United States Armed Forces

July 12, 2026 | Caleb Weiss |

US refocuses air campaign in Somalia on Shabaab

Over the course of President Donald Trump’s second term in office, the United States has greatly increased its military strikes inside Somalia. Throughout the previous administration of President Joe...

July 8, 2026 | Erica Lonergan, RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery

The US military is not organized for cyber war

The military has services for land, sea, air and space. It is time to build one for cyberspace.

July 8, 2026 | Andrea Stricker |

Iran Continues Work at Key Nuclear Site, Violating U.S.-Iran Agreement

New analysis of satellite imagery indicates that Iran is continuing construction at the deeply buried nuclear facility known as Pickaxe Mountain, in violation of the U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding...

June 25, 2026 | Emmerson Overell, Sophie McDowall

Generating and Retaining Premier Cyber Warriors

Cyber specialists have become as essential to modern warfare as pilots, submariners, and special operators. Yet the Pentagon continues to face a challenge that has plagued it for decades: generating and...

June 12, 2026 | Ahmad Sharawi, Behnam Ben Taleblu

Iran Wants To Punish Jordan for Hosting U.S. Forces

The Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) announced on June 11 that they had intercepted 20 missiles launched from Iran toward Al-Azraq, a town about 50 miles east of Amman that is also home to a major air base...

June 3, 2026 | RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery |

The Taiwanese and U.S. Militaries Can’t Really Fight Together

A joint campaign to defend the island would struggle to operate effectively.

June 1, 2026 | RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, LTG (Ret.) Edward Cardon, Joshua Stiefel, Lauryn Williams, Joe Dougherty

Findings of the Commission on Cyber Force Generation

May 14, 2026 | Cameron McMillan, Ryan Brobst

Canceled Poland Deployment Further Weakens American Deterrence in Europe

In a move that will likely send shockwaves across Europe, the Pentagon reportedly halted the scheduled deployment of a roughly 4,000-strong U.S. Army armored brigade to Poland on Wednesday. The news...

April 30, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Rubio is Right, a Vetted and Trained Lebanese Army Could be the Answer

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio made an important announcement when he said that Washington is developing a plan to pursue Hezbollah’s disarmament by building up trusted units within the Lebanese...

April 25, 2026 | Bradley Bowman, Jonathan Schanzer

The Race to Build America and Israel’s Missile Defenses

The U.S. ceasefire with Iran may be about to end – or not. Ceasefires, regardless of their length, are often much more than simply a pause in combat. Unfortunately, they are also often a starting gun...

April 23, 2026 | Erica Lonergan, RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery

Implementing Cybercom 2.0 Should Not Postpone Establishing a Cyber Force

The Cybercom 2.0 initiative to improve cyber force generation does not preclude establishing a Cyber Force—it can lay the groundwork for one.

April 16, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Syrian president meets Syrian Democratic Forces leader to discuss next phase of integration

Syrian President Ahmad al Sharaa met with Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander Mazloum Abdi in Damascus on April 16. The meeting came two and a half months after an agreement between...

April 10, 2026 | Cameron McMillan, Ryan Brobst, Bradley Bowman

How to assess America’s 40 days of war against Iran

Washington and Tehran are both arguing that they were victorious after 40 days of fighting. A detailed analysis, however, suggests a more nuanced picture in which American forces degraded Iran’s core...

April 3, 2026 | Joe Truzman, Bill Roggio

Iran downs US fighter jet, 1 crew member recovered, rescue operation ongoing for second

Iran reportedly shot down a US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle on April 3, marking the first confirmed loss of a manned American fighter jet inside Iranian territory since the start of Operation Epic Fury...

March 31, 2026 | Janatan Sayeh |

Iran intensifies recruitment, repression amid reports of thousands of security deaths, Washington weighs ground operations

Washington has signaled readiness to expand operations, including potential ground options, while continuing strikes on Iran’s military and weapons infrastructure. At the same time, the sustained Israeli...

March 26, 2026 | Ryan Brobst, Cameron McMillan

Why seizing Iran’s Kharg Island could be a trap of America’s own making

The battle for the Persian Gulf could be entering a new phase as thousands of US Marines are reportedly due to arrive in the Middle East on Friday, the same day that President Donald Trump’s...

March 26, 2026 | Janatan Sayeh |

Iran Is Using Its Citizens As Human Shields

Tehran’s regime is sacrificing ordinary Iranians and calling it "defense."

March 24, 2026 | Bridget Toomey, Ahmad Sharawi

Iran’s Iraqi Militias Are Coming for US Troops

The United States must act to punish and, by extension, deter militia attacks on US bases in Iraq.

March 20, 2026 | Ryan Brobst, Bradley Bowman

This missile just proved itself in Iran. The US needs more, ASAP

Despite its advantages, the Precision Strike Missile has so far been procured in relatively small quantities.

March 20, 2026 | Bridget Toomey |

Strikes continue hitting Iran-backed Iraqi militias, Kataib Hezbollah declares temporary US embassy ceasefire

Airstrikes, likely conducted by the United States as part of the US-Israeli operation against the Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies, have continued hitting Iran-backed militias in Iraq. Many of...