Top 5     Iran says it is breaking off talks to end war after US and Israeli strikes (Washington Post) Negotiations were suspended because of Israel’s escalating military attacks in Lebanon and U.S. strikes, an Iranian official told The Post.       Pentagon press office is now a classified area and off-limits to reporters (Politico) Journalists are no longer allowed in the Pentagon press office.       US court blocks Pentagon from removing transgender troops, for now (Reuters) A U.S. appeals court on Monday said President Donald Trump’s administration could, for now, bar transgender people from enlisting in the military, but blocked the expulsion of current service members while a lawsuit plays out.       Chinese and US militaries met in Hawaii, stressed communication, Chinese navy says (Reuters) China and the United States recently held "candid and constructive" exchanges on air and maritime safety and discussed measures to improve military maritime security, the Chinese navy said in a statement published on Monday.       The military has approved less than 10% of medical malpractice claims since 2020 (Task & Purpose) In 2019, Army Spc. Lauren Palladini was rushed to a hospital for a cesarean section delivery of her daughter, Everly. During the procedure at Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the medical resident lacerated her right uterine artery. It was a life-threatening error that would eventually cost her any chance of having more children. It would also launch a six-year, uphill battle for accountability.   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.   Pentagon     Pentagon told to review lessons from Trump’s hefty cuts to DOD civilian workforce (Stars and Stripes) The Pentagon is being directed by a congressional watchdog agency to assess what was learned from the sweeping reductions in civilian personnel made after President Donald Trump took office.       Pentagon chief sounds ‘alarm’ over China’s buildup, urges allies to boost defense spending (Reuters) U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged Asian allies on Saturday to ramp up military spending to counter China’s growing power and prevent its dominance in the region, warning of “rightful alarm” over its rapid military buildup.   Congress & Politics     Trump invokes national security in push for White House ballroom ‘drone port’ (Military Times) President Donald Trump on Sunday assailed a federal judge’s injunction halting aboveground construction of the White House ballroom, emphasizing the enhanced security features that form a key part of the project.   Your Military     Not ‘just a gun’: New SOCOM rifle allows barrel swapping and cartridge changes (Defense News) U.S. Special Operations Command will begin fielding the MK24 Medium Range Gas Gun Assault before the end of the fiscal year, furthering SOCOM’s shift away from legacy cartridges like the 7.62mm NATO round, according to a recent report.   AIr Force     Air Force returns T-38 Talon to flight status while crash investigation continues (Military Times) The U.S. Air Force returned the T-38 Talon to flying status just over a week after implementing a fleetwide operational pause.   Coast Guard     Coast Guard rescues boater after vessel catches fire, sinks near US Virgin Islands (Stars and Stripes) The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a boater Sunday after a vessel caught fire and sank near St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.   Defense Industry     Norway becomes ninth country to sign up for French nuclear deterrence as trust in US falters (Defense News) Norway has become the ninth European country to sign up for French nuclear protection in light of heightened alertness vis-à-vis Russia and broadly faltering trust in U.S. reliability.       Poland spends $16.5 billion in EU-backed loans on heavy army weapons (Defense News) The Polish Ministry of National Defence has awarded contracts worth around 60 billion zloty ($16.5 billion) to buy infantry fighting vehicles, self-propelled howitzers, military vehicles, and self-propelled wheeled mortars, among other weapons, to a group of local defense companies.       South Korea goes full steam ahead on nuclear-powered submarines (Defense News) For the first time, South Korea has officially declared a national strategic roadmap to adopt nuclear-powered attack submarines, known as SSNs naval jargon.   Israel-Gaza-Lebanon-Syria     US says Israel and Hezbollah agree to dial back fighting as tensions escalate (France 24) Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah intensified on Monday, after US President Donald Trump said the two sides had agreed to dial back fighting following talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and indirect communication with Hezbollah.   Ukraine     Zelenskyy presses US to send Ukraine more anti-ballistic missiles (Politico) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his nation is in urgent need of anti-ballistic missiles from the United States to shoot down an increasing number of attacks from Russia.       Russian attacks kill at least five and injure dozens across Ukraine (France 24) Russian air strikes hit several major Ukrainian cities early on Tuesday, killing at least five people and injuring dozens as officials warned of a possible wider assault. Kyiv, Dnipro and Kharkiv were among the hardest hit, with residential buildings damaged and thousands of residents sheltering underground amid ongoing air raid alerts.       Zelenskyy says Ukrainian military can hit Russian logistics throughout occupied areas (Reuters) President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Ukraine's ?military was now capable of hitting Russian ?logistics throughout occupied areas of Ukraine and had created shortages of fuel in Crimea and other Russian-held regions.   International     US military continues self-defense strikes against Iran, intercepts missiles (Military Times) The U.S. military targeted Iranian radar and command control sites this weekend in response to hostile acts from the country, according to U.S. Central Command.       US military seeks cultural advisors in Somalia amid regional strikes (Military Times) The U.S. special operations task force in Somalia is looking for contractors to advise troops on Somali politics, culture and tribal dynamics, according to a newly posted federal notice, a move that comes amid the U.S.’s shrinking military footprint in the region.       Russia resupplies its Syria air base, hanging on to a strategic foothold (The Wall Street Journal) Russia sent a cargo ship to resupply its air base in Syria, a signal the Kremlin intends to maintain the strategically important military foothold under the country’s new rulers, according to U.S. officials and satellite images reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. The cargo ship Sparta left St. …   Military Culture & History     Lost World War II submarine, USS Herring, identified off Japanese coast (Stars and Stripes) The U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command on Monday confirmed the wreck site of USS Herring, an American submarine lost in the Pacific Ocean during World War II.   Video     Game-changing new tech emerges for troops and commands | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 6.2.26 (Defense News) A box that makes drinkable water out of the air and hydrofoil drone tech have emerged at defense shows. Plus, an interview with a top executive at Lockheed.       Pentagon’s ‘innovative commercial models’ cited for increased missile production | Defense Dollars (Defense News) Lockheed Martin’s president of missiles and fire control talks about how the company is expanding production under the DoD’s increased drive for more munitions.       How to fund your next getaway — Money Minute (Defense News) Jeanette Mack from Navy Federal Credit Union is here with tips on how you can save for that dream vacation.       Check out a hydrofoil drone that takes off and lands on the water (Defense News) Regent Defense shows off its new hydrofoil drone that can loiter in the water, take off and fly at low altitude, then land again on the surface after a mission.   Commentary & Analysis     Army vet supports her Navy sister in tough hospital journey (Fisher House) “I went to Japan and I was ready to spend the next 20 years there,” Kayla Saska said, a former sailor describing her first duty station. “I loved it, the people, the culture.”       Iran attacks damage 20 US military sites since start of war, satellite images show (BBC News) Analysts told BBC Verify that Tehran's strikes were more extensive than publicly acknowledged.       Deterring Russia beneath the waves: Securing NATO’s critical undersea infrastructure (War on the Rocks) What would happen if you woke up one morning and the internet was gone — not from a software glitch, but because someone had simply cut the wire? Threats to critical undersea infrastructure are rapidly escalating.       How America’s adversaries compete across peace and war (The Cipher Brief) Rather than seeking decisive battlefield victory, U.S. adversaries are using long-term pressure campaigns to erode American power, autonomy, and resolve.       Fences not F-35s: Drone attacks and the illogic of Gulf procurement (War on the Rocks) One of the most effective counter-drone systems in the largest drone war in history between Ukraine and Russia is a German anti-aircraft gun designed during the Cold War. The Gepard — a self-propelled 35 mm cannon that first entered service in 1976 — has earned recognition from Ukrainian military experts as the most effective weapon against Shahed-type drones, at a cost of a few thousand dollars per engagement.