Iran, Defense, Markets & Diplomacy Coverage
1787 articles · page 27 of 60

US-Iran Ceasefire Expires, Oil Tops $91 as Hormuz Stays Shut
The US-Iran ceasefire elapsed Monday without renewal as crude surged past $91 a barrel, Tehran kept the Strait of Hormuz closed, and markets priced in a longer standoff.

Taiwan Pushes Defense to Record High as China's Economy Stumbles
Taiwan is committing more to its military than at any point in modern history while new data shows China's economy lost momentum in July, reshaping the cross-strait balance.

Trump Cuts South Korea Drills, Cites 'Great Respect' From Kim Jong Un
President Trump reduced joint military training with South Korea, saying Kim Jong Un has shown him 'great respect' — prompting Senate Democrats to call the move delusional.

Trump Turns to Kim Jong Un as Iran Talks Stall
With Iran talks deadlocked and the IRGC rejecting Washington's backchannel claims, Trump has pivoted toward Kim Jong Un — scaling back Seoul drills to open a diplomatic lane.

Turkey and Iran Hold Talks on Reopening Strait of Hormuz
Turkish FM Hakan Fidan spoke Monday with Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi on Hormuz reopening and the US-Iran ceasefire, as a UAE tanker was detained near Qeshm Island.

Kim Jong Un Responds to Trump's Call for Talks, Bloomberg Reports
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has replied to Trump's overture for diplomatic engagement, Bloomberg reports, as Washington simultaneously cuts joint military exercises with South Korea.

Houthis Claim Missile Strike on Saudi Warship, Four Escorts in Red Sea
Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said the group hit a Saudi military ship and four escort vessels with missiles and drones off Yemen's Mocha, alongside a Saudi arms depot.

Ukraine Energy Grid Hit 13 Times in a Week as Russia Doubles Down
A Ukrainian energy company reports serious damage to its facilities after 13 Russian strikes in seven days, as analysts warn Moscow may be setting conditions for a longer, broader conflict.

Pentagon Signs $22.9B Raytheon Tomahawk Deal Amid Missile Shortage
The Pentagon announced a $22.9 billion contract with Raytheon on Monday to accelerate Tomahawk missile deliveries amid reports of shortages tied to recent strikes.

Russian Court Sentences Anti-War Critic to 11 Years in Prison
A Russian court has jailed a Kremlin critic for 11 years for opposing the Ukraine war, the latest in Moscow's sustained legal campaign to silence domestic dissent.

Trump Calls US-South Korea Drills 'Hostile,' Echoing Pyongyang
Trump called US-South Korea military exercises 'hostile,' the same word North Korea uses for the drills, amplifying alliance jitters across Asia.

Taiwan Raises Defence Spending Above $31 Billion as Beijing Pressure Builds
Taiwan has approved a defence budget exceeding $31 billion, one of its largest military commitments, as Chinese military pressure on the island shows no sign of easing.

Drones From Iranian Territory Target Kurdistan PM's Office in Erbil
Two drones struck the Kurdistan Regional Government prime minister's office and the head of its protection agency; the KRG says the attack was launched from Iranian territory. No casualties reported.

Oil Holds Steady as US-Iran Peace Talks Stall, Hormuz Shipping Slows
Crude prices marked time Monday as US-Iran negotiations reached an impasse and tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz thinned, keeping energy markets on edge.

Ukraine Months From Striking Russia With Domestic Ballistic Missiles
Ukraine's former defence minister says Kyiv is months away from fielding domestically produced ballistic missiles capable of striking targets inside Russia, marking a pivotal escalation in the war.

Taiwan Closes Its Biggest War Game as Beijing Eyes the Trump-Xi Summit
Taiwan concluded its largest military exercise on record as China ramps up pressure and diplomats brace for a pivotal Trump-Xi meeting that could reshape cross-strait security.

Drone and Missile Strikes Kill 19 Across Russia and Ukraine
France 24 reports at least 19 dead in dual-front aerial exchanges, as both sides sustain a campaign of deep strikes that has become the conflict's defining feature.

Kim Jong Un Oversees Nuclear Missile Tests From North Korean Destroyer
North Korea's leader personally supervised nuclear-capable missile launches from a repaired destroyer Sunday, adding a naval dimension to Pyongyang's expanding weapons posture.

Yemen's Mocha Port Closed After Houthi Missile Barrage Kills Seven
Houthis fired more than 25 missiles and drones at Yemen's Red Sea port of Mocha, killing seven and forcing the terminal shut with $16M in reported damage.

Trump Used Kurdish Leader as Secret Backchannel to Iran's IRGC
The White House asked Kurdistan Regional Government President Nechirvan Barzani to probe whether Iran's IRGC had additional demands during May peace talks, Axios reports.

Hengli Group Named Top Buyer of Sanctioned Iranian Crude, Analysts Say
China-based Hengli Group is the top importer of sanctioned Iranian crude oil, analysts say, part of a teapot refinery network shielding Tehran from U.S. economic pressure.

Russia Strikes Ukraine as Kyiv Drones Hit Wildberries Warehouse Near Moscow
Russia launched drone and missile attacks on Ukraine killing at least three people, while Kyiv struck a Wildberries warehouse near Moscow in a major escalation of deep strikes.

Israel Escalates Lebanon Strikes, Kills Second Hezbollah Commander
Israeli warplanes struck Nabatieh and killed a second Hezbollah commander on Sunday as the death toll from one day of Israeli attacks in south Lebanon reached 11, despite the US-brokered June ceasefire.

The Oil Test: Vance Revealed Washington's Real War Aim — and Iran Is Consolidating for a Long Siege
JD Vance's declaration that cheap oil is America's top priority in the Iran war — ahead of nuclear disarmament — rewrites the public rationale for the conflict and signals a siege strategy, not a sprint to a deal.

Russian Missile Strike Hits Kyiv, Sparking Fires as NATO Jet Downs Drone Over Romania
Russia struck Kyiv with missiles Sunday, sparking fires and injuring at least one person, while a NATO aircraft intercepted a drone over Romanian airspace and Ukraine launched 130+ drones at Russia.

Kyiv Hit by Missile Barrage After Zelenskyy Targets Russian Satellites
Ukraine's capital absorbed a fresh Russian missile assault as Zelenskyy escalated strikes on Moscow's satellite network, and a NATO jet downed a drone over Romania.

Russian Volunteers Hunt Putin's Forces With Ukrainian Drones
Anti-Kremlin Russian volunteers fighting alongside Ukrainian forces are deploying FPV drones against Russian military positions, as battlefield video circulates publicly.

Taiwan Strait Deterrence: The Case for Statecraft Alongside Force
As military postures harden across the Taiwan Strait, an emerging analysis argues that deterrence geometry alone cannot prevent miscalculation — diplomacy must carry its share.

Iran and Oman Agree on Hormuz Shipping Route Map, Final Deal Still Pending
Iran says it has reached an agreement with Oman on a shipping route map for the Strait of Hormuz after weeks of technical talks, but the accord is not yet finalized.

Russia, Ukraine Trade Drone Strikes on Port and Industrial Targets
Russia and Ukraine exchanged overnight drone strikes on ports and industrial sites as Kyiv claimed a strike on a Russian rocket center tied to a satellite-style communications network.