Top 5     US-Iran talks to begin in Switzerland as Tehran says it has closed Hormuz Strait (BBC News) The U.S. military has disputed Tehran's claim, as Iran said it closed the Strait over deadly Israeli attacks in Lebanon.       Trump heads to Camp David as questions swirl over Iran deal (Military Times) President Donald Trump headed to Camp David on Friday for a weekend of policy and political meetings as negotiations with Iran move toward an inflection point, a White House official told Military Times.       Air Force One begins commissioning flights, final step before presidential use (Military Times) Nearly two weeks after a red, white and blue paint job, Air Force One was delivered to the Presidential Airlift Group.       Pentagon tells lawmakers it needs $80 billion for Iran war, other expenses (Reuters) The U.S. Department of Defense needs $80 billion to cover costs from the Iran war as well as other non-war-related bills, Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg told lawmakers in phone calls this week.       More than 160 troops contract flu at Texas base after Hegseth lifts vaccine order (The Hill) More than 160 troops have contracted influenza at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas in the past few weeks following Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's decision earlier this year to end mandatory flu vaccines for service members, a source familiar with the matter told The Hill.   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.   Congress & Politics     At least seven people killed in Chicago shootings as Trump renews military call (The Guardian) Mayor says "violence has no place in our city" as president criticizes governor for not accepting national guard troops.   Army     Army launches new Indo-Pacific multi-domain command (Defense News) The Army on Thursday launched a new Indo-Pacific command that combines traditional formations with some of the service’s cyber, space, unmanned systems and electronic warfare capabilities, the service announced Friday.   Marine Corps     Highway patrol: US Marine F-35s conduct flight operations on Finnish roads (Military Times) U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning IIs made a historic first impression on Finland this month, when the service’s air crews conducted a series of unorthodox flight operations from a highway in Tervo.   AIr Force     Remains of 8 individuals who died in B-52 crash to receive post-mortem care at Delaware base (Military Times) The remains of all eight crew members who died on Monday at Edwards Air Force Base will be airlifted to another Air Force base for further identification and post-mortem care on Friday.       Air Force unit’s new ammo-linking machine saves $4 million a year (Military Times) A U.S. Air Force special operations unit pioneered a new ammunition-linking machine in an effort to save the force millions by upcycling rounds.   Veterans     Secret Service agent who shielded Kennedy laid to rest at Arlington in ‘full circle’ moment (Military Times) When the sound of a gunshot pierced the lively hum of a crowded motorcade more than 60 years ago, Clint Hill threw himself across the bodies of President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy.   Cyber, Space & Unmanned     A missing ingredient in Ukraine’s barrages on Russia: Ballistic missiles (The New York Times) Ukrainian drone attacks have achieved breakthroughs, but only ballistic missiles can push Russia to reconsider its war objectives, military experts and officials say.       Army looks to small UGVs as Ukraine war reshapes battlefield robotics (Small Wars Journal) James Crowell, the founder and CEO of unmanned ground vehicle manufacturer Crow Industries, did not go into business intending to build a machine of war.   Defense Industry     Italy rejects aid scheme that buys US weapons for Ukraine’s defense (Defense News) Italy has confirmed it will not fund the purchase of U.S. weapons due to be delivered to Ukraine, the latest sign that Rome is seeking to place limits on its defense spending.       Japan joins the global craze to field interceptor drones (Defense News) Japan plans to rapidly deploy autonomous interceptor drones to complement emerging standoff-strike capabilities, as reports surfaced that Tomahawk missile orders could face delays after U.S. stockpiles come under strain following the Iran war.   Israel-Gaza-Lebanon-Syria     Israel directs its military to limit its actions in Lebanon, but tensions persist (The New York Times) It was not clear whether the new directive would resolve the friction that led to deadly clashes on Friday and Saturday and threatened to derail a preliminary U.S.-Iran peace deal.       Israeli strikes kill six people in Gaza including Al Jazeera cameraman, officials say (BBC News) The Israeli military accused Ahmed Wishah of being a "Hamas sniper operative", without providing evidence.       Gaza peace plan sees slow progress after Hamas meets in Cairo (The Long War Journal) Efforts to advance the US-backed peace plan for Gaza have continued amid difficult negotiations over Hamas’s disarmament and the future security structure of the enclave. Talks in Cairo involving Hamas, Egyptian officials, and representatives of the Board of Peace have focused on implementing key provisions related to weapons restrictions and the deployment of an International Stabilization Force.   International     No end in sight for US military mission along border with Mexico (The New York Times) The patrols have helped push cartels and smugglers into more remote areas. But analysts have voiced concerns that the border missions will distract from training, drain resources and undermine readiness.       Bolivian president declares state of emergency and deploys military to quell anti-government protests (The Guardian) Bulldozers sent in to clear roadblocks that have stifled the country as farmers and Indigenous groups protest against conservative president.       US completes 65th lethal strike on suspected smuggling boat (The Maritime Executive) U.S. Southern Command has completed its 65th lethal strike on a suspected drug boat, destroying the vessel and killing the occupants. It was the secon...   Military Culture & History     ‘Hell ship’ responsible for the largest single-day loss of Allied POWs discovered after more than 80 years (Military Times) More than 80 years after its sinking, long-buried documents in both the American and Japanese archives held the key to locating the seemingly lost location of the Japanese “Hell ship” H?fuku Maru. Now, explorer Josh Gates, working with the Hellships Memorial Foundation, is taking viewers along for that historic journey in an all-new season of Expedition Unknown.       Bravery in Burma: Despite being rendered blind by the Japanese, this soldier fought on (Military Times) After the fall of Burma (now Myanmar) to the Japanese in 1942, the United States Army fielded a contingent to fight alongside the British and Nationalist Chinese aimed toward getting it back. Although generally outnumbered and handicapped by the mountain, jungle and disease on or over which they had to operate, resourceful units such as the American Volunteer Group, or “Flying Tigers,” and Maj. Gen. Frank Merrill’s 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), acquired a legendary status for courage and ingenuity that outlived the short time frames in which they actually operated.       From sports to Pokémon, card collecting service members come together on Okinawa (Stars and Stripes) More than 600 U.S. service members and their families gathered at this naval support base over the weekend to buy, sell, trade and bond over collectible cards.       Revolutionary War soldier identified after 246 years (Task & Purpose) Nearly 250 years after he died in the Battle of Camden, researchers identified Pvt. John Pumphrey as one of more than a dozen Continental Army John Does that were found near the battlefield.   Video     Air Force selects General Atomics, Anduril for production contracts on drone wingmen (Defense News) The Air Force moves ahead with two companies for airframes and six more for software development of collaborative combat aircraft.       Senior enlisted leaders talk improvements for troops, families | MOAA (Defense News) The Military Officers Association of America recently gathered senior enlisted leaders for a forum on enhancing opportunities for service members and spouses.       A first look at the Global War on Terrorism memorial (Defense News) The Global War on Terrorism Memorial unveils its design: reclaimed combat steel, marble boot prints, and reflecting pools honoring service and sacrifice.       President Trump awards Medal of Honor to Major Dockery (Defense News) "You were the last man to depart the battlefield that day and you left it a legend and a hero." Major Nicholas Dockery was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Trump on June 18, 2026, for his heroism during a battle in Kapisa Province, Afghanistan, on October 2, 2012.       Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announces review of US force posture in Europe at G7 summit (Defense News) Defense secretary says NATO has been a 'paper tiger' and 'one-way street' in dealing with the U.S., vows a shift in months to come.       "Powder dry. Morale high. Semper fi." Marine's epic report after action that earned Medal of Honor (Defense News) Marine had blown bridge to stop invading force in Vietnam.   Commentary & Analysis     Troop cuts in Europe: Giving away something for nothing (Defense News) Although some of the recently announced changes to U.S. troops levels in Europe have been signaled for a year or more, they have nonetheless unnerved America’s allies and potentially emboldened Moscow. American troops have been in Europe for decades not merely to underwrite NATO treaty commitments but more specifically to safeguard the country’s most important trading and investment relationship in the world.       Four months after the horrific Iran school bombing, fears grow that Trump and Hegseth will bury the truth (The Guardian) A secretive investigation into the attack that killed at least 175 has concluded, reports suggest. Will its findings ever see the light of day?       Iran got a great deal that it could still squander (The Atlantic) The memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran appears to have ended the war on terms favorable to the Islamic Republic. It releases frozen Iranian assets, relaxes restrictions on Iranian oil sales, and lifts the American blockade of the Strait of Hormuz—in exchange for Iran ending its closure of the waterway. In other words, Iran receives things it didn’t have before the war in exchange for giving up something it wasn’t doing before the war.       The surprising new arms dealer to the world (Politico) The United States can’t be on the hook anymore for protecting the world, the president lectured.       Analysis: Khamenei warily accepts US deal as Tehran eyes rebuilding Hezbollah (The Long War Journal) Days after Tehran and Washington reached a memorandum of understanding over ending the recent conflict, Iran's new supreme leader is distancing himself from the agreement as hardliners clash over its implications. Meanwhile, reports that Iran is preparing to increase support for Hezbollah and statements from senior regime figures suggest that Tehran views any sanctions relief as an opportunity to rebuild proxy capabilities.       Trump’s second gamble on Iran (The Atlantic) Donald Trump’s war against Iran began with one gamble and ended with another. Initially, the president bet that he could stop Iran’s nuclear ambitions by bombing Iran’s revolutionary regime out of existence. So he spent tens of billions of dollars, and upended the global economy, only to sign a memorandum of understanding undoubtedly weaker than any deal he could have struck before the war. Embedded in this document is a new gamble: that if Iran’s revolutionaries can’t be dislodged by force, they might instead be bribed to abandon their identity.       Iran’s post-Khamenei security state: The emerging challenge for US strategy (Small Wars Journal) More than one hundred days after the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Washington remains focused on familiar debates about sanctions, nuclear negotiations, and diplomacy with Tehran. Policymakers continue to discuss enrichment levels, economic pressure, and the prospects for another agreement, as though the central challenge posed by Iran remains unchanged from a decade ago. Yet the most important development in the Middle East today has little to do with centrifuges or diplomatic formulas. It is unfolding inside the political structure of the Islamic Republic itself.