Defense updates

According to a Financial Times investigation, Moscow has deployed seasoned military experts to assist Tehran in developing supersonic cruise missiles that could menace American warships in the Middle East. The two nations have deepened their military partnership through an exchange of weaponry and tactical knowledge.

Germany's military conducted an overnight test of an Israeli ballistic missile in the North Atlantic, military officials said Wednesday. The German Navy said it will proceed with procurement of the system as Western powers seek long-range weapons to counter what they view as an increased threat from Russia.

A drone crossed from Lebanon into Israeli territory early Wednesday, triggering air-raid sirens in the Galilee Panhandle for the first time in nearly three months. Israel said it intercepted the aircraft and reported no casualties. The Israeli military said it struck Hizbullah infrastructure near Nabatieh in southern Lebanon in response to two explosive drones that Hizbullah fired at Israeli soldiers.

According to reporting, Iran is developing supersonic cruise missiles with covert Russian backing for anti-ship and land-attack purposes. Rosoboronexport, Russia's state arms exporter, coordinated the effort with the US-sanctioned NPO Mashinostroyenia beginning in 2023, with Russian engineers making repeated visits to Iran that year under the program designation C430L.

The USS Abraham Lincoln completed months at sea with a port call in Thailand. Lawmakers from the Democratic party are seeking scrutiny of onboard conditions after allegations emerged of food supply problems, plumbing failures and mental health concerns.

The United States bombed Iranian military targets including air defense sites, radar systems and maritime assets on Tuesday. Iran responded with strikes targeting American interests in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan after pledging severe punishment. A wedding venue struck in the US attack killed five people and wounded dozens, according to local authorities.

The nuclear-powered carrier pulled into Laem Chabang on Wednesday carrying 5,000 sailors and Marines, concluding 286 days away from port. Diverted from the South China Sea to the Middle East six months before the US-Israeli campaign against Iran, the ship has faced scrutiny over crew welfare, with shipboard crises including suicide attempts drawing fire at President Donald Trump's Iran strategy.

A ballistic missile attack on a US military facility in Jordan was claimed by Iran's Revolutionary Guards on Wednesday morning. The strike, according to Iranian officials, was carried out in retaliation.

The U.S. military struck IRGC targets inside Iran on Tuesday following Tehran's attacks on U.S. military assets in the region. Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it launched missile and drone attacks on U.S. facilities in Iraq's Erbil and bases in Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait. Leaks reveal Russia is secretly helping Iran develop supersonic cruise missiles.

The U.S. military said late Tuesday it completed its latest wave of strikes against Iran, hitting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targets including air defense systems, radar, maritime assets and communications facilities. U.S. Central Command said the strikes were in retaliation for attempted IRGC attacks on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz and American service members.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cautioned airlines and travelers that Russian airspace poses safety risks due to Ukrainian drone activity throughout the conflict. He indicated that such operations will persist across Russian territory.

Russia launched a ballistic missile attack on Kyiv and surrounding areas on September 1, killing at least 12 people, including six railway workers who died when a missile hit a depot and other rail facilities. The strike was part of a days-long bombardment in which Russia fired ballistic and cruise missiles along with 218 drones, of which Ukrainian air defenses intercepted or suppressed 199.

On September 1, American forces struck Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps installations after the IRGC attempted to attack U.S. service members and vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Blasts hit Qeshm Island and the ports of Bandar Abbas and Chabahar. Tehran vowed to block Gulf oil exports in response.

The US military has begun striking targets in Iran, according to CENTCOM. The strikes mark a resumption of hostilities after a month without military action between the two countries.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that Israeli forces have detained a top Hamas internal security official during an operation near his residence in Gaza. Netanyahu described the detainee as among the most prominent Hamas figures and noted his role in hiding and moving hostages.

The U.S. military announced it had struck positions held by Iran's Revolutionary Guards in the south of the country near the Strait of Hormuz. Multiple explosions were reported in the area. Centcom said the strikes were in response to attacks by the Revolutionary Guards on commercial shipping in the strait.

Israeli special forces and Israel-backed Palestinian militiamen conducted a raid in Gaza, after which the Israeli military carried out strikes. Israel said it seized a senior Hamas member in the operation. The strikes killed three people according to one account and four according to another.

The U.S. military struck Iranian targets on Tuesday, the second strike in a week. U.S. forces have diverted 84 commercial vessels and disabled three in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf urged citizens to reduce gasoline consumption as the blockade disrupts fuel imports.

Russia has formally protested to Tokyo over plans to station U.S. Typhon missile launchers ahead of joint exercises involving Japan, Australia and the United States. The Kremlin said the system's presence on Japanese soil is unacceptable and threatened to take compensatory action.

Dan Driscoll, the Army's civilian leader, has announced his departure, according to White House confirmation on Monday. The resignation follows tensions between Driscoll and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and leaves the service without a permanent military chief after Hegseth removed Gen. Randy George in April.

Israeli forces struck multiple Gaza Strip targets after threats emerged to personnel in the field. A military source said there were no Israeli casualties and no troops were trapped, with the incident nearing its conclusion. Palestinian sources reported ten explosions in Gaza City and said IDF special forces entered the American Hospital area in western Gaza City.