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Iran: Dilution of Enriched Uranium for Sanctions Relief + Israeli PM Netanyahu to Visit Washington D.C. on Wednesday + US Warship Visits Cambodian Port Feb 09, 2026

Show notes

For review:

1. Iran: Dilution of Enriched Uranium for Sanctions Relief.

2. Israeli PM Netanyahu to Visit Washington D.C. on Wednesday.

3. Ukraine and Sweden are discussing the prospect of arming Kyiv with Europe’s top air-to-air missile- the Meteor.

4. Ukraine and France took a step toward joint arms production on Feb. 9, as Ukrainian Defense Minister Fedorov and his French counterpart Catherine Vautrin signed a letter of intent in Kyiv, Ukraine's Defense Ministry announced.

During the meeting, the ministers discussed accelerating the delivery of French Mirage 2000 fighter jets, as well as a record shipment of Hammer air-to-ground bombs.

Ukraine and France addressed the supply of long-range weapons, including SCALP missiles.

5. US Warship (USS Cincinnati) Visits Cambodian Port.

6. Vietnam’s Ministry of Defense has reportedly signed a $250-million contract with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to locally produce the Spike Firefly loitering munition.

7. Rafael Systems Global Sustainment (RSGS) announced today it was selected for Phase I of the Army’s second Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) Increment 2 interceptor program, joining the pack with Lockheed Martin and the Boeing-Anduril team.

No Agreement on Enrichment During US & Iran Talks in Oman; Further Meetings Expected + Russian General Shot in Moscow; No Comment from Ukraine + US Army Creates Rotational Force in Philippines Feb 06, 2026

Show notes

For review:

1. Iran rejected calls by the United States to halt uranium enrichment on its territory during talks in Oman on Friday.

A regional diplomat briefed by Tehran told Reuters Friday that while the Islamic Republic would not budge on its right to enrich uranium inside Iran, it was willing to discuss the “level and purity” of enrichment or a regional consortium.

2. The Israel Defense Forces said it struck a Hamas arms depot in Gaza City on Friday in response to an attack on troops a day earlier, after issuing an evacuation warning for a residential building for the first time since the start of the ceasefire.

3. The United Arab Emirates has drafted plans to build a compound to house thousands of displaced Palestinians in a part of south Gaza under Israeli military control, according to a map seen by Reuters and people briefed on the plans.

The planning map shows where the “UAE Temporary Emirates Housing Complex” would be constructed near Rafah.

4. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Friday that Lebanon’s army must be given the means to disarm the terror group Hezbollah and replace a United Nations peacekeeping force after its mandate ends this year.

“France’s vision for Lebanon is that of a strong, sovereign state holding a monopoly on arms,” Barrot told AFP.

5. Russian Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseev has been shot multiple times in Moscow by an unknown assailant, the Kremlin said on Feb 6.

In response to the shooting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov blamed Kyiv for the assassination attempt, accusing Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky of "provocations aimed at destabilizing the (peace) negotiation process."

Ukraine is yet to comment on the shooting.

6. US President Donald Trump inked a new executive order today, calling for national production interests to be taken into greater account when the US sells foreign nations weapons, creating a new list of platforms to push on the market, and prioritizing arms sales for countries who invest more in their own defense spending.

7. Singapore is slated join the F-35 operator club once the first of its Lockheed Martin F-35B fighters enter service later this year, becoming the fourth Asia-Pacific nation to fly the fifth-generation fighter.

8. The U.S. Army has stood up a rotational force in the Philippines, according to recently released defense media.

While details regarding the rotational force’s formation date, capabilities and mission remains unclear, the force is headed by a lieutenant colonel and has assigned a liaison officer with Task Force-Philippines.

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command did not immediately respond to a request for comment from USNI News.

US & Iran to Meet in Oman on Friday + Russia & Ukraine Agree to Prisoner Exchange + US & Russia Reestablish Military Communication + US Navy CCA Program Feb 05, 2026

Show notes

For review:

1. US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei “should be very worried” in the wake of reports that suggested that planned nuclear talks set for the end of the week were unravelling.

A White House official confirmed to The Times of Israel that nuclear talks with Iran would be held Friday in Muscat.

2. Iran’s army spokesperson said Thursday that the military is ready for a conflict, if that is what the US wants,

Commenting on the addition of 1,000 drones to the Iranian military, Iranian Brig. Gen. Mohammad Akraminia said Thursday: “We have always announced that we are ready to confront any option and any scenario that the enemy considers, and if the enemy chooses the option of war, we are ready for any option in war conditions.”

3. Trilateral talks between American, Ukrainian and Russian negotiators concluded in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, with Moscow and Kyiv exchanging hundreds of prisoners of war.

4. The ‍US and Russia have agreed to reestablish high level military-to-military dialogue, following ‍talks in Abu Dhabi, more than four years after suspension, according to the US military.

5. The Kremlin said Thursday it regretted the expiration of the last remaining nuclear arms pact between Russia and the United States, while U.S. President Donald Trump declared he was against keeping its limits and wants a better deal.

New START restricted each side to no more than 1,550 nuclear warheads on no more than 700 missiles and bombers — deployed and ready for use.

6. Boeing’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) will gain internal weapons bays along with an increased wingspan, the global program director announced during this week’s Singapore Airshow.

Boeing is currently developing the Ghost Bat in Australia for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), which has ordered seven aircraft for delivery in 2028.

7. Two aviation companies under contract to develop armed, unmanned aircraft and control systems for the U.S. Navy teased what they are working on this week during the Singapore Air Show.

Anduril’s YFQ-44 Fury, under development for the Air Force’s CCA program, is in competition with the General Atomics YFQ-42A.

The Navy wants its own version of the “uncrewed, modular, interoperable, interchangeable and versatile platforms” that it can field from an aircraft carrier.

8. Aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) is back at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division after wrapping up builder’s trials, the company said Wednesday.

John F. Kennedy, the second in the Ford class of aircraft carriers, is slated to deliver to the Navy in March 2027.

USMC F-35C Downs Iranian Shahed-139 Drone over the Arabian Sea + EU Foreign Policy Chief Kallas Rejects Calls for European Army + US Army SP 155 Howitzer Program Feb 03, 2026

Show notes

For review:

1. President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed into law a massive funding package to end the US government shutdown that began Saturday.

2. A Marine F-35C Lighting II fighter shot down an Iranian military drone that approached a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea.

The fighter shot down the Iranian Shahed-139 drone on Tuesday after it approached aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), according to a statement from U.S. Central Command.

3. Iran and the United States will resume nuclear talks on Friday, Iranian and US officials told Reuters on Monday, and US President Donald Trump warned that with US warships heading to Iran, “bad things” would probably happen if a deal could not be reached.

4. After Iran expressed its desire to upend reported US plans for nuclear talks later this week, President Donald Trump declines to share the location of the Friday meeting.

Asked where the talks will be held, President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, “all over… There’s more than one” location.

5. Israel reacted angrily Monday night after the Palestinian technocratic committee replaced its logo with the one used by the Palestinian Authority.

6. Gaza's ‌Rafah crossing ⁠with ‌Egypt reopened on Monday ‍for residents to enter and leave, in what is seen as a key move heralding the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan.

7. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Monday rejected calls for a Europe-wide army, warning that it could be “extremely dangerous” as the bloc considers ways to provide its own security.

EU Foreign Policy Chief Kallas: "Those who say that we need a European army, maybe those people haven’t really thought this through practically. If you are already part of NATO then you can’t create a separate army.”

8. The Army is aiming to award a contract for its SP Howitzer program by July, a spokesperson from the service’s Program Acquisition Executive for Fires confirmed to Breaking Defense today.

9. The US Marine Corps has selected L3Harris as the winner of its Precision Attack Strike Munition (PASM) program, providing a new weapon for use on the AH-1Z helicopter.

The contract, worth $86.2 million, will cover delivery of an unspecified number of L3Harris’ “Red Wolf” weapons by end of fiscal 2027.

10. Years after announcing a deal, Boeing is ending plans to sell its F-15EX Eagle II fighter jet to Indonesia, the company confirmed today.

Report: US & Iran Negotiations This Week in Ankara + IDF Chief of Staff Visits Washington D.C. to Discuss Iran + Gaza's Rafah Border Crossing to Open Monday Feb 01, 2026

Show notes

For review:

1. According to an Axios report, Turkey, Egypt and Qatar are working to organize a meeting this week between White House special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian officials in Ankara, Turkey’s capital.

2. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Sunday that if the US attacks Iran, the hostilities will broaden into a regional conflict.

3. An Iranian official on Sunday denied that the country had any plans to carry out live-fire exercises in the Strait of Hormuz this week, amid sky-high tensions in the region.

On Friday, the US military issued a statement warning Iran against carrying out such exercises and urging it to avoid “unnecessary risk.”

4. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir was in Washington, DC, over the weekend for a series of discussions with American defense officials regarding Iran.

5. The Rafah Border Crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt opened Sunday for a day of systems checks and tests ahead of its expected opening for pedestrians Monday.

6. The Israel Defense Forces launched wave of airstrikes in southern Lebanon Friday evening that it said destroyed Hezbollah infrastructure and heavy machinery.

7. Ukraine President: Tr-Lateral Meeting in U.A.E. from 4-5 Feb.

Neither the Kremlin nor the United States has confirmed the new dates.

8. Russia will unveil its newest multiple launch rocket system, the Sarma, at the World Defense Show 2026 in Riyadh next month.

The 300mm Sarma MLRS, mounted on a 8x8 armored chassis, represents Russia’s attempt to field a lighter, more mobile alternative to its existing heavy rocket artillery systems.

9. Beijing’s newest class of surface combatant achieved operational capability, Chinese military media reported last week.

The milestone was unveiled Jan. 22 during a state media report covering the first Type 054B guided-missile stealth frigate Luohe (545).

10. Japan and South Korea agreed Friday to resume a joint naval search and rescue exercise that was discontinued in 2017.

President Trump Gives Iran Deadline for Deal before Potential Strike + Satellite Images Show Construction on Iranian Nuclear & Ballistic Missile Sites + Syria and Kurdish Forces Declare Ceasefire Deal + Norway Selects Hanwha Chunmoo MLRS Jan 30, 2026

Show notes

For review:

1. President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 30 rejected the Kremlin's proposal for holding talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow but signaled readiness for a meeting in a more appropriate format.

2. It was Vladimir Zelensky who insisted on a personal meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, not the other way around, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov recalled at a news briefing, commenting on statements from Kiev about its desire to host a Russia-Ukraine summit.

3. Speaking at the White House on Thursday, President Trump said he asked Russian President Putin not to fire on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, “and the various towns for a week and he agreed to do that.”

4. Satellite images show activity at two Iranian nuclear sites bombed last year by Israel and the United States that may be a sign of Tehran trying to obscure efforts to salvage any materials remaining there.

5. US President Donald Trump on Friday confirmed he has had dialogue with Iran, as The New York Times reported he was considering potential raids by American troops on facilities within the Islamic Republic.

6. US President Donald Trump said Friday he had given Iran a deadline to make a deal, as Washington moved significant military assets to the Middle East ahead of a potential strike on the Islamic Republic.

7. New Zealand has decided against accepting US President Donald Trump’s invitation to join his Board of Peace, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says.

8. The US State Department has approved more than $6.5 billion in potential military sales to Israel in three separate contracts, the Pentagon says.

The US State Department approved a potential sale of Joint Light Tactical Vehicle and related equipment for an estimated cost of $1.98 billion, and another sale of AH-64E Apache Helicopters for $3.8 billion, the Pentagon says in separate statements.

A third military contract was also awarded for $740 million to provide Namer armored personnel carrier power packs & integrated logistics support.

9. The Syrian government and Kurdish forces declared a ceasefire deal on Friday that sets out a phased integration of Kurdish fighters into the state, averting a potentially bloody battle and drawing US praise for a “historic milestone.”

10. Norway selected Hanwha Aerospace’s Chunmoo multiple launch rocket system over prominent Western competitors for its ground-based long-range precision fires system.

The 19 billion Norwegian kroner (around $2 billion) deal includes 16 launch systems and an unspecified “larger number of missiles” across three range variants, including the 500-kilometer (310-mile) range.

11. The Senate passed the $838.7 billion fiscal 2026 defense spending bill today, after Democrats and the White House reached a deal to largely avert a government shutdown.

President Trump: Massive Armada Heading to Iran + US Conducts Aerial Military Exercise in CENTCOM AOR + Iran Warns of Retaliation "at the heart of Tel Aviv + Sweden Discusses Nuclear Weapons Cooperation Jan 28, 2026

Show notes

For review:

1. US President Donald Trump threatened Wednesday that time was running out for Iran, and that the next potential US attack on the Islamic Republic — if Tehran doesn’t make a nuclear deal — would be far worse than the June 2025 strikes.

2. The United States announced on Tuesday that it was conducting an aerial military exercise in the Middle East amid ongoing tensions with Iran.

3. Iranian officials issued stark warnings Wednesday against any US strike on the country, with a top adviser to Iran’s supreme leader threatening that Tehran would attack Israel in any such event with an “unprecedented” retaliation, including “at the heart of Tel Aviv.”

4. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeated his assertion that Israel will not allow Gaza’s reconstruction before terror groups in the Strip disarm, and said Israel would maintain security control over Gaza and the West Bank, in a wide-ranging press conference on Tuesday evening.

5. Israel is preparing for talks with the Trump administration on a new 10-year security deal.

In 2016, the US and Israeli governments signed a memorandum of understanding for the 10 years through September 2028.

6. Territorial issues over Donetsk are the remaining item that still require a bridging of views at US-mediated talks to end Russia's war in Ukraine, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday, describing the issue as "a very difficult one."

7. Sweden has had very early discussions with France and the United Kingdom about possible nuclear weapons cooperation, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has revealed.

No concrete proposals or timelines for any cooperation were outlined, and Kristersson emphasized that talks remain preliminary in early stages.

After 843 Days - Remains of Master Sergeant Ran Gvili Returned to Israel; Final Hostage Returned + US Carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) Arrives in CENTCOM AOR Jan 26, 2026

Show notes

For review:

1. The body of the final hostage held in Gaza was identified and brought back to Israel on Monday, 843 days after Hamas terrorists attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.

Master Sergeant Ran Gvili, 24, a police officer killed fighting the Hamas invaders, had been the last of 251 people kidnapped that day to remain captive, following the return of the rest of the hostages, living and dead, under the current ceasefire.

2. President Trump told Axios in an interview on Monday that the situation with Iran is "in flux" because he sent a "big armada" to the region but thinks Tehran genuinely wants to cut a deal.

Sources with knowledge of the situation say Trump hasn't made a final decision. He will likely hold more consultations this week and be presented with additional military options.

Those options will be enhanced by the arrival of an aircraft carrier strike group to the region. The USS Abraham Lincoln entered CENTCOM's area of responsibility on Monday.

3. U.S. officials leading the talks are convinced that Russian negotiators have taken a more pragmatic tone behind closed doors than Moscow's public hardline rhetoric suggests.

The next round of talks is expected on Feb. 1.

The most difficult issues — Russian demands for Ukrainian withdrawal from parts of Donbas and control of the nuclear power plant— are set to dominate the agenda.

4. NATO chief Mark Rutte warned Monday, January 26, that Europe cannot defend itself without the United States.

5. Estonia is gearing up to acquire a missile defense system, participating in broader efforts by the Baltic States to boost investments in expanding their air-defense network.

6. The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has invited seven domestic firms to present autonomous drone concepts designed to operate alongside the British Army’s Apache AH-64E attack helicopters.

7. Armor Not Dead: Israeli arms developer Elbit Systems has received a $228-million contract to provide its proprietary Iron Fist active protection system for the US Army’s Bradley infantry fighting vehicles.

Iran's IRGC Commander: "More Than Ready" + Report: Iran's Supreme Leader in Fortified Bunker + US Army Common Autonomous Multi-Domain Launcher Program + Blackbeard Hypersonic Strike Weapon Jan 25, 2026

Show notes

For review:

1. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed on Sunday evening that it was searching for the remains of Master Sergeant Gvili, the last remaining hostage held in the Gaza Strip, on the Israeli side of the ceasefire line in the enclave’s north.

2. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced on Sunday that Israel will reopen the Rafah Crossing between Gaza and Egypt after it completes a military operation launched Sunday to recover the body of the last deceased hostage, Master Sgt. Ran Gvili.

3. Commander of the United States Central Command Admiral Brad Cooper was in Israel on Saturday for meetings with senior officials.

Admiral Cooper met with IDF Chief of Staff LTG Eyal Zamir at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv. Intelligence Directorate chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder and Operations Directorate chief Maj. Gen. Itzik Cohen also participated in a meeting with the military chiefs.

4. Iran’s paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, , is “more ready than ever, finger on the trigger,” its commander said Saturday, as US warships headed toward the Middle East.

The IRGC commander, Gen. Mohammad Pakpour, warned the United States and Israel “to avoid any miscalculation.”

5. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has gone into hiding in a Tehran bunker, according to the opposition-affiliated Iran International news site.

According to the report, which cites “information received” by the opposition news site, the Supreme Leader went underground after senior officials assessed an “increased risk of a potential US attack,” as the US moves significant military forces into the region.

6. IDF Northern Command chief Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo said Sunday that the military is preparing for the possibility that a US strike on Iran could trigger Iranian retaliation against Israel.

He added that Israel is also closely watching whether Hezbollah could join a wider confrontation, saying, “We are very alert, very prepared, and ready both in strong defense and in preparing offensive responses.”

7. Ukraine and Russia ended a second day of U.S.-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi on Saturday without a deal.

A UAE government spokesperson said there was face-to-face engagement between Ukraine and Russia - tackled “outstanding elements” of Washington’s peace framework.

The UAE statement said the talks were conducted in a “constructive and positive atmosphere.

8. US Army Common Autonomous Multi-Domain Launcher (CAML) Program.

9. Blackbeard Hypersonic Strike Weapon.

US - Russia - Ukraine Tri-Lateral Talks in Abu Dhabi + US CENTCOM Commander to Visit Israel Saturday + Latvia to Procure Archer SP 155mm Howitzers from Sweden + 2026 US National Defense Strategy Jan 23, 2026

Show notes

For review:

1. Commander of the United States Central Command Adm. Brad Cooper is expected to arrive in Israel on Saturday for meetings with senior officials.

2. Air France and Dutch airline KLM have canceled flights to Israel, Dubai and Saudi Arabia until at least Sunday, citing “security tensions in the region” amid concern of renewed conflict with Iran.

3. Iran’s foreign minister launched a furious tirade on Friday against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after the latter commented in Davos that the deadly crackdown on protests in the Islamic Republic showed that if authorities “kill enough people,” they stay in power.

4. US - Russia - Ukraine Tri-Lateral Talks in Abu Dhabi.

5. Latvia’s government has approved the planned purchase of Archer 155 mm self-propelled howitzers for the country’s armed forces.

6. Pentagon leadership has made “no decision” yet about a potential reorganization that would affect the future of US Africa Command.

In December The Washington Post reported that the Defense Department was weighing a significant reorganization of the combatant commands that could see AFRICOM subsumed with US Central Command and US European Command under a new US International Command.

7. The Pentagon’s unclassified version of the National Defense Strategy places the homeland as the department’s number one priority above the Indo-Pacific.

The top four priorities for the Pentagon, as ordered by the NDS, are: Defend the US homeland; Deter China in the Indo-Pacific “through strength, not confrontation”; Increase burden-sharing with US allies and partners; & “Supercharge” the US Defense industrial base

8. Armor Not Dead: The Army is rolling out four prototypes of the M1E3 to a platoon this summer — five years earlier than the service initially planned, the Army Chief of Staff said.

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