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The U.S. military has been using M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) to strike Iranian ships as part of Operation Epic Fury. M142 HIMARS

U.S. Striking Iranian Navy Ships With Ballistic Missiles

The use of ballistic missiles to hit adversary ships at long ranges is a preview of what is to come for the U.S. military.

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B-1B bomber used to strike Iran from RAF Fairford.
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Iran

Epic Fury Day 11: U.S. Promises “Most Intense Day Of Strikes” On Iran

The U.S. adds to its bomber force deployed to the U.K. as Iranian drones and missiles continue to fly.

U.S. and Israeli authorities have reportedly been considering a special operations ground raid to extract or otherwise neutralize Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium, a risky plan that highlights challenges in attempting to achieve this objective from the air alone.
Iran

Commando Raid To Secure Iran’s Enriched Uranium May Become A Very Risky Necessity

A raid is fraught with risk, but it may become the only way to make sure the nuclear material is safe and out of the regime’s hands.

A B-52 bomber lands at RAF Fairford on March 9, 2026 in Fairford, England. Four U.S. B-1 Lancer bombers arrived at RAF Fairford on Friday following the UK Prime Minister's decision to allow "defensive" access to UK bases for strikes against Iranian missile sites, reversing an earlier policy refusal that caused friction with President Donald Trump.
Israel

B-52s Arrive At U.K. Base As Air Campaign Over Iran Grinds On (Updated)

Three of the strategic bombers join a growing cadre of U.S. Air Force long-range strike assets deployed at RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom.

The latest addition to the legendary X-plane family is Bell Textron’s demonstrator for the Speed and Runway Independent Technologies (SPRINT) program. The chosen X-76 designation (for the year 1776) is intended to reflect the 250th anniversary of the United States. Meanwhile, there is much hope that HSVTOL could eventually provide the U.S. military, and potentially other operators, with a high-speed, runway-independent special operations airlifter.
Indo-Pacific

Bell’s X-76 Fold-Away Rotor Aircraft Is DARPA’s Newest X-Plane

Planned to fly in 2028, the X-76 will explore technologies for fast-flying runway-independent aircraft with folding rotors, crewed and uncrewed.

The irony that lower-end long-range kamikaze drones are perhaps the biggest threat to extremely advanced radars capable of providing telemetry for intercepting targets traveling at hypersonic speeds, sometimes in space, is glaring. The losses of the radars should finally serve as a stark wake-up call regarding the vulnerability of these critical but largely static assets.
Iran

Iranian Attacks On Prized Missile Defense Radars Are A Wake-Up Call

Iran’s successful targeting of critical missile defense radars in the Middle East highlights global vulnerabilities.

Aircrew members board a B-52H Stratofortress prior to taking off in support of Operation Epic Fury, March 4, 2026. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Iran

Air War Against Iran Enters Week Two (Updated)

Iran continues to target its neighbors’ oil production as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is nearly at a stand still.

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First Lt. Pamela Blanco-Coca, 319th Missile Squadron missile combat crew commander, and 2nd Lt. John Anderson, 319th MS deputy missile combat crew commander, conduct pre-operational checks at a launch control center in the F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., missile complex Feb. 9, 2016. The missileers worked heavily in conjunction with missile maintainers to conduct a test of Minuteman III weapon system components in a test known as the Simulated Electronic Launch-Minuteman. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jason Wiese)

Bunker Talk: Let’s Talk About All The Things We Did And Didn’t Cover This Week

It’s been a really, REALLY long week, guys…

U.S. President Donald Trump says he is unwilling to negotiate with Iran unless it surrenders unconditionally.

Trump Demands “Unconditional Surrender,” Iran Says Bring On The Ground Invasion (Updated)

Trump wants to pick the country’s new leader, while Israel continues to strike at what’s left of Iran’s current leadership in Tehran.

F-15E Strike Eagle are operating over Iran.

The Misconception That Air Supremacy Has Been Achieved Over Iran

While there are areas where air superiority exists over Iran, total air supremacy has not been achieved, which should be no surprise.

Iran’s ability to launch missiles and drones at U.S., Israeli, and other allied targets in the Middle East has been severely degraded, two top American military leaders said Wednesday morning.

Strikes Hobble Iranian Missile Threat As Concerns Over Interceptor Stockpile Mount (Updated)

There is a war of attrition ongoing between Iran’s stockpiles of standoff weapons and the U.S. and its allies’ supplies of interceptors.

For the first time, an F-35 has shot down a crewed aircraft in combat. According to the Israeli military, an Israeli Air Force (IAF) F-35I Adir brought down an Iranian Yak-130 Mitten combat trainer over Tehran.

Israeli Air Force First To Claim F-35 Air-To-Air Kill Of A Crewed Aircraft

The Iranian Yak-130 combat trainer was shot down while flying over Tehran.

Kuwaiti Hornet shot down F-15Es: REPORT

Kuwaiti F/A-18 Hornet Responsible For Shooting Down Three USAF F-15E Strike Eagles: Report

The bizarre friendly fire incident resulted in the total loss of all three Strike Eagles, but their crews survived.

The U.S. is sending more fighters jets to the Middle East.

More U.S. Fighter Aircraft Heading To Middle East

Additional F-35As and F-15Es will be arriving in the CENTCOM area of responsibility shortly.

Drone boat attack, first of operation Epic Fury.

Iranian Kamikaze Drone Boat Makes First Successful Strike Of War

Iran, a pioneer in lower-end uncrewed surface vessel technology, used at least one to attack the oil tanker MKD VYOM in the Gulf of Oman.

Iran’s Key Naval Base On Strait Of Hormuz Set Ablaze From Strikes

Iran’s Key Naval Base On Strait Of Hormuz Set Ablaze From Strikes

The attack overnight on the port has left one of Iran’s prized sea bases and at least one frigate on fire, with black smoke filling the air.

F-15 crashes in the Middle East.

Three USAF F-15E Strike Eagles Shot Down By Friendly Fire (Updated)

The F-15Es went down over Kuwait while flying Operation Epic Fury missions.

The joint U.S.-Israeli operation against Iran has entered its second day.

U.S.-Israeli War With Iran Enters Day Two (Updated)

U.S.-Israeli strikes and Iranian retaliation continue amid new uncertainty with the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran strikes 5th fleet headquarters in Bahrain.

U.S. And Israel At War With Iran (Updated)

The U.S. and Israel have begun a major military operation that is aimed directly at the regime, its nuclear ambitions and its ability to wage war in the future.

U.S. President Donald Trump says that Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed in ongoing war.

Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei Killed In Strikes, Trump Declares

The death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as well as other senior Iranian officials, adds a new dimension to the rapidly evolving conflict.

Black tomahawk launched from U.S. Navy destroyer at Iran.

Black Tomahawk Cruise Missile Seen For The First Time In Strikes On Iran (Updated)

We may have gotten our first look at the Maritime Strike Tomahawk, and the missile appears to share the same coating as another Navy anti-ship weapon.

Iranian Navy frigate struck in port in konarak iran.

Iranian Frigate Seen Ablaze After Being Struck In Port

The imagery represents the first confirmed heavy damage or loss of an Iranian warship as part of Operation Epic Fury and Roaring Lion.

Missileers with the 321st Missile Squadron run through the test sequence document during the Simulated Electronic Launch-Minuteman test inside the launch control center at a missile alert facility in the 90th Missile Wing's missile complex, Neb., April 11, 2017. The missileers worked heavily in conjunction with missile maintainers to conduct a test of Minuteman III weapon system components. A successful test proves the ICBM weapon system's effectiveness in a safe and secure manner. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Ruano)

Bunker Talk: Let’s Talk About All The Things We Did And Didn’t Cover This Week

It really stays the same temperature year-round down here, doesn’t it?

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The War Zone — also known by the shorthand TWZ — has become an essential resource for the defense industry, the national security community, and the interested public at large since it was launched in 2016.

 

From its early beginnings to the present day, TWZ’s purpose remains the same.

 

The site stands at the nexus of military technology, strategy, and foreign policy. As a full-spectrum defense news and analysis website, TWZ covers the air, sea, land, space, and cyber domains of warfare, with an infusion of geopolitical context and technological analysis to offer readers deeper, yet easy-to-consume, insights than what they will find anywhere else….

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