CHRISTCHUCH, New Zealand — The Australian government announced on March 10 it would send an E-7A Wedgetail early-warning aircraft to the Middle East and help replenish United Arab Emirates stocks of AIM-120 air-to-air missiles.
Officials in Canberra said the Wedgetail from the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) No. 2 Squadron would provide a “long-range reconnaissance capability which will…
Iran to face ‘most intense day of strikes,’ Hegseth says
March 11, 2026
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that Tuesday “will be yet again our most intense day of strikes inside Iran: The most fighters, the most bombers, the most strikes, intelligence more refined and better than ever.”
Shortly before the statement shared at…
Australian submariners have a brush with Iran war
March 11, 2026
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — On March 4, when a U.S. Navy submarine torpedoed an enemy combatant for the first time since World War II, three Australian submariners were aboard.
This was a contentious point for Canberra, as it is not a party to military actions against…
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — China is increasing its 2026 defense budget by 7%, bringing the nation’s military expenditure for the coming year to 1.91 trillion yuan, or about $277 billion.
This year’s increase compares to 7.2% rises for the past three years, with Beijing claiming its defense spending “remains comparatively modest across key relative indicators, including its share of gross…
A U.S. intelligence assessment completed shortly before the United States and Israel launched a war in Iran had determined that American military intervention was not likely to lead to regime change in the Islamic Republic, according to two people familiar with the…
BRUSSELS — NATO nations are sending troops to Norway for a cold-weather exercise this week, as alliance officials kick off a yearslong analysis into causes for conflict in the Arctic.
As part of the planning effort, a U.S. and Norwegian-led research task force will compile…
PARIS — European NATO countries reduced their reliance on the United States for weapons imports in the past year, funneling a greater share of their foreign defense acquisitions to South Korea, France and Israel, analysis by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute showed.
The U.S. accounted for 58% of major arms imports by NATO’s European member states in the 2021-2025 period…
PARIS — Switzerland will consider acquiring a second long-range air-defense system, preferably produced in Europe, as delivery of previously ordered Patriot systems by the United States will be delayed by four to five years, the government said on Friday.
The country will…
Gulf allies complain US did not provide notice of Iran attacks and ignored warnings, sources say
March 9, 2026
CAIRO — The Trump administration is confronting mounting discontent from allies in the Persian Gulf who have complained they were not given adequate time to prepare for the torrent of Iranian drones and missiles bombarding their countries in retaliation for strikes…
MILAN — Iran’s drone swarm tactics against Gulf states are prompting calls for cheaper regional defense layers that would avoid interceptor exhaustion, as experts warn of the possibility of a prolonged drone war across the Middle East.
Figures published by Gulf defense ministries indicate that as of March 3, Iran has launched more than 540 missiles and carried out over 1,450 drone strikes…
