Bradley Bowman

Iran-Backed Iraqi Militias Resume Attacks on U.S. Forces

U.S. forces at Al-Asad Air Base in Iraq shot down approximately two drones on April 22, according to U.S. officials. This was the second attack in 24 hours against U.S. troops, coming...

Update on Russia-Ukraine War – status, next steps

Israel Promises Response to Iran Attack as World Leaders Urge Restraint

Israel’s war cabinet decided to strike back at Iran “clearly and forcefully” during a closed-door meeting on April 15. The Times of Israel, citing Israel’s Channel 12, reported that the cabinet chose to respond to send a message that Israel “would not allow an attack of that magnitude against it to pass without a...

Iran Attacks Israel With Drone and Missile Barrage

Iran launched an unprecedented direct attack against Israel overnight between April 13 and 14, firing an estimated 300 drones and missiles at the Jewish state. The attack came from...

U.S. Considering Major Military Package for Israel

The Biden administration has informally notified Congress of its desire to approve the sale to Israel of as many as 50 new F-15 fighter jets valued at $18 billion, according to media...

China, Russia, and Iran Hold Fifth Trilateral Naval Drill

The naval forces of China, Russia, and Iran are conducting a four-day trilateral drill in the Gulf of Oman and the northern Indian Ocean that started on March 12. The drill’s spokesperson,...

Houthis Target Israel and International Shipping

Iran-backed Houthi terrorists continued their attacks on Israel and international shipping on February 22. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that its Arrow air defense system...

U.S., UK Forces Bomb Houthis’ Advanced Weapons

U.S. and UK forces on January 22 carried out airstrikes against targets in Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen. The strikes aimed to degrade the Iran-backed group’s ability to...

The US is failing to quickly field hypersonic missile defense

The Pentagon warned in its annual report to Congress last year that China already possesses “the world’s leading hypersonic arsenal” and is sprinting to field even more advanced offensive...

U.S. Navy Intercepts Houthi-Bound Iranian Missile Component Shipment

A shipment of Iranian-made advanced conventional weapons (ACW) being smuggled from Iran to Houthi forces in Yemen were seized by U.S. naval forces, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM)...

Iran Seizes Oil Tanker Off Coast of Oman

The Iranian navy announced on January 11 that it seized the St. Nikolas oil tanker near the Omani port of Sohar. Iran claims its actions are in retaliation for the American seizure...

Houthis Continue Threats Despite New U.S.-Led Multilateral Red Sea Operation

Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen vowed on December 19 to continue threatening international shipping in the Red Sea. “No matter how many alliances America mobilizes, our military...

U.S. Weighs Re-Designating Yemen’s Houthis as Terrorist Group

The Biden administration is considering re-designating the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen as a terrorist organization, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters...

Arrow 3 Intercepts Houthi Missile over Red Sea

A Houthi missile fired toward the Israeli city of Eilat on November 9 was shot down by Israel’s Arrow 3 missile defense system. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the...

U.S. Deploys Additional Air and Missile Defenses to Middle East

In response to “recent escalations by Iran and its proxy forces,” U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has directed the deployment of additional air and missile defense systems...

Here’s how to fix the supplemental’s shortcomings on Taiwan

The White House submitted a $105 billion supplemental spending package to Congress on Friday. The proposal seeks to help three beleaguered democracies — Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan —...

How to increase deterrence messaging to Iran with the next US-Israel military exercise

Bradley Bowman and Ryan Brobst of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies argue that the US should expand the next Juniper Oak exercise to send a strong signal to Tehran.

U.S. Boosts Middle East Combat Power to Deter Iranian Maritime Aggression 

To counter Iranian attempts “to threaten the free flow of commerce in the Strait of Hormuz and its surrounding waters,” the Department of Defense announced on July 20 the deployment of a portion...

Can NATO Finally Make the 2 Percent Stick?

The Vilnius summit will test whether Europe’s wealthiest countries can get serious about defense.

Five urgent steps to prevent American military defeat in the Pacific

As lawmakers in Washington move this month to consider the fiscal 2024 defense budget and annual defense authorization bill, the United States is on a path toward military defeat in the Pacific. China’s...