• 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

• Taliban have no office in Iran: Deputy foreign minister Press TV 19 Jul 2020 -- The Taliban militant group has no office in the Islamic Republic, says Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, rejecting reports claiming otherwise.
• US, Taliban Urge Afghan Leaders to Complete Prisoner Swap VOA 19 Jul 2020 -- The United States is calling on leaders in Afghanistan to conclude an ongoing prisoner swap and launch a peace dialogue with the Taliban insurgency without delay.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Navy's Newest Littoral Combat Ship Arrives in Mayport NNS 19 Jul 2020 -- The newest littoral combat ship, the Freedom-variant the future USS St. Louis (LCS 19) arrived in Mayport, Fla., Jul. 17.
• US Navy issues 'stop-work order' following second warship blaze Press TV 19 Jul 2020 -- The US Navy has issued a "stop-work order" to a major shipyard in Norfolk following a blaze aboard an amphibious assault ship, the second fire to hit a warship in San Diego this week.
• USS Porter Destroyer Heading to Black Sea for Naval Drills, US Military Says Sputnik 19 Jul 2020 -- The United States' guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG-78) is headed to the Black Sea to participate in joint naval exercises with Ukraine, the 6th Fleet of the US Naval Forces Europe-Africa said in a statement on Sunday.
• China's latest scientific research ship launched on S.China Sea doorstep Global Times 19 Jul 2020 -- China on Saturday launched the Shiyan-6, its first modern scientific research vessel focusing on geophysical exploration and seismic acquisition and processing, in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province. The launch is believed to be an important step in boosting the country's marine exploration capability in the South China Sea and further safeguarding its maritime sovereignty and interests.
• UK defence teams up with world leading UK space company to secure next generation of military communications UK MOD 19 Jul 2020 -- A new military communications satellite is set to keep troops safe across the globe for decades to come, thanks to a £500 million contract confirmed today by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.
• Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Guides Enlarged Meeting of WPK Central Military Commission KCNA 19 Jul 2020 -- The Fifth Enlarged Meeting of the Seventh Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) took place at the office building of the Central Committee of the WPK on Saturday.
• DPRK's top leader presides over enlarged military meeting People's Daily 19 Jul 2020 -- Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), presided over an enlarged military meeting on Saturday to discuss the strategic mission of the major units for coping with the military situation in the vicinity of the Korean Peninsula, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Sunday.
• N Korea's Kim chairs key military meeting on 'war deterrent' Press TV 19 Jul 2020 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has presided over a meeting of the ruling party's Central Military Commission (CMC) to review key issues concerning the country's defense power and "war deterrent."
• North Korea Holds Large-Scale Military Meeting Addressing 'Potential Threat' Sputnik 19 Jul 2020 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a large-scale meeting of the Central Military Commission of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, discussing "deterrence" measures, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.
• Indian Air Force to Discuss Rapid Deployment of Rafale Jets on LAC With China Sputnik 19 Jul 2020 -- France has committed to delivering the first batch of four Rafale jets by July end despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. India ordered 36 Rafale jets from France in 2016. Out of these, 18 jets are to be delivered to the Indian Air Force by February next year. The remaining ones are to be delivered by May 2022.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Car bomb blast in Syria's Aleppo kills seven, injures dozens Press TV 19 Jul 2020 -- A booby-trapped car has exploded in the northwestern Syrian city of Azaz, occupied by Turkish-backed militants, killing at least seven and wounding dozens of others.
• Syrians vote in parliamentary elections as war winds down Press TV 19 Jul 2020 -- Syrians have gone to the polls to elect a new parliament and put bitter years of war behind them, even as the country strives to liberate territories still controlled by foreign-backed militants.
• Syria Heads to 3rd Legislative Elections Since 2011 as Economy, Security Top Agenda Sputnik 19 Jul 2020 -- Economy, COVID-19, Sanctions
• Syria Holds Parliamentary Elections Amid Dual Crises VOA 19 Jul 2020 -- Syria held parliamentary elections Sunday, voting to fill 250 seats in the country's legislative body amid the coronavirus pandemic and a deepening economic crisis.
• US Embassy vicinity in Baghdad rocked by rockets Press TV 19 Jul 2020 -- Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone has seen another day of uninvited guests in the form of Katyusha rockets as three of them landed near the US Embassy.
• Two Rockets Fall Near US Embassy Inside Baghdad's Green Zone, Source Says Sputnik 19 Jul 2020 -- Two rockets fell on Sunday near the US embassy inside Baghdad's so-called green zone, which houses heavily fortified government facilities and foreign diplomatic missions, a source in the Iraqi security services said.
• France, Germany, Italy threaten sanctions on violators of Libya's arms embargo Press TV 19 Jul 2020 -- France, Germany and Italy have threatened to impose sanctions against countries that are violating a United Nations (UN) arms embargo on conflict-torn Libya.
• France, Germany and Italy threaten sanctions over arms for Libya SPA 19 Jul 2020 -- The leaders of France, Germany and Italy on Saturday threatened to use sanctions against countries that continued to violate a United Nations arms embargo on Libya, Reuters reported.
• Armenian Military Denies Plot to Target Azerbaijan's Oil, Gas Infrastructure Sputnik 19 Jul 2020 -- Armenia has no intention of attacking oil and gas infrastructure on Azerbaijani soil, despite the ongoing clashes on the border, Artsrun Hovhannisyan, the Armenian Defence Ministry's spokesman, said on Sunday.

News Reports

• BACKGROUNDER: Day 50 of Continued Violence in Portland Department of Homeland Security 19 Jul 2020 -- Last evening, Portland saw additional violence with violent anarchists assaulting federal officers and damaging federal property. This siege, sustained by DHS law enforcement agents continuously for 50 days, consists of multiple federal crimes. Last night alone, violent anarchists engaged in the following criminal activity:
• US federal crackdown on Portland: House takes on DOJ, DHS secretaries Press TV 19 Jul 2020 -- US House Democratic lawmakers are calling for an investigation into the federal government's severe crackdown on protesters in Portland.
• House Democrats Demand Probe Into Federal Agents' Actions in Portland VOA 19 Jul 2020 -- Three top House Democrats say they want an investigation into whether U.S. federal agents "abused emergency authority" when they cracked down on peaceful anti-police protesters last week in Portland, Oregon.
• Leaked memo shows DHS knew about situation in Portland Press TV 19 Jul 2020 -- The US federal crackdown on protesters denouncing police brutality and racial injustice continues in Portland, Oregon.
• Russia's U.K. Envoy Says Allegations Of Vaccine Hacking Make 'No Sense' RFE/RL 19 Jul 2020 -- Russia's ambassador to Great Britain has denied Western allegations that Moscow helped hackers target laboratories conducting research on vaccines to fight the coronavirus.
• Russia's UK envoy: COVID-19 vaccine hacking claims nonsensical Press TV 19 Jul 2020 -- Moscow's ambassador to London has rejected allegations made by the UK and its allies that Russian intelligence services attempted to steal data on coronavirus vaccine research projects from laboratories around the world.
• US Sanctions on Syria Leave Hezbollah More Isolated in Lebanon VOA 19 Jul 2020 -- New U.S. sanctions targeting the Syrian government appear to also undermine Hezbollah in Lebanon. Experts say the measures are alienating Hezbollah from its political allies in Lebanon and weakening its usage of state institutions to assist the Syrian regime.
• Russian UK envoy: Moscow to penalize those imposing sanctions on Russians Press TV 19 Jul 2020 -- The Russian ambassador to the United Kingdom says Moscow will find ways to punish those imposing sanctions against its nationals as part of "the Magnitsky case."
• Protests Continue In Russia's Far East Over Arrest Of Local Governor RFE/RL 19 Jul 2020 -- Mass rallies continue to rock the Far Eastern Russian region of Khabarovsk as the backlash against the arrest of a local governor rattles the Kremlin.
• Refusal to sign HK election papers an attention-seeking ploy Global Times 19 Jul 2020 -- Candidates from HK's anti-government camps - including secessionist Joshua Wong Chi-fung --who refuse to sign nomination papers requiring them to pledge to uphold Hong Kong's Basic Law are simply making meaningless political gestures, aimed at enhancing their political profile.
• Judicial independence 'cornerstone,' says HK legal system spokesperson as UK top judge questions national security law Global Times 19 Jul 2020 -- There is only one UK judge currently serving at the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal, and judicial independence as well as rule of law are cornerstones of Hong Kong society, which are guaranteed by the Basic Law, a spokesperson of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) judicial system was quoted as saying in media reports on Saturday, after the UK's top judge said the UK would assess whether UK judges should serve in HKSAR courts.
• China will 'respond resolutely' if UK sanctions officials, says Chinese envoy Press TV 19 Jul 2020 -- China has warned that it will respond resolutely to any attempt by Britain to slap sanctions on Chinese officials following the enactment of a security law in the semi-autonomous city of Hong Kong.
• Kim Jong-un's Sister Moves to Position of 'Ultimate Power' Enabling Her to Stage Coup, Claims Expert Sputnik 19 Jul 2020 -- Kim Yo-jong was thrown into the spotlight in April after Kim Jong-un's long absence from the public eye prompted rumours that he was overthrown in a coup led by his sister, who is believed to be next in line to run the country.
• Encouraging sabotage in Iran can ignite full range escalation, Tehran warns Press TV 19 Jul 2020 -- Tehran's UN Mission has denounced a Bloomberg article that has praised the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists and encouraged sabotage in the country's infrastructure, warning against "barbaric" measures that can spark a full range escalation.
• Explosion At Iranian Power Plant, No Casualties Reported RFE/RL 19 Jul 2020 -- The official IRNA news agency has reported an explosion at a power plant in Iran's central Isfahan Province, but says there were no casualties.
• Explosion Hits Central Iranian Power Plant Few Weeks After Natanz Nuclear Site Blast Sputnik 19 Jul 2020 -- The blast occurred a few weeks after an explosion ripped through Iran's Natanz facility for enriching uranium, in an incident that was reportedly caused by a bomb.
• President Rouhani says Iran able to pass through tough times IRNA 19 Jul 2020 -- President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday that the important thing is that Iran has the ability to pass through the hard times despite all the obstacles and complexities.
• Devaluation Of Iran's Currency Accelerates With Dollar Hitting 260,000 Rials Radio Farda 19 Jul 2020 -- The devaluation of Iran's currency has dramatically accelerated in recent days with the rial hitting an all-time low of 260,000 against the U.S. dollar on Sunday, an almost 10,000 rial drop in one day.
• Tehran Factory Closes As City Seeks To Buy Metro Wagons From China In Return For Oil Radio Farda 19 Jul 2020 -- A company producing wagons for the subway in Tehran and other major Iranian cities has shut down due to delay in a government contract, while the cash-strapped municipal authorities try to secure the purchase of 630 wagons from China in return for oil.
• Lawmaker Says Giving Control Of Iran Islands To China Scrapped After Popular Outcry Radio Farda 19 Jul 2020 -- A hardliner member of Iran's parliament, Majles, has said that he believes "transferring full authority of Iranian islands to China" was included in a proposed 25-year comprehensive cooperation agreement with China.
• Iran Supreme Court Puts Death Sentences On Hold, Calls For New Investigation Radio Farda 19 Jul 2020 -- In what has been perceived as a victory for the social media campaign against capital punishment in Iran, the country's Supreme Court has ruled to reconsider the death sentences issued for three young political activists.
• Iran Suspends Execution Of Three Protesters RFE/RL 19 Jul 2020 -- Iran has suspended the execution of three men linked to anti-government protests in November 2019, one of their lawyers says.
• Iran, Iraq call for respecting nat'l sovereignty IRNA 19 Jul 2020 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Speaker of Iraq's Council of Representatives Mohamed al-Halbousi in a meeting on Sunday emphasized respecting Iraq's national sovereignty.
• Iranian FM, PMU chief review recent issues in region IRNA 19 Jul 2020 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and the chairman of Hashd al-Shaabi, aka Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), Falih al-Fayyadh met to examine the recent regional developments, as well as issues of mutual interest.
• Zarif says Iran, Iraq should get prepared against terrorist threats IRNA 19 Jul 2020 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Sunday that Iran and Iraq should get prepared against security threats, including the threats posed by terrorist groups such as Daesh.
• Iran, Iraq FMs hold talks in Baghdad ISNA 19 Jul 2020 -- Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein held two rounds of meetings in Baghdad on Sunday.
• FM Zarif in Iraq to discuss regional security, US assassination of Gen. Soleimani Press TV 19 Jul 2020 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has traveled to Baghdad ahead of Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi's visit to Tehran on his first foreign trip.
• Zarif Arrives In Baghdad Two Days Before Iraqi Premier's Visit To Tehran Radio Farda 19 Jul 2020 -- Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has arrived in Baghdad for a visit weeks after a new prime minister was appointed in Iraq, who seems to have a tougher stance toward Iran's proxy militias is scheduled to visit Tehran on July 21.
• Iran's Zarif In Baghdad As Iraq Seeks To Balance Regional Ties RFE/RL 19 Jul 2020 -- Iran's foreign minister has held a series of meetings with top officials in Baghdad as Iraq's new prime minister seeks to balance complex regional ties.
• Iraqi Kurdistan no staging ground for anti-Iran attacks: Barzani Press TV 19 Jul 2020 -- Senior Kurdish political leader Masoud Barzani has given Iran an assurance that the Iraqi Kurdistan region will never be used to threaten the Islamic Republic's interests.
• Kuwait's ailing emir hospitalized, crown prince assumes some duties Press TV 19 Jul 2020 -- Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah has taken over some constitutional jurisdictions of the country's monarch as per a royal decree, after the emir was admitted to hospital to undergo medical tests.
• Kuwait's Emir Successfully Undergoes Surgery, Official Says Sputnik 19 Jul 2020 -- Kuwaiti ruler Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah successfully underwent surgery early on Sunday, the head of the emir's office said.
• Turkey police detain dozens of suspected Daesh members in Istanbul Press TV 19 Jul 2020 -- Turkish police have arrested at least 27 suspected members of the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in a counter-terrorism operation in Istanbul.
• Netanyahu's corruption trial resumes amid COVID-19 protests, economic fallout Press TV 19 Jul 2020 -- An Israeli court has resumed the corruption trial of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu after a two-month delay amid mounting protests over his corruption and poor handling of the coronavirus crisis.
• Netanyahu's Trial Advances Amid Growing Protests VOA 19 Jul 2020 -- Prime Minister Netanyahu's corruption trial will begin hearing witness testimony in January, the court in Israel announced Sunday after lawyers for the prime minister argued for a six-month delay because of the coronavirus. The decision comes amid growing protests over his handling of the pandemic including violence and calls for Netanyahu to resign. A second wave of the pandemic and new restrictions have left the public angry and confused.
• Unified Belarusian Opposition Holds Massive Election Rally Against Strongman Lukashenka RFE/RL 19 Jul 2020 -- The Belarusian opposition's main presidential candidate has held two mass rallies as the campaign heats up to unseat authoritarian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka in next month's election.
• United Arab Emirates set to launch mission to Mars SPA 19 Jul 2020 -- The United Arab Emirates is to launch its first mission to Mars early on Monday, as it strives to develop its scientific and technology capabilities, according to Reuters.
• UN Urges Inquiry into Violence by Anti-Terrorism Force Against Malian Protestors VOA 19 Jul 2020 -- The U.N. Human Rights Office is calling for an investigation into the excessive use of violence by an elite counter-terrorism force in Mali against anti-government protestors last weekend, causing many civilian casualties.
• Thousands of Protesters in Thailand Rally Against Government VOA 19 Jul 2020 -- Several thousand anti-government protesters took to the streets in Thailand's capital Saturday to demand amendments to the military-written constitution, new parliamentary elections and the end of repressive laws in the country.