Top 5     US military says it disabled cargo vessel trying to run Iran blockade (Reuters) The U.S. military said on Saturday it had disabled a commercial cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman after the ship's crew ignored warnings and attempted to run a naval blockade against Iran.       Daddy’s home!: 122 sailors aboard the Abraham Lincoln meet their children for the first time (Military Times) For 122 sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, docking in San Diego after a 321-day deployment carried extra meaning — these men were about to meet their children for the first time.       Official poster depicts the US Army’s newest threat: The Iranian soldier (Defense News) If America engages in a ground war with Iran, the U.S. Army wants to ensure that its soldiers can recognize the enemy.       How the US military plan to livestream an execution compares with global practice (Reuters) The U.S. military plans to livestream the Dec. 3 execution by firing squad of Nidal Hasan, the former Army psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 people in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting.       ‘Unknown’ sailors and Marines from the battleship Arizona to be disinterred Dec. 7 (Military Times) Hundreds of family members of sailors and Marines who were killed and buried as “Unknowns” when Japanese warplanes bombed the battleship Arizona are expected to gather in Hawaii on Dec. 7, the 85th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attacks, as the Defense Department begins exhumations that could lead to identifications and the return of remains to their loved ones.   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     Trump weighs joining the fight against Houthis after Riyadh airport attack (The Associated Press) The surge in attacks, including against other Saudi airports, military facilities and oil infrastructure, has come in the week since a Saudi-led coalition launched a major military offensive against the Houthis.   Your Military     Soldiers intervene on roadside to save children from alleged knife attack (Military Times) When they saw a car on its side, three soldiers — traveling independently — pulled over to help. But when one soldier approached the vehicle, the threat changed. Suddenly, treating any injuries from the car crash became secondary to disarming a knife-wielding woman attacking her two children at the scene.       Patients struggle to access MHS following changes to login process (Military Times) A change to the login system for the MHS Genesis medical records’ patient portal has caused headaches for military health beneficiaries, as many have found they can’t access their entire family’s accounts.       Soaring Blue Angels, parading ships highlight San Francisco Fleet Week (Tribune News Service) The tall ships will parade into San Francisco Bay, and the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels will take to the skies for San Francisco’s annual Fleet Week, a celebration of the nation’s Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard that runs through Monday.   Army     US Army Corps of Engineers failed to explain drop in environmental mitigation work: Watchdog (Military Times) The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers did not seek to mitigate environmental damage for more than 50 projects over the past five years and did not provide detailed explanations to Congress, a government watchdog found.       US Army activates new multi-domain task force to ‘deny, disrupt’ enemies in Indo-Pacific (Military Times) A new U.S. Army multi-domain task force, one of five recently established or under development by the service, was activated this week with a ceremony at Fort Carson, Colorado.   AIr Force     Air Force bases along Gulf Coast relocate aircraft ahead of Hurricane Isaias (Military Times) Ahead of Hurricane Isaias approaching the U.S. Gulf Coast, some Air Force bases are evacuating personnel and aircraft in anticipation of its expected landfall this weekend.   National Guard     National Guard says it is ‘actively addressing’ incident of troops near DC ballot drop box (Task & Purpose) The District of Columbia’s Board of Elections formally requested that the National Guard stay away from voting locations after troops were spotted standing in front of a ballot drop box on Thursday.   Veterans     Most veterans qualify for burial benefits, but they’re rarely used (Federal News Network) "There are 157 federal veterans cemeteries that are run by the VA, in addition to a lot of state veterans cemeteries," said Mike Meese.   Defense Industry     Pentagon seeks new ways to open classified programs to industry (Federal News Network) If commercial firms can participate in the most technologically advanced programs, officials say, those projects could become more innovative and cheaper.       Pentagon, Raytheon sign $6.3B deal to replenish US missile interceptor supply (Military Times) The Pentagon inked a five-year contract with Raytheon for the steady production of ballistic missile interceptors that use force to destroy targets, rather than explosives.       Lockheed Martin unveils PAC-3 Edge interceptor designed to counter hypersonic threats (Reuters) Lockheed Martin on Friday unveiled PAC-3 Edge, a missile interceptor designed to defend against hypersonic and advanced missile threats, as the U.S. military looks to strengthen its capabilities to counter emerging aerial threats.       Estonia’s KrattWorks crafting Shahed-like dummy drone for target practice (Defense News) Estonian unmanned aerial system producer KrattWorks is developing a new aerial target drone that will mimic the operations of jet-powered Shahed-type drones, enabling militaries to practice shooting down one of the main aerial threats used by Russia in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.       US Army, Kaizen Laboratories to establish common software platform for classified material (Military Times) The U.S. Army awarded $43 million to defense company Kaizen Laboratories to create application software for highly sensitive military material.       This is the engine Rolls-Royce wants the Army to use for its Bradley replacement (Task & Purpose) One of two contenders to be the replacement for the Army’s M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle will be powered by a Rolls-Royce engine.   International     Saudi coalition vows retaliation after deadly Houthi attack on Riyadh airport (The Guardian) Official says coalition will "respond firmly" as Houthis warn people to avoid Saudi airports and U.S. considers intervening.       US forces mobilize to help Panama after major earthquake (Task & Purpose) The U.S. military is sending personnel, aircraft and humanitarian supplies to Panama after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit the country on Friday.   Video     Retired Green Beret takes on a new mission: mine clearing in Ukraine (Defense News) After stepping on a mine in Afghanistan and being medically retired, Ryan Hendrickson needed a new purpose. He found one clearing mines in Ukraine.       US to livestream Army execution of Fort Hood shooter (Defense News) Hegseth confirmed that the U.S. will livestream the Army’s upcoming firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas, in a 2009 shooting spree.       NORAD awards new warning system contract | Defense Dollars (Defense News) Amentum scores a win with a contract to help protect a vital military hub, while Raytheon gets tapped to make more air-to-air missiles.       Hegseth announces new four-star command for autonomous warfare (Defense News) The Autonomous Warfare Command, or AutoWarCom, aims to address an acquisition system that doesn’t keep pace with technological change.   Commentary & Analysis     The only thing the Houthis have done successfully (The Atlantic) Yesterday in Riyadh, a missile fired by Yemen’s Houthis struck King Khalid International Airport, killed 13 people, and wounded hundreds more. Attacks in the previous week had killed four others. Because Saudi Arabia has been trying for years to shed its reputation for austerity and discomfort, a sterile, boring airport with overpriced pastries and harsh lighting is a national accomplishment. The strike turned that airport into chaos, its floors streaked with blood and lounges billowing with smoke. The Houthi military spokesman announced that the attacks would continue on a reciprocal basis—“airport for airport, siege for siege, and escalation for escalation”—until the Houthis achieve their stated goals: the “death” of America, Israel, and their allies, and an apocalyptic victory for Islam. Escalation, in other words, is assured. The Houthis hit the Riyadh airport again today.       The next drone won't have a radio link, our intelligence enterprise needs to plan for that now (The Cipher Brief) On the last day of the 2026 World Cup, NORAD F-16s fired flares over northern New Jersey to warn off civilian pilots who had flown into restricted airspace. During the tournament, federal agencies seized more than 700 drones across 11 host cities. The counter-drone effort worked.       Trump is an easy mark for Putin (The Atlantic) Late last night, President Trump announced a “massive” deal to buy diesel fuel from Russia. For the American truckers and farmers Trump claims to be serving, the deal means little or nothing. Trump may not know or may not care that his latest gambit will not reduce diesel prices. His poll numbers are plunging to Herbert Hoover levels. He needs a last-minute electioneering gimmick.       The last mile of Pentagon reform runs through the brigade (War on the Rocks) A kill chain measured in seconds cannot depend on processes measured in weeks or months. The Pentagon recognizes that drone proliferation and AI-enabled lethal targeting are reducing decision cycles and increasing the premium on speed.       How Ukraine’s ground robots are changing the battlefield (The Cipher Brief) Operation Vivaldi, a Ukrainian military effort to repel Russian forces in the Donbas, has done much more than push back Moscow’s offensive in the region.