Foundation for Defense of Democracies

4 days ago | fdd.org | Daniel Ackerman |Ryan Brobst

See below for new language integrating Mark’s feedback. Hedged a bit and went with “the forthcoming B-21 Raider is expected to carry a single MOP”The GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) is a 30,000-pound class weapon designed to strike hardened, deeply buried targets.

6 days ago | fdd.org | Cleo Paskal

The PRC has well-advanced plans for establishing influence that leads to control across much of the Pacific—plans that are essential if it is to achieve its other stated goals, such as taking Taiwan and pushing the United States out of the Pacific. Outside of the U.S. Freely Associated States, Washington has seemingly given the strategic lead in the Pacific Islands to Australia and New Zealand, though that may change with the second term of U.S. President Donald Trump.

6 days ago | fdd.org | Bill Roggio |Joe Truzman

Iran-backed Iraqi militias launched missile attacks against three US bases in northeastern Syria last weekend, according to a report from the region. A US defense official did not deny that the missile strikes took place. At least five US bases in Iraq and Syria have come under fire from Iran-backed militias since Israel launched strikes against Iran on June 13, 2025.

6 days ago | fdd.org | Zachary Berman |Joe Truzman

Trump says the U.S. knows where Iran’s supreme leader is

6 days ago | fdd.org | Reagan Easter |Cameron McMillan |Ryan Brobst

The Pentagon is surging additional combat power to the Middle East and Europe as the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict shows no signs of cooling down. The USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG) is reportedly heading from East Asia to the Middle East. A large fleet of U.S. Air Force air-to-air refueling aircraft also reportedly flew across the Atlantic to Europe on June 15, where they could be used to support operations in the Middle East.