Threats

Shahed drone meets clone in US war on Iran

The Feb. 28 strikes saw the first combat use of the LUCAS, a near-copy of Iran’s cheap and effective Shahed-136.

Threats

Strikes on Iran will test US cyber strategy abroad, and defenses at home

The federal government’s cyber defense agency is short-staffed, and Tehran is known for its retaliatory cyberattacks.

Ideas

Expect Iranian regime to respond to US‑Israeli strikes as existential threats

The response to last year's strikes on nuclear sites was muted. Don't expect this one to be the same.

Policy

Trump repeats claims to have ‘obliterated’ Iran’s nuke program, ended ‘8 wars’

In the longest-ever State of the Union speech, the president also took credit for a “trillion-dollar” defense budget, while falsely claiming that tariffs funded a pay bump for troops.

Threats

Air Force mum on details of Mideast exercise amid military buildup

Similarly, details of a NORAD exercise in Greenland this month were not disclosed.

Ideas

Bombing Iran would shore up its regime

External attacks stir up nationalism and redirect public anger outward, a “rally-around-the-flag” effect long documented by political scientists.