Ukrainian defector to Russia killed in bomb attack, Kyiv targets oil refinery
Kyiv targeted an oil refinery in Moscow in June. (Reuters )
Follow the story
Military & Defence
A focused view of neutral reporting on Military & Defence, brought together across publishers.
Explore all topics →
Neutral reports only
Newest first · UTC+11:00Universality by Natasha Brown audiobook review – a sparkling multi-voiced satire
A magazine article about stolen gold sparks a culture war between a cast of politically polarised characters
· Fiona Sturges
Hezbollah once paid families $14,000 when Israel destroyed their homes. Now it may not afford to | The National
Hezbollah has yet to pay out compensation for damage to homes in southern Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs during its latest war with Israel, according to residents, suggesting the Tehran-backed group might be feeling the impact of the war in Iran and a crackdown on its funding networks.
· Jamie Prentis
Italian businessman admits organising bombing at home of journalist and friend
Valter Lavitola’s lawyer says he had intended attack to boost security for investigative reporter Sigfrido Ranucci
· Angela Giuffrida
Israel's Ukraine envoy: October 7 transformed Jerusalem-Kyiv ties after years of tension -interview
For nearly five years, Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky has lived under the constant threat of Russian missiles and drones, watching a country at war struggle to preserve some semblance of normal life.
· AMICHAI STEIN
Satellite images show 50 per cent boost to China’s Type 054B missile capacity
Chinese military analyst says a larger munitions payload directly affords guided-missile frigate stronger independent combat capabilities
· Albee Zhang
Satellite images show 50 per cent boost to China’s Type 054B missile capacity
Chinese military analyst says a larger munitions payload directly affords guided-missile frigate stronger independent combat capabilities
· Albee Zhang
Iran Says It Reorganized Military To Be More Aggressive In Protracted Conflict After US 'Long Miscalculated'
Top adviser to the commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Mohammad Reza Naqdi, has been signaling Iran's more aggressive stance in media appearances this week, also following a significant reshuffling of top military leadership.
· Tyler Durden
Japan condemns visit by Vladimir Putin to disputed Kuril Islands
Japanese PM says islands seized by Soviets late in second world war are part of Japan under international law
· Gavin Blair
Iran looks to ramp up economic alliance with BRICS nations as war with U.S. drags on
Iran is set to join the BRICS New Development Bank, the country's central bank chief said Thursday, as Tehran seeks to shore up its economic alliances almost six months into its war with the U.S. and Israel.
· Chloe Taylor
IAF strikes terror cell in Khan Yunis, continues countering threats despite July deal
The Israeli Air Force on Thursday attacked a Gazan terror cell in Khan Yunis, the second "attack of choice" in two days after a pause in such attacks since a new US-Hamas deal in late July.
· YONAH JEREMY BOB
Turkiye lays out ‘mechanisms’ of defence pact with Pakistan, Saudi Arabia
Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will group senior ministers, hold joint exercises and deepen defence industry cooperation under a military pact signed between the regional powers last week, Turkiye’s defence ministry says.
Iran war latest: Ships must take permission to safely transit Strait of Hormuz, Iran says | The National
Latest updatesIran war latest: Ships must take permission to safely transit Strait of Hormuz, Iran says
· The National
Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to establish political and military mechanisms under defence pact | The National
Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will establish political and military mechanisms to co-ordinate their defence and security policies under a pact signed last week, Turkey’s Defence Ministry said on Thursday, as the three countries deepen military and defence industry co-operation.
· The National
Iranian press review: Tehran says it will no longer wait to be attacked
Iranian military commanders and politicians have recently underlined a shift in Iran's military doctrine, moving from a defensive to an offensive strategy against US forces in the Middle East.
· Middleeasteye
Russian Military Officer Killed in Annexed Crimea Bomb Explosion
A senior Russian military officer was killed in a targeted bombing in annexed Crimea, Kremlin-installed officials and the Federal Security Service (FSB) said Thursday.
· The Moscow Times
WATCH: China, Indonesia hold joint naval drills in waters east of Taiwan
Taiwan condemns China's plan to hold a navy drill with Indonesia off the democratic island's east coast, saying Beijing seeks to create the 'false impression' that it has jurisdiction over the area. China claims Taiwan is part of its territory and insists it has authority over the waters surrounding the island, whic…
· The Manila Times
WATCH: Trump claims US has 'total control' over Strait of Hormuz
US President Donald Trump claims on Aug. 12, 2026 that the United States has 'total control' over the Strait of Hormuz and will 'keep it.' Trump said on Truth Social that the US naval blockade of the waterway had been described as a 'wall of steel' and said Iran lacked the capability to challenge it. Despite Iran's …
· The Manila Times
WATCH: 2 US Army soldiers killed in Texas helicopter crash
Two US Army soldiers die when an Apache military helicopter attached to the service's Fort Hood base crashed into a field in Texas on Aug. 12, 2026, sparking a large grass fire, officials said. Reuters was able to confirm the location of the fire by corroborating media visuals and NASA Firms detected thermal activit…
· The Manila Times
Iraq sends high-level security delegation to Riyadh amid drone attacks tension | The National
A high-level Iraqi security delegation arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday for talks aimed at easing tensions over alleged drone attacks by Iran-backed militias, cross-border strikes, and broader security co-operation, Iraqi state media said.
· Sinan Mahmoud
In Christian village of Taybeh, Israeli military order fails to stop settler violence
The residents of Taybeh, a village east of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, continue to face settler attacks despite an Israeli military order declaring the surrounding area a closed military zone.
· Middleeasteye
Credible missile threat led to secret aircraft switch for Trump, source says
Already have Rappler+? Sign in to listen to groundbreaking journalism.
· Jee Geronimo
Israeli settlers continue West Bank village siege despite outcry | The National
International condemnation of Israel is mounting as settlers lay siege to Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank village of Qusra for a fifth day and reports mount that Israel is planning a military operation in the village.
· Thomas Helm
The Iran war risks bringing the G7's fastest-growing economy to a halt
The U.K. economy is showing further signs of a long-awaited rebound, but the picture is complicated by the fallout from the Iran war and high energy prices.
· Jenni Reid
Defence pact for Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia open to expansion
A billboard in Karachi displays the leaders of Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
Ukraine’s drones hit a major Russian refinery 800 miles from the border
This image provided by Vantor shows smoke in an overview of port infrastructure in Novorossiysk, Russia, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026. (Satellite image ©2026 Vantor via AP)
· Illia Novikov
Iran attacks US failures as scepticism grows over Israeli role in Trump 'assassination plot'
Iran has accused the US of allowing faulty intelligence to drive it into war, as new reports revealed that CIA analysts doubted an Israeli warning that triggered a secret security operation during President Donald Trump’s visit to Turkey.
· Middleeasteye
USS Abraham Lincoln conditions under scrutiny after reports sailors attempted to jump overboard
US Senator Richard Blumenthal (Connecticut) has demanded a formal inquiry into the conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln in a letter sent Wednesday to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Acting US Navy Secretary Hung Cao.
· MIRIAM SELA-EITAM
Putin watches Russian navy drills off Russia's Sakhalin Island
Footage released by Russian state television showed President Vladimir Putin aboard the missile cruiser Varyag, the flagship of the Pacific Fleet, watching live‑fire naval exercises and an underwater explosion off Russia’s Far East. He later travelled to one of the archipelago's four main islands, marking the first …
· AfricaNews
Putin Visits Islands Seized from Japan in World War II, Angering Tokyo
President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia on Thursday visited islands seized from Japan at the end of World War II for the first time, prompting an angry rebuke from Tokyo.
· Javier C Hernandez
"BlackDiamonds Are Forever": How To Profit From The China-Driven Germanium Squeeze
Piper Sandler initiated coverage of LightPath Technologies with an "Overweight" rating and a 12-month price target of $15, citing the defense supplier's proprietary BlackDiamond infrared glass, which completely "circumvents" the need for Germanium amid "significant cost increases and scarcity stemming from recent Ch…
· Tyler Durden
Turkey backs Saudi-led maritime defence coalition in Red Sea
Turkey confirmed on Thursday for the first time that it had joined efforts to establish a multinational maritime defence coalition aimed at ensuring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.
· Middleeasteye
Russian drone strikes passenger train in Odesa region, killing driver
Footage filmed in Ukraine’s Odesa region on Thursday 13 August 2026 by the national emergency services shows a severely damaged passenger train locomotive, as firefighters extinguish the flames. A nearby carriage has shattered windows, while passengers board evacuation buses with their luggage. A Russian jet-powered…
· AfricaNews
Houthi rebels clash with Yemeni government, kindling fears of growing Mideast war
Dark oil residue collects in shallow coastal waters on Qeshm Island, Iran, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, amid ongoing wartime attacks on vessels and infrastructure in and around the Strait of Hormuz, though the spill’s source has not been independently determined.(Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA via AP)
· The Associated Press
Eurovision to bar countries at war from hosting: What that means
The organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest have announced that any country involved in an “armed conflict” or “sensitive geopolitical situation” will no longer be allowed to host the annual tournament.
· Priyanka Shankar
Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan Mecca pact ‘falls short’ of a Nato-style defence alliance
Observers say diverging strategic interests and a weak mutual security capacity will be the main challenges facing the agreement
· Fan Chen
Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan Mecca pact ‘falls short’ of a Nato-style defence alliance
Observers say diverging strategic interests and a weak mutual security capacity will be the main challenges facing the agreement
· Fan Chen
US, Israel deny report of agreement on foreign forces for Hezbollah disarmament
Senior US and Israeli officials on Wednesday night denied in conversations with The Jerusalem Post a Reuters report that Israel and Lebanon had already agreed on the countries that could participate in a future international mechanism in Lebanon that would oversee Hezbollah's disarmament and verify the Lebanese mili…
· IDAN KWELLER
Turkey backs Saudi-led maritime defence coalition in Red Sea
Turkey confirmed on Thursday for the first time that it had joined efforts to establish a multinational maritime defence coalition aimed at ensuring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.
· Middleeasteye
Israel deploys troops to remove Israeli settlers trapping Palestinian families
The Israeli army says it has dismantled "two illegal outposts" on the outskirts of the Qusra and Jalud areas in the occupied West Bank, which Israeli settlers were using to trap two Palestinian families inside their homes.
· Middleeasteye
The war for Israel’s home
‘When I assumed my position as chairman of HaBithonistim,” says Brig.-Gen. (res.) Erez Winner, “I defined the greatest threat to Israel as the war for our home.”
· ALAN ROSENBAUM, IN COLLABORATION WITH HABITHONISTIM
Life and loss as a first responder in southern Lebanon
Ali Safiuddin is the head of the Civil Defence in Tyre, and in his life and career as a first responder, he has had to come to terms with life and loss.
· Al Jazeera Staff
South Korean airport becomes busiest in world for global traffic amid Iran war
Incheon airport had 38.39m international passengers in first half of 2026, as traffic diverted from Middle East hubs
· Raphael Rashid
Wall Street Zeroes In On This "Pure-Play" US Attack Drone Company
Wall Street analysts are finally waking up to Unusual Machines as a pure-play in the effort to anchor America's sovereign drone supply chain. One-way attack drones and autonomous systems have forever changed modern warfare, forcing the Department of War to quickly fire up a massive procurement supercycle to stockpil…
· Tyler Durden
‘We have no protection’: Palestinian family vows not to leave Kusra home as extremists return
Qusai Abu Ridi, a Palestinian resident whose house in the village of Kusra, south of Nablus in the West Bank, has been targeted by radical Israeli settlers in recent days, said that despite actions taken by the Israeli military on Wednesday to remove the makeshift outpost outside his house, settlers are still presen…
· DANA BEN-SHIMON
Mecca Defence Agreement will include political and military coordination, Turkey says
Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will form political and military mechanisms under a defence pact signed between the regional powers last week, Turkey's defence ministry said, adding the alliance would also deepen defence industry cooperation.
· Middleeasteye
Yemeni forces say Houthi attack repelled in Taiz amid escalation
Yemeni government forces have thwarted an attack by the Houthis on positions along the al‑Mafalis front, south of Haifan, in the southeastern part of Taiz province, as military escalation spikes in several governorates.
‘I made a mistake’: Charities still waiting for Reece’s promised $9 million for the homeless
Nick Reece likes to recount that he spent his first day as lord mayor volunteering at the Salvos, but now he is scrambling to repair his relationship with the Salvation Army and Melbourne City Mission after failing to deliver promised funding.
· Cara Waters
Vietnam’s warship project signals modernisation, bamboo diplomacy balance
As Hanoi seeks to build its defence manufacturing capabilities with the frigate, it is likely to remain dependent on foreign know-how
· Sam Beltran
Vietnam’s warship project signals modernisation, bamboo diplomacy balance
As Hanoi seeks to build its defence manufacturing capabilities with the frigate, it is likely to remain dependent on foreign know-how
· Sam Beltran