All articles tagged with #military and defense
Trump says the U.S. is in direct talks with Iranian leaders to end the war, including exchanges with parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf, but Iran denies any direct engagement; Washington contends it has made progress on its 15 demands, while Tehran calls the requests excessive, and attacks on energy infrastructure add to the high-stakes diplomacy.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth centers faith in his Pentagon work, hosting worship and elevating religious messaging, drawing concern from current and former leaders who say his proselytizing violates constitutional norms and could undermine troop cohesion, echoing historical wartime prayers while signaling a shift in how faith intersects the military.
The Pentagon is preparing for weeks of potential ground operations in Iran, with thousands of American soldiers and Marines arriving in the Middle East for what could become a more dangerous phase of the war, including a possible seizure of Kharg Island; President Trump has not yet decided, and Washington remains divided on deploying ground forces.
Asian allies, led by Taiwan and Japan, warn that a prolonged U.S. war in the Middle East could divert American military assets and strategic focus away from China, potentially impacting Indo-Pacific security and Taiwan’s defense planning as Washington reallocates resources.
An Iranian attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia wounded at least 10 U.S. troops (two seriously) and damaged at least two U.S. Air Force refueling aircraft, underscoring Iran’s ongoing threat despite weeks of military activity in the region.
The Pentagon ordered a couple thousand paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division to deploy to the Middle East as President Trump weighs a significant escalation in the U.S.-Israel war with Iran, following weeks of speculation about the division’s role and while officials have not ruled out actions on Iranian soil.
The Pentagon will move journalists out of the Pentagon’s on-site press space to an external annex after a federal judge ruled its media policy unconstitutional, closing the “Correspondents’ Corridor.” The department plans to appeal; reporters will need escorts for access to events outside the main building, highlighting ongoing tensions over defense-access rights.
More than 200 U.S. troops have been wounded or injured across seven countries in the U.S.-Israel campaign against Iran, as Tehran responds with missile strikes and one-way attack drones.
The Pentagon identified six U.S. service members—ages 28 to 38—from two air refueling wings who were killed when a KC-135 tanker crashed in western Iraq while supporting operations related to Iran; the crash is described as an apparent midair collision with another KC-135.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a comprehensive U.S. military investigation into last month’s deadly school strike in Iran, signaling a shift toward examining how the attack occurred and suggesting U.S. forces’ potential responsibility rather than Iran’s role.
A U.S. Air Force KC-135 refueling tanker crashed in Iraq after an apparent collision with another KC-135 during operations related to Iran; rescue efforts are ongoing and officials have not yet confirmed fatalities.
Two U.S. sailors were treated for non-life-threatening injuries after a laundry-room fire aboard the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford during its extended deployment tied to Iran-related operations, marking another setback for the ship.
The U.S.-led war against Iran has spilled into Lebanon, with Israel widening airstrikes and threatening a south Lebanon invasion in response to Hezbollah actions, as more than 630 people have died and about 800,000 have been displaced in the past week.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s staff reportedly complained about a March briefing’s images and prompted the Pentagon to bar press photographers from two subsequent briefings amid the U.S.–Israel–Iran tensions, raising questions about press access and censorship in national security coverage.
The Pentagon says about 140 U.S. service members have been wounded in the Iran war, eight of them severely, with seven American deaths since the conflict began on Feb. 28, as drones and missiles continue to pose threats.