Recent articles
May 15, 2026
Back From China, Trump Faces Decision on Whether to Resume Strikes on Iran
Top aides have drafted battle plans as peace negotiations have stalled.
www.nytimes.com
May 8, 2026
Pentagon Releases Files on U.F.O.s
The initial files are murky images that show what could be anything. The government said more would be released on a rolling basis.
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May 6, 2026
U.S. Troops in Middle East Wait for the Next Big Moment
The U.S. military is essentially on standby as officials give contradictory signals about the status of the Iran war effort.
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May 1, 2026
U.S. to Withdraw 5,000 Troops From Germany, Pentagon Says
Officials announced the decision after President Trump expressed annoyance with the German chancellor’s remarks about the Iran war.
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April 30, 2026
Trump’s Plans to Boost Weapons Production Might Not Deliver for Years
While the defense industry has announced plans to make more munitions, much of that expanded production will not quickly kick in.
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April 23, 2026
Trump’s Dreams for a Battleship Led to His Navy Secretary’s Ouster
The Navy secretary, John Phelan, was supposed to deliver the first of the president’s ships by 2028. The timeline was nearly impossible.
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April 23, 2026
Navy Secretary John Phelan Is Leaving the Pentagon and the Trump Administration
John Phelan is leaving the Pentagon after months of tension with Pete Hegseth and other Pentagon leaders. The tumult comes as the Navy has been engaged in war with Iran.
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April 7, 2026
U.S. Strikes Kharg Island as Trump Raises Iran Threats to Apocalyptic Levels
U.S. forces launched more than 90 “restrikes” on Kharg Island, Iran’s oil export hub, early on Tuesday but have avoided hitting oil infrastructure.
www.nytimes.com
April 5, 2026
A Harrowing Race Against Time to Find a Downed U.S. Airman in Iran
For the Iranians, the Air Force colonel whose fighter jet had been shot down was possible leverage. For the U.S. military, finding him was a moral imperative.
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April 5, 2026
U.S. Rescues Downed Air Force Officer Deep Inside Iran, Trump Says
An Air Force officer of a F-15E Strike Eagle shot down on Friday by Iran spent a day in hostile territory with little more than a pistol for protection.
www.nytimes.com
April 2, 2026
Hegseth Fires Army Chief Amid Battle With Its Leaders
Senior Army officers reacted with anger and frustration to news of Gen. Randy George’s dismissal, characterizing it as the latest blow to the service.
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March 30, 2026
Special Operations Forces Sent to Mideast as Trump Weighs Next Move
The commandos have not been assigned specific roles. But President Trump has expressed concern about the now-closed Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s store of enriched uranium.
www.nytimes.com
March 29, 2026
There Are Now Over 50,000 American Troops in the Mideast
The arrival of 2,500 Marines and another 2,500 sailors is keeping the number of American troops in the region at roughly 10,000 more than usual.
www.nytimes.com
March 29, 2026
A Toothless Iran? Missile and Drone Strikes Show It Can Still Inflict Pain.
A wave of strikes across the Middle East in recent days shows that Iran has not lost the capacity to retaliate.
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March 27, 2026
Hegseth Criticized for Removing Four Officers From Promotion List
Bitter rifts have opened over the defense secretary’s campaign to reverse policies that he says are prejudiced against white officers.
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March 27, 2026
Hegseth Strikes Two Black and Two Female Officers From Promotion List
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s highly unusual decision to remove officers from a one-star promotion list has spurred allegations of racial and gender bias.
www.nytimes.com
March 25, 2026
Iran’s Attacks Force U.S. Troops to Work Remotely
Iran has severely damaged several American military bases in the Middle East, officials say.
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March 20, 2026
A Look at the Escalating Battle for the Strait of Hormuz
There are several ways the United States could attempt to reopen the waterway, all of which carry substantial risks.
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March 19, 2026
Pentagon Seeks Additional $200 Billion to Fund Iran War
The request, which the White House has not submitted to Congress, is already encountering some resistance.
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March 16, 2026
Fire on the U.S. Aircraft Carrier Gerald R. Ford Raged for Hours, Sailors Say
The Ford is now entering its 10th month of deployment after arriving in the Middle East from the Caribbean.
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March 13, 2026
U.S. KC-135 Refueling Plane Crashes in Iraq, Military Says
The crash was not because of hostile fire or friendly fire, U.S. Central Command said.
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March 11, 2026
U.S. at Fault in Strike on School in Iran, Preliminary Inquiry Says
Outdated targeting data may have resulted in a mistaken missile strike, according to the ongoing military investigation, which undercuts President Trump’s assertion that Iran could be to blame.
www.nytimes.com
March 10, 2026
Iranian Military Shows It Knows How to Adapt, U.S. Officials Say
Iran appears to be targeting what it views as American vulnerabilities, including air defenses meant to guard troops and assets in the region.
www.nytimes.com
March 10, 2026
Pentagon Says 140 Service Members Have Been Injured in Iran War
Eight Americans have been seriously wounded, military officials said, but the bulk of the injured have already returned to duty. Seven Americans have been killed.
www.nytimes.com
March 8, 2026
Pentagon Announces Seventh U.S. Death in War With Iran
The service member killed was not publicly identified, but U.S. Central Command said the death was caused by injuries after an attack on a Saudi military base.
www.nytimes.com
March 3, 2026
How Iran Is Using Drones to Retaliate Against the U.S. and Allies
The Pentagon and Middle Eastern countries say that most of the drones have been intercepted. But some have slipped through and caused damage.
www.nytimes.com
March 3, 2026
U.S. Sends More Troops to the Mideast as Iran War Expands
Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, acknowledged the possibility of an extended campaign, as the military announced that six U.S. service members had been killed so far.
www.nytimes.com
March 2, 2026
U.S. Military Death Toll in Iran War Rises to 6
The number of U.S. service members killed in the first three days of the war grew as officials said the remains of two more troops had been recovered.
www.nytimes.com
March 1, 2026
Stakes Quickly Rise for U.S. in Iran War, With 3 Service Members Killed
The grim toll signaled that Iran was more prepared for war than the Trump administration anticipated, U.S. military officials said.
www.nytimes.com
February 26, 2026
For Trump, Military Strike in Iran Could Serve Symbolic Purpose
Some officials in the Trump administration hope an attack would force Iran to give up its nuclear enrichment program. Others have doubts.
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