Fifth-generation warfare is among the most complex because it involves the simultaneous use of unconventional and conventional threats. When used by an aggressor, it diverts the capabilities and resources of the targeted country with the aim of weakening defenses and sowing confusion. This type of attack cannot be repulsed by a single country, regardless of its combat capabilities and strategic reserves. The Ferocious Falcon 6 exercise, hosted by Qatar in November 2025, demonstrated the benefits of countries training as partners to fortify themselves against this form of aggression. Ferocious Falcon brought together the Qatari Armed Forces and their counterparts from…
Unipath
Kuwait hosted two joint military exercises simultaneously in December 2025. The first was Exercise Sky Shield 2025, a weeklong event involving the Kuwaiti Air Defense Force, the Bahraini Air and Missile Defense Force, and forces from the United States and the United Kingdom. The other was Joint Gulf Naval Exercise Union 2025 (or Ittihad), with the participation of naval forces from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states. The exercises are part of the Kuwaiti military’s regular training with partner nations to enhance performance, combat readiness and operational interoperability, and to unify military concepts and strengthen defense cooperation to address emerging…
Qatari military pilots will train on F-15 fighter jets in the United States as part of a cooperative training plan between the two countries. Demonstrating the U.S.’s commitment to partner with Qatar, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced in October 2025 that Qatari flyers would use the Mountain Home Air Force Base in the state of Idaho, a location already used by military pilots from Singapore. While signing the agreement with Hegseth, Qatari Minister of Defense Affairs His Highness Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani praised the “enduring partnership” between the two countries, which includes the U.S. lease of…
Security challenges emanating from Afghanistan have led to the creation by Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan of the Central Asian Afghanistan Contact Group. The group will allow Central Asian nations to speak with one voice on issues of border security, counterterrorism, drug trafficking and other security challenges attributable to their proximity to Afghanistan. Special representatives from the four countries formed the regional diplomatic mechanism at a meeting in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in August 2025. The region has shown signs of increased terrorist activity from groups such as ISIS-Khorasan. For example, Tajikistan attributed attacks along its border region, which led…
The Kyrgyz Republic has launched a campaign for its first seat on the United Nations Security Council at U.N. Headquarters in New York. To further his country’s bid for a nonpermanent seat on the council during the 2027-2028 term, Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev laid out his country’s priorities: conflict prevention, sustainable development for landlocked and mountainous nations, nuclear disarmament and support for U.N. reform. The Kyrgyz bid has received unanimous endorsement from its four Central Asian neighbors: Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Ulugbek Lapasov, Uzbekistan’s permanent representative to the U.N., called on member states to support the Kyrgyz Republic’s candidacy.…
To strengthen partnerships and military cooperation between friendly countries in the Mediterranean Sea region, Egypt hosted the joint combined exercise Medusa 14 in November 2025. The three-day exercise involving ground, naval, air and special forces took place on the sea and at Mohamed Naguib Military Base and several air bases in Egypt. Troops came from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Cyprus, France and Greece. Observers came from countries such as Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the United States. Attendees included Gen. Abdel-Magid Saqr, Commander-in-Chief of the Egyptian Armed Forces and Minister of Defense and Military Production; Lt. Gen. Ahmed Khalifa, Chief of Staff…
Houthi rebels have continued committing crimes against the Yemeni people since they seized power in 2015. Their latest crime was issuing death sentences against 17 Yemenis, prompting strong international condemnation from government officials and human rights organizations. The group also sentenced three other Yemenis — a woman and two men — to prison terms ranging from three to 10 years in trials described as a “sham” and based primarily on confessions extracted under torture, according to human rights groups. Local and international human rights organizations maintain that the Houthi-controlled Specialized Criminal Court in Sanaa, which issued the death sentences, has…
To deepen relations between Jordan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and coordinate positions on security and peace initiatives in the region, Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi visited Abu Dhabi in December 2025. Safadi met with His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs. They discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations and security developments in the region. Discussions included developments in Gaza. They emphasized the need to adhere to the ceasefire agreement and fully implement its provisions according to the plan of United…
Under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, the 19th edition of the Dubai Airshow confirmed its place as one of the world’s leading aviation exhibitions. Attendance for the five-day air show in November 2025 exceeded 200,000. Exhibitors from the aviation, aerospace and defense industries totaled about 1,500 from 115 countries. VIPs from around the world, representing airlines, military manufacturers, suppliers and government entities, as well as a wide range of public and aviation professionals, flocked to Dubai to take part in this world-class air show. The United…
Pakistani counterterrorism forces have ramped up the frequency and lethality of counterterrorism operations in areas along the country’s western border with Afghanistan. This mountainous region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces and neighboring Afghanistan is inhabited by terrorist groups such as ISIS-Khorasan, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and al-Qaida. Terrorist attacks intensified in 2024 and 2025 against Pakistani civilians and security personnel alike. Pakistan’s Armed Forces, led by Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, is determined to restore security to the region. In late 2025, two senior TTP commanders and two others were killed by Pakistani forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.…