Top 5     Patriot missile involved in Bahrain blast likely US-operated, analysis finds (Military Times) An American-operated Patriot air defense battery likely fired the interceptor missile involved in a pre-dawn explosion that injured dozens of civilians and tore through homes in U.S.-ally Bahrain 10 days into the war on Iran, according to an analysis by academic researchers.       Pentagon adopts new press restrictions after court order against previous limits (Reuters) The U.S. Defense Department said on Monday it was adopting new restrictions on journalists, after a court blocked a previous press access policy, and would close an indoor workspace in favor of an area on grounds outside the main Pentagon building.       Guidance needed for doctors treating DOD, VA patients exposed to jet fuel in Hawaii water, report says (Military Times) Because no clinical guidance exists for medical providers in their long-term treatment of people exposed to jet fuel, the Defense Health Agency and the Department of Veterans Affairs should develop guidance, along with residents of Hawaii, for those exposed to fuel-contaminated water in the state in 2021, a new report recommends.       Iran targets Israel and Gulf Arab states even as Trump says US is in talks to end the war (The Associated Press) Smoke rose from central Tel Aviv as Iranian missiles and drones targeted Israel and Gulf Arab states Tuesday, even as U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. was in talks with the Islamic Republic to end the war.       Trump approved Iran operation after Netanyahu argued for joint killing of Khamenei, sources say (Military Times) Less than 48 hours before the U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran began, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by phone to President Donald Trump about the reasons for launching the kind of complex, far-off war the American leader once had campaigned against.   US Strikes in Caribbean and Eastern Pacific     A list of US military strikes against alleged drug-carrying vessels (Military Times) Since early September 2025, the U.S. military has conducted strikes against alleged drug-carrying vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean in support of what the Pentagon has called continued counternarcotics efforts.   Operation Timeline     The human impact of policy changes at the DOD and VA (The War Horse) An ongoing timeline of the Trump administration’s actions focusing on the military and veterans.   Your Military     Guidance needed for doctors treating DOD, VA patients exposed to jet fuel in Hawaii water, report says (Military Times) Because no clinical guidance exists for medical providers in their long-term treatment of people exposed to jet fuel, the Defense Health Agency and the Department of Veterans Affairs should develop guidance, along with residents of Hawaii, for those exposed to fuel-contaminated water in the state in 2021, a new report recommends.   Army     The US Army is already ditching its most powerful laser weapon yet (Laser Wars) The U.S. Army hasn’t even officially taken delivery of its most powerful high-energy laser weapon yet, but the service is already walking away from it in pursuit of a newer model.   Navy     USS Gerald R. Ford docks in Greece for port call after fire (Military Times) The world’s largest aircraft carrier arrived in Greece for maintenance after surviving an onboard fire nearly two weeks earlier, according to a Navy release.       USS Gettysburg returns to Norfolk following Caribbean deployment (Stars and Stripes) The USS Gettysburg returned to its homeport at Naval Station Norfolk, in Virginia, on Monday after a nearly six-month deployment supporting U.S. Southern Command missions, according to a service news release.   AIr Force     Testing shows progress on key Air Force missiles and bombs (Air & Space Forces Magazine) The Pentagon’s top weapons tester noted progress on key munitions for the Air Force in his latest report, covering everything from dogfighting missiles to hypersonics.       KC-135 crash in Iraq spurs calls for communications upgrades (Defense One) The Air Force must upgrade its KC-135 tankers to give aircrews more battlespace awareness, say former air-mobility leaders who warn that more tragedies might follow a recent deadly crash.   Space Force     More launches, more cyber threats: Space Force stands up units to defend ranges (Air & Space Forces Magazine) The Space Force this month established a squadron dedicated to defending against cyber intrusions at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., as concerns about threats to the service’s physical and digital launch infrastructure are on the rise.   National Guard     National Guard mobilized for search and rescue operations amid Hawaii floods (Task & Purpose) Members of the National Guard and Coast Guard are carrying out extensive search and rescue efforts in Hawaii, as the state is hit by the largest and worst flooding in two decades.   Veterans     Air Force veteran and action star Chuck Norris is dead at 86 (Stars and Stripes) Chuck Norris, a celebrated Air Force veteran, honorary Marine, martial artist and action star known for “Walker, Texas Ranger” has died at the age of 86.   Cyber, Space & Unmanned     US-made naval drone with active warhead washes up in northern Turkey, gets blown up (Defense News) An armed, operational unmanned surface vessel manufactured by U.S. defense contractor Sierra Nevada Corporation washed ashore on Turkey’s Black Sea coast on March 20, 2026, prompting a security response that culminated in the vessel’s destruction in a controlled offshore detonation.   Defense Industry     Dutch armed forces to add drone operators to combat brigades (Defense News) The Netherlands will add specialized drone operators and counter-drone units to its combat brigades starting in April, according to Dutch Chief of Defense Gen. Onno Eichelsheim, who said the country is the first to take that step.       Army buys Red Dragon long-range attack drones (DefenseScoop) The Army recently awarded a contract to AeroVironment for the company’s new long-range, one-way attack drone called Red Dragon, the Pentagon announced Friday.       Poland eyes benefits of joining GCAP sixth-generation fighter project (Defense News) Polish Deputy State Assets Minister Konrad Go?ota has announced that Poland is considering to join the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), aiming to involve its defense sector in the project to develop a sixth-generation fighter jet.   Israel-Gaza-Lebanon-Syria     Israel destroys five out of six bridges linking south Lebanon to rest of country (France 24) As it engages in heated battles with pro-Iran militant group Hezbollah in a number of Lebanese border villages, Israel has bombed at least five of the six principal bridges across a river dividing the country's south. It adds to widespread fears that Israel intends to permanently depopulate the region as a million people have been displaced by the fighting. FRANCE 24's Claire Paccalin tells us more from Beirut.   International     Pakistan seeks to mediate peace talks with US, Iran in Islamabad (Bloomberg) Pakistan is making a push to mediate talks to end the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, with its powerful army chief holding calls with President Donald Trump to find a resolution to the fighting, people familiar with the matter said.       US and UK teaming up to destroy underwater drones (Defense News) America and Britain are joining forces to tackle the threat of underwater drones to ports and other critical infrastructure, according to a solicitation by the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit.       North Korea’s Kim Jong Un says nuclear-armed status ‘irreversible’ (France 24) North Korea will never relinquish its status as a nuclear-armed state, leader Kim Jong Un said, state media reported on Tuesday. Speaking after his reappointment to head the State Affairs Commission, Kim called the policy irreversible and vowed to intensify efforts against what he described as hostile forces.   Video     While Iran war continues, Pentagon officials map out defense priorities back home (Military Times) Leaders from the Defense Department said they were still targeting suspected drug traffickers and addressed potential terrestrial strikes on cartels.       Homeland defense during war, and details on minesweepers | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 3.24.26 (Military Times) Pentagon officials head to Congress to map out hemispheric defense priorities. Plus, an interview with a former commander of a Navy minesweeper.       Stockpiles and production: Analysis of the US exquisite interceptor supply (Military Times) Defense companies are ready to make more interceptors in the midst of Operation Epic Fury. What does the future arsenal look like?       Spotting scams tied to military patient portals | Benefits and healthcare (Military Times) Military and veteran communities are common targets for scammers — get tips on how to avoid being a victim from the Military Officers Association of America.       Interceptor basics: A look at US missile defense weapons and stockpiles (Military Times) An expert weighs in on how American forces have defended against Iranian drone and ballistic missile attacks since the start of Operation Epic Fury.   Commentary & Analysis     The US has counter-mine ships homeported in the Middle East. Are they effective? (Military Times) U.S. Navy counter-mine ships that replaced minesweepers last year in Bahrain have yet to demonstrate their reliability and effectiveness in the face of potential naval mine warfare, according to the Defense Department’s testing office and military experts.       A web of sensors: How the US spots missiles and drones from Iran (The Conversation) The global price of oil continues to skyrocket as Iran’s missiles and drones hit vital infrastructure in Arab Gulf states. Billion-dollar American radar systems have also been targeted and destroyed across the Middle East by Iran, seemingly degrading U.S. defenses.       Iran war shows the strategic limits of tactical strikes (Defense One) The war in Iran is testing the strategic limits of tactical military success. Even as U.S. and Israeli airstrikes degrade Iranian capabilities, a complex web of global economic and strategic consequences are keeping victory out of reach.       The battlefield is the next betting market (War on the Rocks) When the United States and Israel struck Iran’s nuclear facilities in June last year, the operation caught many observers off guard — the planning was tightly concealed. By contrast, when Operation Epic Fury started in the early hours of Feb. 28, much of the world was staying up refreshing their screens, waiting for it to begin. Open source analysts tracked the usual indicators of escalation: satellite imagery, repositioning of carrier strike groups, and cryptic statements from officials. Intelligence agencies monitored missile deployments, while journalists quoted inside sources. Energy markets reacted to every rumor.  Amid this flood of signals, one stood out:       America’s drone future (The Cipher Brief) America is entering a future with millions of drones in our airspace. As the federal government works to determine how to manage what will become the most crowded skies in human history, we believe state and local governments will face significant challenges in addressing this issue, regardless of what federal authorities ultimately establish. As with most public safety incidents, the first response to drone-related events—crashes, unsafe or suspicious flights, interference with emergency operations, or calls from concerned citizens—will fall to state and local first responders.       Trump’s visit to China won’t fix much, if it even happens (War on the Rocks) President Donald Trump’s suggestion that he would likely delay his planned state visit to Beijing by “a month or so” to focus on the war with Iran underscores the fragility of the U.S.-Chinese truce that has held since October. Expectations of a U.S.-Chinese thaw had resurfaced in recent months as both sides worked toward a summit, reduced tariffs and carried out a series of good-faith measures like delaying implementation of export controls. But Trump’s March 15 call for China to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz before his state visit illustrated how quickly external events can reshape the bilateral agenda.Both       How the words that Iran and America use about each other paved the way for conflict (The Conversation) The conflict between the U.S. – and its partner Israel – and Iran was nearly half a century in the making. Many explanations have been offered: strategic miscalculation, nuclear brinkmanship, regional rivalry and the failure of deterrence of Iran’s nuclear programme. But there is also the nature of the language through which each side has come to perceive the other.