Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Iraq's Kata'ib Hezbollah: US forces must leave, or we take them by surprise Press TV 13 Jun 2021 -- Iraq's anti-terror group Kata'ib Hezbollah has warned that its forces will take American troops stationed in the Arab country by surprise, if they refuse to leave despite the parliament's decision to expel them from Iraq.
• Khalilzad Says U.S. 'Not Leaving Afghanistan' Despite Troop Withdrawal RFE/RL Gandhara 13 Jun 2021 -- U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad has said the United States will not abandon the war-torn country even after the withdrawal of its forces planned for later this year.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Top US general confirms climate change's threat military ops Press TV 13 Jun 2021 -- Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley has confirmed that climate change poses a serious threat to the country, insisting that it has had a significant impact on American military operations.
• Biden to Reassure Allies of US Commitment to NATO Mutual Defense Clause VOA 13 Jun 2021 -- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is set to discuss revising its strategic concept when its leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden, gather Monday in Brussels.
• Facing 'Aggressive' Russian Behavior, China's Rise, NATO Allies Vow To Stand Together RFE/RL 13 Jun 2021 -- Leaders of NATO member states have vowed unity and commitment to the Western military alliance's mutual defense clause in the face of China's rise, Russia's "aggressive actions," and any other threats from state and non-state actors.
• Zelensky's Head of Office Hopes NATO to Agree on Ukraine's Accession Soon Sputnik 13 Jun 2021 -- Ukraine's Head of the Presidential Administration Andriy Yermak expressed hopes that NATO will allow Ukraine to join the alliance as soon as possible.
• DOD Statement on the Appointment of Benjamin "Benny" Gantz as Minister of Defense in Israel's 36th Government DoD 13 Jun 2021
• Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh approves Rs 498.8 crore budgetary support for Defence innovation through iDEX - DIO India PIB 13 Jun 2021 -- Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has approved the budgetary support of Rs 498.8 crore to Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) - Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO) for the next five years
• COVID-19 vaccine rollout starts in Taiwan's armed forces CNA 13 Jun 2021 -- Taiwan's military has started to administer the 45,000 doses of the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine it was allocated by the central government, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said Sunday.
• Arms Researchers Warn That Decline In Nuclear Weapons Appears To Have Stalled RFE/RL 13 Jun 2021 -- There are signs that a decline in nuclear arsenals witnessed since the end of the Cold War has stalled, a top research institute said, warning that both Russia and the United States appear to have attached greater importance to nuclear weapons in their defense policies.
• Readout of President Biden's Meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa The White House 13 Jun 2021
• Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama at a Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding Between the Government of the United States of America and the Council of Ministers of Republic of Albania on 4G and 5G Security US Dept. of State 13 Jun 2021
• Remarks by President Biden in Press Conference The White House 13 Jun 2021
• CARBIS BAY G7 SUMMIT COMMUNIQUÉ The White House 13 Jun 2021
• Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jen Psaki and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan En Route Brussels, Belgium The White House 13 Jun 2021

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Attack on Hospital in Afrin, Syria US Dept. of State 13 Jun 2021 -- "We condemn in the strongest terms yesterday's attacks on the al Shifaa Hospital in Afrin, Syria. This barbaric attack took the lives of children, medical staff, and first responders."
• Azerbaijan swaps 15 Armenian prisoners for map of landmines Press TV 13 Jun 2021 -- Azerbaijan says it has handed over 15 Armenian prisoners, detained during last year's conflict over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, in exchange for a map detailing the location of landmines in Agdam.
• Pashinyan Says Yerevan Handed Over 'Substantial, But Small' Part of Minefield Maps to Baku Sputnik 13 Jun 2021 -- Yerevan has provided Baku with a "substantial, but small" portion of maps showing mines planted during the war on the eastern borders of the unrecognised Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Acting Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Sunday.
• Lugansk Accuses Ukraine of Using Electronic Warfare Against OSCE Drones in Donbass Sputnik 13 Jun 2021 -- Ukraine's armed forces are waging electronic warfare aimed at hindering the work of OSCE monitoring drones at the contact line in Donbass, a spokesperson for the People's Militia of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) said on Sunday.
• Cameroon Aids CAR Citizens Displaced by Ongoing Post-Election Violence VOA 13 Jun 2021 -- Cameroon has offered huge consignments of food and mattresses to at least 3,000 displaced persons said to be in dire need on its eastern border with the Central African Republic. Most of the people, displaced by violence following December presidential elections in the CAR, say they lost everything and that ongoing unrest keeps them from returning home.

News Reports

• 'Highly Offensive' Gag Orders in Media Subpoena Cases, Lawyer Says VOA 13 Jun 2021 -- Gag orders that the U.S. Justice Department imposed on lawyers representing two prominent news outlets fighting subpoena requests have raised concerns about First Amendment protections.
• Putin Says Russia Is Ready To Hand Over Cybercriminals, But Only If U.S. Does The Same RFE/RL 13 Jun 2021 -- President Vladimir Putin has said Russia would be ready to hand over suspected cybercriminals to the United States but only if Washington did the same for Moscow and if the two powers reached an agreement on the matter.
• US, Russia Spar on Cyberattacks Ahead of Biden-Putin Summit VOA 13 Jun 2021 -- The United States and Russia sparred Sunday about responsibility for debilitating cyberattacks as U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin prepared for their summit in Geneva on Wednesday.
• G7 Leaders Demand Action From Russia On Cyberattacks, Chemical Weapons Use RFE/RL 13 Jun 2021 -- The Group of Seven (G7) wealthy nations has urged Russia take action against those conducting cyberattacks and using ransomware from within its borders, as it wrapped up a three-day summit in southwestern England.
• Putin Says Russia Will Continue Developing World's Most Powerful Icebreaker Fleet Sputnik 13 Jun 2021 -- Russia has the most powerful nuclear-powered icebreaker fleet in the world and will continue to develop it, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a Kremlin Russia Day celebration.
• Beijing says small groups can't rule world as G7 adopts anti-China agenda Press TV 13 Jun 2021 -- The Group of Seven's adoption of a controversial agenda against China has escalated tensions, drawing a stern rebuke from Beijing about outdated assumptions that small groups of countries could still rule and make decisions for the rest of the world.
• G7 Leaders Unite Against China Rights Abuses In Xinjiang, Hong Kong RFE/RL 13 Jun 2021 -- Leaders of the Group of Seven wealthy nations have agreed to challenge China's "nonmarket economic practices" and call out Beijing for rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.
• 'The Underhanded Sale Of Our Sovereignty': How China Became An Election Issue In Hungary RFE/RL 13 Jun 2021 -- A controversial Chinese university project is becoming a contested political issue in Hungary and pushing Prime Minister Viktor Orban's dealings with Beijing into the national spotlight ahead of parliamentary elections in 2022.
• HKSAR chief executive emphasizes CPC's support for Hong Kong's development People's Daily 13 Jun 2021 -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) has always cared about the interests of Hong Kong compatriots and supported the development of the global financial hub, Carrie Lam, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), said on Saturday.
• Commissioner's office of Chinese foreign ministry in HKSAR firmly upholds anti-foreign sanctions law PLA Daily 13 Jun 2021 -- The Office of the Commissioner of China's Foreign Affairs Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Saturday said it firmly upholds and supports the anti-foreign sanctions law.
• China making plans for future space exploration: official PLA Daily 13 Jun 2021 -- China is making plans for the future development of its space program, including exploring asteroids and the Jovian system, collecting samples from Mars and exploring the polar region of the moon, said an official from the China National Space Administration (CNSA) on Saturday.
• G7 communique underscores importance of cross-strait peace, stability CNA 13 Jun 2021 -- A communique from the Group of Seven summit in the United Kingdom on Sunday underscores the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, among a range of other pressing issues such as ending the COVID-19 pandemic and reinvigorating the economies of G7 countries.
• Biden, Suga discuss Taiwan Strait situation at G7 Summit CNA 13 Jun 2021 -- United States President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Saturday discussed the Taiwan Strait situation, among many global challenges, on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in the United Kingdom.
• Iran top negotiator says Vienna talks to be continued whenever needed IRNA 13 Jun 2021 -- Iran's top nuclear negotiator said on Sunday that much legal, technical and political discussion is necessary and that the talks will be continued.
• Vienna talks to continue as long as necessary: Iran deputy FM ISNA 13 Jun 2021 -- Iranian deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs and the head of Iran's negotiating team in the Vienna talks Abbas Araghchi stressed that the Vienna talks on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action will continue as long as Tehran deem them necessary.
• G7 leaders say fully-implemented JCPOA could pave way to address regional, security concerns Press TV 13 Jun 2021 -- The participants in the summit of the Group of Seven industrial nations, known as the G7, have emphasized that the restoration and full implementation of a landmark nuclear deal between Iran and world powers would help all parties to address regional and security concerns.
• Iran: Vienna talks on JCPOA revival unlikely to conclude this week Press TV 13 Jun 2021 -- Iran's top nuclear negotiator has predicted that talks in Vienna between Tehran and other signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal on a potential revival of the accord are unlikely to conclude this week.
• Iran, Russia Negotiators Play Down Chances For Quick Nuclear Deal RFE/RL 13 Jun 2021 -- The Iranian and Russian negotiators meeting in Vienna with global powers played down the hopes for a quick settlement in the talks to revive the 2015 landmark deal that curtailed Tehran's nuclear programs.
• Israel Swears In New Government, Ending Netanyahu's Rule VOA 13 Jun 2021 -- Israel swore in a new government on Sunday, ending the 12-year rule of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and making Naftali Bennett, the head of a small, religious ultranationalist party, the new leader of the Jewish state.
• Secretary Blinken's Call with Israeli Alternate Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Lapid US Dept. of State 13 Jun 2021
• Readout of President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Call with Prime Minister Bennett of Israel The White House 13 Jun 2021
• Statement by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on the New Government of the State of Israel The White House 13 Jun 2021
• Netanyahu shown the door, US pledges allegiance to new Israeli regime Press TV 13 Jun 2021 -- An Israeli political coalition narrowly wins a vote to oust Benjamin Netanyahu as the regime's prime minister, with the US rushing to congratulate and pledge to cooperate with the new Israeli coalition.
• Netanyahu vows to lead Likud back to power as no-confidence vote looms Press TV 13 Jun 2021 -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to lead the Likud Party back to power amid a looming battle to end his 12-year premiership, asserting that he has no plan on giving up the leadership of his party.
• Naftali Bennett Becomes Israel's New Prime Minister, Ending Netanyahu's 12-Year Tenure Sputnik 13 Jun 2021 -- The Knesset convened earlier today to hold a confidence vote on the new coalition government. Yair Lapid, the leader of Israel's largest opposition party Yesh Atid, was given a mandate to form a coalition last month, after acting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu missed the deadline.
• Israel's PM-Designate Bennett Says His Government to Expand Peace Deals With Arab States Sputnik 13 Jun 2021 -- The leader of the right-leaning Yamina party was selected to lead the opposition's attempt to remove long-time Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from office by forming a broad coalition of 61 Knesset members.
• Israeli Atomic Expert Says Mossad Blew Up Iraqi Nuke Power Station Parts in France in 1979 Sputnik 13 Jun 2021 -- A new memoir reveals how Israel, with US backing, tried unsuccessfully for years to stop France and other countries from helping Iraq develop its own nuclear power industry — first through diplomacy, then spying and intimidation, then finally sabotage attacks on French soil.
• S-400s, F-35s & Armenian Genocide: Erdogan Urges Biden to Use Upcoming Meeting to Resolve Disputes Sputnik 13 Jun 2021 -- Relations between Turkey and the US have soured ever since Ankara decided to buy S-400s from Russia, disregarding Washington's objections. Subsequently, however, other issues have emerged as obstacles to improving bilateral ties, such as Turkey's expulsion from the F-35 programme and the US recognition of the Armenian genocide.
• UK and France in acrimonious clash over Northern Ireland constitutional status Press TV 13 Jun 2021 -- A bitter row has erupted between the UK and European Union (EU) leaders after the French President, Emmanuel Macron, said at the G7 summit that Northern Ireland is "not part of the UK".
• UK PM threatens EU with emergency clause over N.Ireland trade dispute Press TV 13 Jun 2021 -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has threatened the European Union with emergency measures if no solution was found in a trade dispute with the bloc.
• Former head of Jordan's royal court faces trial over alleged coup plot Press TV 13 Jun 2021 -- Former chief of Jordan's royal court faces trial over an alleged coup plot against the Arab country's King Abdullah II, state media reports say.
• Peru's Fujimori repeats fraud claims as Castillo inches closer to victory Press TV 13 Jun 2021 -- Peruvian right-wing presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori has insisted that the election was riddled with fraud and irregularities that favored her leftist rival Pedro Castillo, as she led a protest rally in the capital Lima.
• Malawi Expresses Regret Over Expulsion of Its Diplomats From South Africa VOA 13 Jun 2021 -- Malawi's government said Saturday that it had received news of its diplomats' alleged misconduct in South Africa with regret and that it would punish those involved when they returned home.