Top 5     Cargo ship reports being struck in Strait of Hormuz as US, Iran claims about talks diverge (The Associated Press) A British maritime monitoring agency said a cargo ship reported being hit by a projectile overnight off the coast of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States and Iran made opposing claims about whether they were holding talks.       Desert Shield and Desert Storm Memorial slated for October unveiling (Military Times) Thirty-five years after the U.S.-led military coalition wrested Kuwait from Iraqi occupation, a memorial to honor the service members who served and the 383 who died in operations has found its home on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.       Pentagon moves to triple Patriot, quadruple THAAD interceptor production (Defense News) The Defense Department on Monday announced framework agreements with Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin aimed at expanding production of critical Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, interceptor components as the military seeks to replenish missile inventories through expanded, long-term production capacity.       VA medical center, clinics in Spokane evacuated for wildfire (Military Times) Patients and staff at Mann-Grandstaff Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Spokane, Washington, were evacuated Saturday because of wildfires that have encroached on the state’s second-largest city, burning at least 600 structures as of Monday.       Trump’s new commission will target quality of life for military spouses (Military Times) President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday establishing a formal commission to address decades-old, persistent problems facing military spouses and families.   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 exploring AI to monitor military inmates’ phone calls (DefenseScoop ) Officials want to expand the surveillance of communications made by individuals incarcerated in the Military Correctional Complex.   Army     Army offers bonuses topping $200K to keep aviation warrant officers in unform (Military Times) Eligible U.S. Army pilots can earn up to nearly $210,000 in retention bonuses under a fiscal 2026 program designed to keep experienced aviators in uniform, the service announced in a directive dated July 26.       Army approves service-wide wear of Jungle Tab (Military Times) As focus shifts to the Western Hemisphere, the U.S. Army has approved service-wide wear of the Jungle Tab upon a soldier’s completion of the Jungle Operations Training Course, an Army spokesperson confirmed Monday.       After specialist contacts congressman, Army admits soldiers got ‘sub-optimal’ food (Task & Purpose) Due to high employee turnover and staffing shortages, the meal service was sub-optimal for 4th Infantry Division Soldiers,” an Army colonel wrote to a member of Congress.   Navy     Navy orders commands to submit monthly facial hair waiver accountability reports (Military Times) The Navy last week announced its latest round of guidance regarding facial hair grooming requirements and religious and medical accommodations.       US Navy is reclassifying 19 Virginia-class submarines to reflect increased attack capabilities (Military Times) The U.S. Navy announced on Monday that it is reclassifying planned nuclear-powered Virginia-class submarines to differentiate them from past generations with a less lethal munitions package.       Navy fires commanding officer of USS West Virginia (Military Times) The U.S. Navy relieved the commanding officer of the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS West Virginia on Thursday, the service announced.       US Coast Guard had 14 suicides in 2024, the highest in a decade (Military Times) Seventy-six members of the U.S. Coast Guard died by suicide between 2014 and 2024, with 14 — or nearly a fifth — occurring in 2024, the most recent data available.   AIr Force     New airman records perfect score at a top Air Force intelligence school (Task & Purpose) An airman training in one of the Air Force’s toughest intelligence jobs recently set a course record for, well, intelligence.   Defense Industry     US Air Force jet engine manufacturing plagued by ‘significant challenges’ (Defense News) Dissatisfied with the quality of the engines for its fighter jets, the U.S. Air Force is looking for new engines — and perhaps new manufacturers.       Space Force picks 15 firms to build test and training infrastructure (Air & Space Forces Magazine) The Space Force chose 15 companies to compete to build out its advanced live and simulated test and training range—a high priority for service officials who say they lack the equipment and infrastructure to prepare Guardians to operate in an increasingly contested space environment.       Meet Drone Round, the company supplying Marines with anti-drone ammo (Military Times) Logic suggests that a shotgun would be the best firearm to use to take out an enemy drone as it has long been the weapon of choice to shoot down small aerial targets. That’s because inside a shotshell contains pellets that spread as they fly down range, which increases the odds of hitting a flying target.       Ukraine’s fire point CEO on how it’s making missiles and drones to 'destroy the Russian empire' (The War Zone) Iryna Terekh talks Flamingo cruise missiles, weaponizing AI, Ukraine's future interceptors and much more in our wide-ranging interview.   Israel-Gaza-Lebanon-Syria     UNIFIL’s final months: Uncertainty persists in Lebanon over what comes next (Defense News) The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL, has entered the final months of its mission while operating in areas that remain under Israeli occupation.   Ukraine     Ukrainian drone strikes on Russia kill at least six, spark fire at Wildberries warehouses (France 24) At least six people were killed in Ukrainian drone attacks across Russia, local officials said Tuesday on the messaging app Telegram. Warehouses belonging to the Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries were targeted for the second night in a row.       ‘America’s finest people are right here’: Ukraine pays tribute to US fighters (Stars and Stripes) The former U.S. soldier believed to be the first fallen American fighter buried in Ukraine rests in the Alley of Heroes at the historic Lukianivske Cemetery, flanked by Ukrainian and American flags.       Russia blames Ukraine for deadly restaurant bombing in Moscow (The Guardian) Ukrainian drone attacks on a Black Sea resort and the annexed Crimea peninsula killed 11 people, Russian officials said after blaming Ukraine for another explosion that killed five people in a Moscow restaurant.   International     Denmark begins extended military conscription in response to Russia, Trump (Reuters) Around 1,600 Danish military recruits on Monday began the country’s new extended conscription, embarking on an 11-month service period as Denmark accelerates its defense build-up driven by Arctic security pressures and the war in Ukraine.       Taiwan and US promote cooperation in answer to Trump and China (The Wall Street Journal) The island opens up about American role in training troops for self-defense Taiwan is opening up about long-concealed U.S. military training while Americans note their cooperation with the island, sending a message to China that ties are strong despite comments by President Trump that appeared to …       Sudan army drone strike on court session kills 35, rights group says (BBC News) The army has not commented on claims that civilians died in the attack on a paramilitary-held village.       Poland readies Ukraine ‘Coalition of Willing’ drills, eyes NATO support for border defense (Defense News) As Europe seeks a role in future security guarantees for Ukraine, Poland is preparing to host the first military drills for the so-called Coalition of the Willing with British and French forces.   Military Culture & History     TSA stops Alabama traveler for Civil War-era cannonballs in luggage (Military Times) A bag belonging to a traveler tripped TSA alarms on July 18 after officers discovered Civil War-era cannonballs in the individual’s luggage, the first cannon-related mishap since JPMorgan’s polarizing legal proceedings.   Video     Army offers bonuses topping $200K to keep aviation warrant officers in uniform (Defense News) The Army is offering aviation warrant officers retention bonuses ranging from about $75,000 to nearly $210,000. Eligible pilots must commit to three to six additional years of active-duty service.       How much can you lift? Marine helicopters hoist Humvees (Defense News) Even lifting other helicopters is a breeze for these machines.       Navy deploys GARC uncrewed surface vessel in first live-fire exercise (Defense News) The Navy showed off its first live-fire exercise of the GARC surface vessel in dramatic attack footage on a decommissioned ship.       See what it's like to be on a ship getting hit by US missiles (Defense News) The military and veteran communities are common targets for fraud — MOAA offers some tips for avoiding new traps. Plus, an effort to keep pharmacies in TriCare.       Avoid scams that target military members and families | MOAA Updates (Defense News) The military and veteran communities are common targets for fraud — MOAA offers some tips for avoiding new traps. Plus, an effort to keep pharmacies in TriCare.   Commentary & Analysis     Sailors working in Strait of Hormuz are caught in crossfire of Iran war (The New York Times) Thousands of civilian workers remain stranded on ships at risk of attack by Iran. On one vessel, sailors have been held by the Iranian navy for more than three months.       The new fault line: Israel and Turkey on a collision course (The Cipher Brief) On March 25, 2025, Israeli aircraft struck a set of Syrian airfields. The targets were not Syrian assets, instead they were the sites Turkey had surveyed for planned forward military bases. Ankara quietly shelved the deployment.       Possible is not plausible: How nightmare scenarios hijack unconventional weapons policy (War on the Rocks) Current conversations surrounding unconventional weapons — chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear — have become so fantastical as to be unserious. As the Chinese military fundamentally rethinks biological warfare and Russia continues to use chloropicrin in Ukraine, hypothetical scenarios of AI-enabled bioweapons dominate the headlines.       Iran is 'counting coup' on the United States! (The Cipher Brief) The Iranian leadership appears to be intent on demonstrating its defiance and courage in the face of American force while also humiliating the “most powerful man in the world.”       How to stop China from freeriding on American AI (War on the Rocks) The release of the Chinese open-weight AI model Kimi K3 has compressed a year’s worth of unresolved AI policy debate into a single news cycle.