• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

Defense Policy / Programs

• USS Mitscher assists distressed sailing vessel NNS 18 Jul 2020 -- The Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS Mitscher (DDG 57) assisted a sailing vessel drifting about 150 nautical miles east of the Bahamas on July 18.
• USS Bataan Returns from Deployment NNS 18 Jul 2020 -- The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) are returning from deployment this month, marking the end of a seven-month deployment to the U.S. 2nd, 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation.
• Russian Army's Snap Combat Readiness Check Unrelated to Armenia-Azerbaijan Border Tensions Sputnik 18 Jul 2020 -- Russian Deputy Defence Minister Col. Gen. Alexander Fomin refuted on Saturday any connection between the combat training activities carried out by the Russian armed forces and the escalation of the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.
• Chinese Ambassador Urges UK to Avoid Sending Aircraft Carrier to Asia-Pacific Region Sputnik 18 Jul 2020 -- Chinese Ambassador to London Liu Xiaoming, in an interview with The Times, urged the UK authorities to cancel plans to send the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth to the Asia-Pacific region and said that the placement of the ship would be "a very dangerous move."
• China's Y-9 medical aircraft completes maiden mission PLA Daily 18 Jul 2020 -- The Chinese air force's Y-9 medical aircraft has completed its maiden transfer mission this week, according to military sources.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Two blasts in Syrian capital kill one, injure another: SANA Press TV 18 Jul 2020 -- Two blasts have struck the Syrian capital of Damascus, killing one and injuring another, on the eve of the country's third war-time parliamentary polls.
• Pentagon Says Turkey Sent 3,500 Syrian Fighters To Back Libyan Government RFE/RL 18 Jul 2020 -- The U.S. military says Turkey sent more than 3,500 Syrian fighters to Libya during the first three months of 2020 to help the North African country's internationally recognized government in its civil war against a rebel commander.
• Germany, France, Italy Threaten Sanctions Over Libya Arms Ban Violations Sputnik 18 Jul 2020 -- The German, Italian and French leaders said in a joint statement on Saturday they were ready to consider sanctions as a response to violations of the UN arms embargo on Libya.
• Kosovo's Thaci Defends War Record, Calls For Unity After Return From Hague Court RFE/RL 18 Jul 2020 -- Kosovar President Hashim Thaci has again defended his actions during Kosovo's war with Serbia following his return from an international war crimes court in The Hague, and called for unity among the country's political forces as it attempts to normalize ties with its bitter rival.

News Reports

• US Attorney Calls for DHS Probe Into 'Unmarked' Federal Agents Arresting Protesters in Portland Sputnik 18 Jul 2020 -- On Friday, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler called on US President Donald Trump to remove federal troops deployed to the city by the White House to quell ongoing protests, as the agents have reportedly used heavy-handed tactics against protesters, reporters, and legal observers, with some refusing to identify themselves and wearing no identification.
• Portland Mayor Tells Trump to Keep Fed Troops in His 'Own Buildings, or Have Them Leave Our City' Sputnik 18 Jul 2020 -- Portland has been dealing with ongoing protests and riots since the 25 May death of African American George Floyd while in police custody. President Donald Trump sent federal law enforcement to quell the demonstrations taking over the city, saying, "It was out of control. The locals couldn't handle it".
• Federal Officers Use Tear Gas on Protesters in Portland VOA 18 Jul 2020 -- Federal agents in riot gear again used tear gas to disperse protesters in Portland, Oregon, early Saturday, local media reported. Portland police have been banned by a federal judge from using tear gas to disperse crowds.
• COVID-19 and Funding Shortfall Hamper Ebola Operation in DR Congo's Equateur Province VOA 18 Jul 2020 -- The World Health Organization reports the COVID-19 pandemic and lack of money are hampering efforts to bring a speedy end to the Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo's Equateur Province. Since the outbreak was declared June 1, 56 cases, including 20 deaths have been recorded.
• Russia's New Constitution to Further Silence Debate VOA 18 Jul 2020 -- Outside the Moscow headquarters of the Federal Security Service last week, some of Russia's most prominent journalists protested the arrest of Ivan Safronov, a former journalist charged with treason. Some were briefly detained.
• Thousands in Khabarovsk, Russia Protest the arrest of regional governor VOA 18 Jul 2020 -- Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of the Russian city of Khabarovsk Saturday to protest the arrest of the region's governor on charges related to multiple murders in 2004 and 2005.
• Thousands In Khabarovsk Protest Arrest Of Russian Governor RFE/RL 18 Jul 2020 -- Tens of thousands of people in the Far Eastern Russian city of Khabarovsk marched in an unsanctioned rally on July 18 to protest the arrest of a local governor.
• The Return Of Cozy Bear: Russian Hackers In The Crosshairs Of Western Intelligence Agencies - Again RFE/RL 18 Jul 2020 -- Six years ago, Dutch intelligence agents reportedly infiltrated a malicious group of hackers working out an office building not far from the Kremlin. Dutch agents hacked into a security camera that monitored people entering the Moscow building, according to the Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant; they also reportedly monitored in 2016 as the hackers broke into the servers of the U.S. Democratic Party.
• Biden Briefed On U.S. Intelligence, Says Russia Still Meddling In Electoral Process RFE/RL 18 Jul 2020 -- U.S. presidential candidate Joe Biden says he is now getting regular intelligence briefings and has been told that Russia is continuing in its attempts to meddle in the upcoming U.S. election.
• Chinese Foreign Minister: US has been pursuing its egoism, unilateralism and bullying policy to the extreme Global Times 18 Jul 2020 -- The US' "America First" policy and its egoism, unilateralism and bullying have become extreme, which are not how a big power is supposed to act, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during a phone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday.
• Will there be a war between China and the US? Global Times 18 Jul 2020 -- Toward the end of my dialogue with Qiu Zhenhai, a Phoenix TV commentator, Friday night, in a video chat about the current US crackdown on China, a netizen asked: Will there be a war between China and the US?
• FM refutes US official's groundless accusations about China 'replacing the US' Global Times 18 Jul 2020 -- China has never sought to confront or replace the US as the top power in the world, but has the right to fight back against "malicious slander" and attacks by the US, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said during a regular press conference on Friday.
• Mastery of Constitution and Chinese proficiency should be prerequisites for national security judges: Hong Kong lawyer Global Times 18 Jul 2020 -- A Hong Kong lawyer has refuted the UK Supreme Court's decision, which, according to a Reuters report on Friday, would continue to assess UK judges' positions in the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal, the city's top court, amid the recent enactment of the national security law for Hong Kong.
• Gross interference in Hong Kong affairs doomed to fail People's Daily 18 Jul 2020 -- The White House signed the so-called "Hong Kong Autonomy Act" into law on July 14, local time, regardless of the solemn representations from the Chinese side.
• "Forced demolition of mosques" in Xinjiang is totally nonsense: official People's Daily 18 Jul 2020 -- The so-called "forced demolition of mosques" in Xinjiang is totally nonsense, an official of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region said on Friday.
• Chinese FM slams US accusation of cyber attacks by China to 'steal' US vaccines Global Times 18 Jul 2020 -- China's Foreign Ministry has slammed US accusations that China and Russia launched "cyber attacks" to "steal" US vaccines and COVID-19 treatments, and pointed out that China is a global leader in COVID-19 vaccine research and development.
• Cleric Says Ahmadinejad 'Begging' To See Khamenei But Has Been Rebuffed Radio Farda 18 Jul 2020 -- A former advisor to Iran's ex-president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says the Supreme Leader's office has refused requests by Ahmadinejad to meet with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
• Will World Powers Manage A Compromise Over Iran Arms Embargo? Radio Farda 18 Jul 2020 -- Precisely three months from now, the international arms embargo on Iran will expire, a development that Washington strongly opposes and attempts to block through all available diplomatic means.
• EU's Borrell vows full work to preserve Iran nuclear deal Press TV 18 Jul 2020 -- The high representative of the European Union for foreign affairs and security policy has once again stressed the importance of preserving a 2015 nuclear deal signed between Iran and major world powers, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, pledging to work with other relevant parties to that effect.
• Israeli Media Reports Claim Huge Explosion Occurred at Iranian Oil Pipeline Sputnik 18 Jul 2020 -- At the beginning of July, an explosion occurred at the country's Natanz nuclear facility, which an anonymous Middle Eastern intelligence official blamed on Israel. In an interview with The New York Times, the man claimed that Tel Aviv had planted a powerful bomb at the site.
• Iran plans new phase at sprawling PGSGCR refinery: Contractor Press TV 18 Jul 2020 -- Iran is planning to build out its largest gasoline refinery located south of the country on the coasts of the Persian Gulf, says a contractor.
• Iran seizes back oil tanker hit by US sanctions; vessel anchored off Iranian coast Press TV 18 Jul 2020 -- Iran has successfully retaken an oil tanker wanted by the United States for allegedly skirting sanctions on the Islamic Republic, and now the vessel is located off the coast of the country near the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
• Iran Spokesman Says 'Stop Execution' Hashtag Was 'A Straightforward Demand' By Public Radio Farda 18 Jul 2020 -- The Iranian government has for the first time reacted to the "Stop Executions in Iran" hashtag that has been used by more than 10 million Twitter users since Wednesday evening July 15.
• Long-term co-op between Iran, China a right, wise decision: Gharibabadi ISNA 18 Jul 2020 -- Ambassador and permanent representative of Iran to the International Organizations in Vienna, Kazem Gharib-Abadi stressed on Saturday that the US and its allies opposition shows that entering long-term bilateral and strategic cooperation with China is a right and wise decision.
• Iran Sends Downed Ukrainian Plane's Black Box To France Radio Farda 18 Jul 2020 -- Six months after downing an airliner, Iran says that it has sent the aircraft's black box to France on Friday July 17.
• Iran Sends Black Boxes Of Downed Ukrainian Airliner To France For Analysis RFE/RL 18 Jul 2020 -- Iran has sent the black boxes of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, which crashed shortly after takeoff in Tehran on January 8 after being struck by two missiles, killing 176 people.
• Iran Sends Crashed Ukrainian Jet's Black Box to France, Diplomat Says Sputnik 18 Jul 2020 -- A black box from a Ukrainian plane downed near Tehran in January has been sent to France for reading, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mohsen Baharvand said Saturday.
• Bulgarian Tycoon Hires U.S. Lobbyist After Family Targeted in Probes Tied To Political Infighting RFE/RL 18 Jul 2020 -- One of Bulgaria's wealthiest businessmen has hired a U.S. firm to lobby his family's interests in Washington as his home country's prosecutors investigate him on allegations of waste mismanagement and corruption that some say are politically motivated.
• Hundreds of Protesters in Bangkok Demand Govt's Resignation, Adoption of New Constitution Sputnik 18 Jul 2020 -- Several hundred demonstrators gathered on Saturday at the Democracy Monument in the historic center of the Thai capital city of Bangkok, demanding the government's resignation and the adoption of a new constitution.
• Aide to Former Malawian President Rearrested VOA 18 Jul 2020 -- Malawi police have rearrested former President Peter Mutharika's bodyguard, this time on a charge of attempted murder.