Top Stories
Curated DEFCON intelligence highlights and featured alerts with the highest impact
Top stories are editor-curated alerts covering the most significant developments. For the full alert feed, visit All Alerts.
U.S. Forces Strike Iranian Military Targets in Response to Shipping Attacks; Iran Claims Attacks on Nuclear Sites
PERSIAN GULF - U.S. Central Command forces completed an additional round of strikes against Iranian military targets on July 8 to degrade Iranโs ability to threaten commercial shipping and civilian mariners in the Strait of Hormuz. The operation followed earlier strikes on July 7.
Read the Full Story
Trump Declares U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Over After U.S. Strikes on Iran and Renewed Shipping Attacks in Strait of Hormuz
MIDDLE EAST - President Trump stated on July 8 that the ceasefire with Iran is over from his perspective and that continued engagement constitutes a waste of time, following U.S. Central Command strikes launched the previous day against Iranian targets in response to attacks on commercial shipping i
Read the Full Story
U.S. Strikes Southern Iran, Iran Hits U.S. Bases in Kuwait and Bahrain
U.S. Central Command: โU.S. Central Command forces have begun launching a series of powerful strikes against Iran to impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway.
Read the Full Story
China Conducts Submarine-Launched Strategic Missile Test into Pacific Ocean
SOUTH PACIFIC - The Peopleโs Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) launched a strategic missile carrying a dummy warhead from one of its nuclear-powered submarines on July 6 at 12:01 p.m. Beijing time.
Read the Full Story
Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant Loses Off-Site Power Connection for the 21st Time
UKRAINE - The International Atomic Energy Agency reported on July 3 that the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant lost its connection to the 330 kV Ferosplavna-1 line, the 21st such loss during the military conflict.
Read the Full Story
Romanian Defense Ministry Destroys Explosive Drone Fragment in Tulcea County
TULCEA COUNTY, ROMANIA - Romanian Ministry of Defense specialists destroyed an explosive charge from drone fragments through controlled detonation in Luncaviศa commune on June 30.
Read the Full Story
IRGC Claims Missile and Drone Strikes on US Bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, Explosions and Sirens Reported in Gulf States
PERSIAN GULF - On June 28, Iranโs Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy Command released a statement asserting dominance over the Strait of Hormuz.
Read the Full Story
U.S. Central Command Launches Strikes on Iranian Targets After Drone Attack on Tanker M/T Kiku
U.S. Central Command forces conducted additional strikes against multiple Iranian military targets on June 27 in response to Iranโs drone attack on the Panama-flagged tanker M/T Kiku.
Read the Full Story
Iran Targets Bahrain with Drones in Response to US Strikes, Condemnations Issued by Bahrain, UAE, and Kuwait
Iranian drone activity targeted Bahrain territory early on June 27 in response to U.S. strikes on Iran. The Bahrain Foreign Ministry said that the activity constituted โa flagrant violation of its sovereignty, a blatant threat to the safety of citizens and residents, and a blatant breach of international laws.โ
Read the Full Story
U.S. Central Command Strikes Iranian Targets After Drone Attack on M/V Ever Lovely in Strait of Hormuz, IRGC Says It Targeted U.S. Positions In Response
CENTCOM: U.S. Strikes Iran In Response To Attack On Commercial Vessel. The IRGC said that it targeted U.S. positions within the region in response.ย
Read the Full Story
Cargo Vessel Struck by Projectile 7.5 Nautical Miles Southeast of Dahit, Oman
GULF OF OMAN - A cargo vessel was struck on its starboard side by an unknown projectile 7.5 nautical miles southeast of Dahit, Oman, on June 25.
Read the Full Story
3 High Magnitude Earthquakes Strike Venezuela and Northern Japan
AMERICAS AND ASIA-PACIFIC - Twin earthquakes of magnitude 7.5 and 7.2 struck western Venezuela early on June 25, causing building collapses in Caracas and other areas and prompting authorities to announce a state of emergency.
Read the Full Story
CENTCOM Airstrike Kills Senior ISIS Leader Ali Husayn al-Ulaywi in Northwest Syria
NORTHWEST SYRIA - U.S. Central Command forces conducted a precision airstrike in northwest Syria on June 19 that killed Ali Husayn al-Ulaywi, identified by the command as a senior ISIS leader.
Read the Full Story
Armed Skiff Approaches Product Tanker off Al-Shihr, Yemen
ARABIAN SEA - A skiff carrying five armed persons approached a product tanker approximately 50 nautical miles southeast of Al-Shihr, Yemen, on June 21 according to United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Warning 072-26.
Read the Full Story
Nigerien Security Forces Repel Attack on Diori Hamani International Airport
NIGER - Nigerien security forces repelled an armed attack on Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey on June 18.
Read the Full Story
U.S. and Iran Sign 14-Point MOU to End Hostilities and Reopen Strait of Hormuz
U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding on June 17.
Read the Full Story
Armed Attack on Merchant Vessel 105NM Northeast of Aden
GULF OF ADEN - The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported June 17 that a merchant vessel was approached to within four meters and fired upon by two skiffs carrying an unknown number of armed persons approximately 105 nautical miles northeast of Aden, Yemen. The vessel deployed its
Read the Full Story
Russian Frigate Fires Warning Shots at British Yacht Bright Future in English Channel After Close Approach in Fog
ENGLISH CHANNEL - The Russian Defense Ministry stated that the frigate Admiral Grigorovich fired small-arms warning shots into the water ahead of the UK-registered yacht Bright Future on June 16 after the yacht approached on a course that created collision risk in foggy conditions.
Read the Full Story
U.S. and Iran Announce Memorandum of Understanding to End Hostilities and Reopen Strait of Hormuz
MIDDLE EAST - On June 15 the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran announced they had reached a memorandum of understanding on the cessation of hostilities and other matters.
Read the Full Story
Royal Marine Commandos Board Sanctioned Russian Shadow Fleet Tanker SMYRTOS in English Channel
ENGLISH CHANNEL - Royal Marine Commandos and National Crime Agency officers boarded the sanctioned Russian shadow fleet oil tanker SMYRTOS in international waters of the English Channel in the early hours of June 14.
Read the Full Story