Middle East

Latest in Middle East

A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker offloads fuel to a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet, assigned to the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, April 8, 2025. The KC-135 Stratotanker is the backbone of U.S. Air Forces Central's global reach aerial refueling capability and delivers critical support to joint and coalition aircraft in order to guarantee war-winning airpower throughout the CENTCOM AOR.

Super Hornet Seen With Rare SLAM-ER Missile Loadout On Yemen Mission

By Thomas Newdick

Posted Yesterday

US is deploying Shahed-136 clones to the Middle East.

U.S. Deploys Shahed-136 Clones To Middle East As A Warning To Iran

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Updated Yesterday

U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY (Nov. 23, 2025) Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones are positioned on the tarmac at a base in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) operating area, Nov. 23. The LUCAS platforms are part of a one-way attack drone squadron CENTCOM recently deployed to the Middle East to strengthen regional security and deterrence. (Courtesy Photo)

American Shahed-136 Clones Sent To Middle East Have Satellite Datalinks, Swarming Capabilities

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted Yesterday

Turkish industry and media alike have heralded the recent live-fire test in which a Kizilelma uncrewed combat air vehicle (UCAV) used a Turkish-made air-to-air missile to destroy a target drone. Turkey claims the test marks the first occasion a UCAV has launched a radar-guided air-to-air missile. But, while undoubtedly impressive, there are unanswered questions about how the engagement actually played out, especially to what degree the UCAV was being controlled by crewed fighter jets.

Turkey’s Fighter-Like Kizilelma Drone Shot Down Aerial Target With Radar-Guided Missile

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 1, 2025

‘Crew One,’ a three-man weapons load team, completes the first full external loadout with live munitions for the F-35A Lightening II May 3, 2019, at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to the 4th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron were configured in a full external live loadout of six GBU-49 small glide munitions and two AIM-9x Sidewinder missiles to execute an operation in Southwest Asia.

Impact Of Selling F-35s To Saudi Arabia On The Region

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Nov 20, 2025

Videos show a Turkish Air Force C-130E Hercules cargo plane falling in multiple pieces from the sky earlier today.

Detached Wings From Doomed Turkish C-130 Seen Spiraling Into The Ground (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 11, 2025

Iran is ramping up its missile production as it eyes a potential future conflict with Israel.

Iran Ramping Up Missile Production As Another Potential War With Israel Looms

By Howard Altman

Posted on Nov 10, 2025

An Italian Air Force F-35 Lighting II arrives at an undisclosed location within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, June 30, 2024. The F-35A is an agile, versatile, high-performance, 9g capable multirole fighter that combines stealth, sensor fusion and unprecedented situational awareness. The ITAF stopped in CENTCOM as a part of Operation Indo-Pacific Jump (IPJ) 2024.

F-35 Sale To Saudi Arabia Being Mulled By Trump Admin: Report

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 5, 2025

A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon receives fuel from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, May 25, 2025. Aerial refueling allows Fighting Falcons to extend their mission and guarantee war-winning airpower throughout the CENTCOM AOR. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Natalie Jones)

Laser-Guided Rockets Now Primary Anti-Drone Weapon For USAF Jets In Middle East

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Sep 25, 2025

The U.S. military was totally unaware of the unprecedented Israeli airstrike on a Hamas compound in Doha, Qatar, earlier this month, one of its senior leaders has confirmed. In the aftermath of the raid, there had been questions as to why the various highly advanced air defense systems and sensors, both American and Qatari, that would normally provide prior alert to an impending attack on Qatar had apparently not functioned as expected. Now we have a better understanding of what happened, from a U.S. perspective.

New Info On How U.S. Military Was Caught Off Guard By Israeli Strike On Qatar

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Sep 24, 2025

The crew of a U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle attempted to take down a long-range kamikaze drone with a Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition (LJDAM) precision-guided bomb after running out of missiles in the frantic midst of an all-out Iranian barrage aimed at Israel.

F-15Es Tried To Shoot Down Iranian Kamikaze Drones With Laser Guided Bombs

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Updated on Sep 24, 2025

U.S. military aircraft employed GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs (SDB) and laser-guided 70mm Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) rockets as part of the operation to strike Iranian nuclear facilities earlier this year.

Pentagon Moves To Replace Weapons It Used In Operation Midnight Hammer

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Sep 17, 2025

New satellite images provided by Planet Labs shows the precision of the Israeli strike on the Hamas Qatar compound.

Aftermath Of Israeli Strike On Qatar Compound Targeting Hamas Seen In New Satellite Imagery

By Howard Altman

Posted on Sep 10, 2025

A member of Congress has shared a video claiming to show an attempt by U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones to intercept an unidentified object in the air off the coast of Yemen last year.

Revelation That MQ-9 Reapers Are Now Engaging Aerial Targets Comes From UAP Hearing

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Sep 9, 2025

Israel has carried out precision strikes targeting the top leadership of the terrorist group Hamas in the Qatari capital Doha.

Israel Executes Unprecedented Strike On Hamas Leadership In Qatar (Updated)

By Howard Altman, Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Sep 9, 2025

The Israeli Ministry of Defense has said it will seek to buy two more Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tankers from the United States, as it invests in its fleet of inflight refueling tankers, heavily utilized in the recent campaign against Iran, as well as for other long-range combat missions. While Israel has already committed to buying four KC-46s, it currently relies on a dwindling fleet of veteran Boeing 707 tankers. The 12-day war against Iran earlier this year, in particular, led to questions about Israeli Air Force (IAF) aerial refueling capacity and the U.S. government was forced to deny that it had provided additional tanker support for the operation.

Israel Wants More KC-46 Pegasus Tankers To Boost Overworked Aerial Refueling Fleet

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 24, 2025