The United States’ nuclear triad remains a ready and reliable deterrent, with all three legs demonstrating capability and undergoing modernization even as significant military resources deploy for Operation Epic Fury. The sea, land and air components have each demonstrated their strength, signaling to adversaries that U.S. strategic capabilities remain lethal and capable. The air leg of the triad has contributed to Epic Fury, underscoring its flexibility and global reach. U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers, for example, have delivered a range of conventional ordnance, according to an April 2026 report by Air & Space Forces Magazine. The long-range strategic warplanes,…
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The U.S. Air Force’s advanced bomber fleet has been central to the United States’ conduct of Operation Epic Fury, the large-scale air and sea campaign that began in February 2026 targeting Iran. With the aim of dismantling Iran’s military infrastructure and preventing it from acquiring nuclear weapons, the operation has included B-1, B-2 and B-52 bombers, which have struck more than 13,000 targets. The B-1 Lancer carries the largest payload of both guided and unguided munitions in the U.S. Air Force. The B-2 Spirit, a stealth bomber, can penetrate defended airspace to strike hardened targets, such as underground ballistic missile…
While advanced technology remains central to airpower, the skill and professionalism of air and ground crews provide the foundation of success in demanding environments such as Operation Epic Fury. This human element, forged through intense training and deep-seated dedication, ensures that allies and partners and strategic competitors alike see United States service members as formidable experts. A bomber sortie’s mission begins long before takeoff with the crew chiefs and maintenance teams. These highly skilled technicians have responsibility over the nose-to-tail readiness of complex aircraft like the B-52 Stratofortress. “We’re the first ones to touch the aircraft when it lands, and…
China is accused of collecting and sharing satellite imagery with Iran to target civilian infrastructure in the Central Region and U.S. military assets in the Arabian Gulf. Beijing denies it, but experts quoted by Al Jazeera news say an increase in the accuracy of Iranian targeting since Operation Epic Fury began on February 28 suggests Chinese input is enabling the Iranian weapons’ effectiveness. Associated social media channels have published detailed information on U.S. military forces and aircraft massing in Israel, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, likely improving adversary awareness. Chinese satellite imagery of the conflict zone has proliferated since the start…
PHOTOS BY LEBANESE ARMED FORCES In a flurry of helicopter blades and dangling rappelling ropes, Lebanese commandos demonstrated storming a hijacked ship in the Mediterranean Sea. The display of military skill was one of several land, sea and air operations that engaged Lebanese and United States naval forces at the Resolute Union 26 exercise in October 2025. Focused largely on counterterrorism, the exercise was designed to boost the capabilities of the Lebanese Armed Forces to defend its territorial waters and coastline. The Lebanese Navy played a leading role at Resolute Union with participation from the Lebanese Air Force, Military Police…
Since the 1990s, Iraq has suffered from numerous violations at its border crossings because of rampant corruption and control by organized criminal gangs and smugglers on both sides of the border. After 2003, the situation became more complicated as security forces became preoccupied with combating terrorist attacks within the country. Armed militias used the opportunity to open alternative crossings to smuggle weapons and drugs and collect illegal taxes on goods. With several government agencies involved with border security, there was a lack of clarity about which agency was responsible for border crossings, which complicated coordination and management and facilitated the…
Central Asia and the Arabian Gulf countries share not just cultural ties but also a common interest in ensuring the security and prosperity of their respective regions. The foreign ministers of Central Asian countries and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states met in Kuwait in April 2025 for a third in a series of engagements to deepen their strategic relationship. The host, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, described the gathering as a turning point in deepening cooperation based on mutual respect and shared goals and interests. Summit participants discussed a broad range of cross-regional issues and opportunities of mutual…
Iraq, a staunch advocate of diplomacy, has in recent years become a hub where regional leaders meet and discuss solutions to conflicts. Amid a backdrop of escalating regional turmoil, the 34th Arab League Summit convened in Baghdad in May 2025, under the slogan “Dialogue, Solidarity and Growth.” It drew six heads of state, senior officials and delegates from international organizations, including United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. Chaired by Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid, the summit involved several topics, including discussions of peace and security in Gaza, as well as the urgent need for diplomatic…
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu of Kazakhstan visited the United States in June 2025 for high-level discussions on enhancing relations between the two countries and expanding opportunities for trade and investment. During Nurtleu’s meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the two countries’ top diplomats “discussed political and economic cooperation, energy, trade and logistics,” according to The Astana Times, and “exchanged views on regional and global security challenges.” Nurtleu emphasized Kazakhstan’s commitment to a “mutually beneficial partnership” with the U.S. and highlighted his country’s central role in maintaining the stability of global energy and critical…
Egyptian security forces raided the hideout of the Harakat Sawa’d Misr (HASM), an internationally designated terrorist group responsible for attacks on public officials. An exchange of gunfire during the raid killed two terrorists whom Egypt had already sentenced to death in absentia for previous crimes, the Egyptian Ministry of Interior announced in July 2025. The two terrorists had entered Egypt secretly from an unspecified neighboring country, using unmarked roads through uninhabited border areas. HASM also had released a video showing its militants training in a desert outside Egypt and pledging to carry out terrorist operations in the country. Egyptian police…