighting the €3.75 billion ($4.36 billion) procurement of 20 additional aircraft, designed to the Tranche 5 standard.4. Spain is reportedly considering acquiring Turkey's incoming fifth-generation KAAN fighter jets after shelving plans to purchase US-made F-35s.5. Bangladesh's top air force officer, announced last month that his country's interim government had given an in-principle approval for the purchase of “multirole combat and attack aircraft”.Though not specified, there is a strong likelihood it will be the J-10CE fighter from China.6. The US Department of War is expected to decide as soon as this week which US company will assemble the US Navy's F/A-XX sixth-generation stealth aircraft.According to Reuters- Boeing and Northrop Grumman competing for the contract.

For review:1. "Positive Atmosphere" at First Day of Talks in Egypt.2. IDF on High Alert for 07 October Anniversary and Holiday Period (Sukkot).3. Families of hostages held in Gaza urged the Norwegian Nobel Committee on Monday to give the Nobel Peace Prize to United States President Donald Trump this month for his efforts to secure the release of their loved ones. 4. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Oct. 6 that he has "sort of made a decision" on whether to supply Ukraine with Tomahawk long-range missiles. "I think I want to find out what they're doing with them, where they're sending them, I guess. I have to ask that question," Trump mused to reporters in the Oval Office. 5. Chinese Underwater Drone Found in Philippine S. China Sea Waters. Filipino fishermen discovered the 12-foot-long drone and turned it over to a Philippine Coast Guard station. The drone was equipped with a conductivity, temperature, and depth sensor for oceanographic survey operations. 6.  Sierra Nevada Corp. for the first time publicly displayed the Battery Revolving Adaptive Weapons Launcher—Reconfigurable (BRAWLR), which SNC says can carry up to four types of rockets and missiles at once to take out enemy drones and cruise missiles from the back of a pickup truck, a trailer or the ground. 

For review:1. Negotiations to Enact President Trump's 20-Point Peace Plan Begin Monday in Cairo.2. The head of Hezbollah said Saturday that Washington's plan for a ceasefire in Gaza was “full of dangers,” - but said the decision of whether to accept it was ultimately Hamas's.3. The IDF says it has intercepted a single missile fired by the Houthi rebels in Yemen.  There are no immediate reports of impacts, injuries or damage after sirens sounded in parts of central Israel and the southern West Bank.4. Russian President Putin: Supplying US Tomahawk Missiles to Ukraine - "This would mark a qualitatively new, completely new stage of escalation between Russia and the U.S.” 

For review1. Hamas Agrees to Release Israeli Hostages & Hand-over Gaza to Technocrats; Other Plan Details Require Negotiation.2. IDF to Halt Gaza City Campaign: Will Prepare for Operations to Support Hostages' Return.3. World Reaction

For review:1. Palestinian Ambassador to the UK Husam Zomlot condemns the deadly attack on Jewish worshippers outside a synagogue in Manchester, which took place on Yom Kippur.2. Hamas to Submit Amendments to President Trump's 20-Point Plan.3. Hamas Fires Rockets at Israel on Yom Kippur; IDF Surrounding Gaza City.4. US to Support Ukraine with Intelligence for Long-Range Targeting.5. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz & Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban clashed during talks (01 October) concerning EU's strategy to defend itself against the Russian threat and support for Ukraine.Berlin and Budapest have not commented on these reports.6. The US arm of British BAE and Forterra, a company specializing in “driverless technology,” announced a partnership today to develop a prototype version of an AMPV outfitted with autonomous capabilities by 2026. 7.  The Pentagon has downgraded the USAF Europe-Air Forces Africa Commander from 4-Star to 3-Star General.8. President Donald Trump has formally selected USAF General Kenneth Wilsbach to serve as the next Air Force Chief of Staff.The US Senate formally received his nomination Monday evening.

For review:1. US Government shutdown imminent. US Senate to meet Wednesday morning for further round of voting.2. US Secretary of War Hegseth meets with Senior Military Leaders at Quantico, VA.3. Israel Agrees to President Trump's 20-Point Gaza Peace Plan; Hamas Response Due Wednesday.4. A ballistic missile (with cluster bomb warhead) was launched by the Houthis at Israel overnight on Sunday. The missile was intercepted by air defenses, the military said.5.  President Trump Considers Tomahawk Missiles for Ukraine.Tomahawk missiles have a range of 2,500 km (1,500 miles).6. US Army Restarts Self-Propelled Howitzer Modernization Effort.Five potential candidates: BAE Systems, Elbit Systems, General Dynamics, Hanwha, and Rheinmetall.

For review:1. Iran Snapback Sanctions.Widespread UN sanctions against Iran return into force for the first time in a decade, after last-ditch nuclear talks with Western powers failed to produce a breakthrough.2. US 21-Point Plan for Post War Gaza.3. Around 780,000 Palestinians have so far evacuated Gaza City to the Strip's south, Israel said Saturday, as the IDF intensified its offensive to defeat the remaining Hamas forces. 4. As supporters marked the anniversary of Hezbollah's former leader (Hassan Nasrallah), Lebanese media reported Israeli drones flying above the ceremony in Beirut's southern suburbs. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the reported overflights.5. Ukraine received a US-made Patriot air defense system from Israel a month ago, with two more expected in the coming months, President Zelenskyy said Saturday.6.  Russian Navy Borei-class Ballistic Missile Submarine Spotted North Of Hokkaido. The transit marked the first time a Borei-class ballistic missile-equipped nuclear-powered submarine operating near Japan was spotted by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).Russia has eight Borei-class submarines in its fleet with two more under construction. Russia is planning for an additional two submarines to be constructed, bringing the country's Borei-class to a total of 12.

1. The Israeli Air Force carried out strikes on Thursday against Houthi military sites in Yemen's capital Sanaa.2.  Israeli PM Speech at UN General Assembly.PM Netanyahu: "You know deep down that Israel is fighting your fight. I want to tell you a secret. Behind closed doors, many of the leaders who publicly condemn us, privately thank us."3.  US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he was holding intensive talks with Middle Eastern nations on a Gaza ceasefire-hostage deal and that Israel and the Palestinian terror group Hamas were aware of the discussions.4. Efforts to reach a security pact between Syria and Israel have hit a last-minute snag over Israel's demand that it be allowed to open a “humanitarian corridor” to Syria's southern province of Sweida.5. The UN's nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, confirmed Friday that inspections of Iranian nuclear sites had resumed this week after a hiatus following Washington and Israel's strikes. IAEA Statement: “Inspections are… confidential and we cannot confirm their location but we can confirm that inspections have taken place this week.” 6. US President Donald Trump held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House on Thursday and signaled that the United States might soon lift its hold on sales of advanced fighter jets to Ankara.7. Secretary of War Calls for Meeting with Senior Military Officers in Quantico, VA next week.