🔥 Iran / Middle East

Iran vows revenge after security chief killed; Israel strikes central Beirut https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/mar/18/iran-war-live-updates-oil-prices-hormuz-trump-larijani-key-leader-killed-israel-strikes

Top Iranian officials killed since war’s start — running tally https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMie0FVX3lxTFBmeml1X2FSbEQzQkFGdUg2MmY3R3E2SXpNXzVSN0FydU50TDhoTTFRdTBvZG1RZDZ4Z2RENHpfXzUwYnRWNGp2T0Roc3dQZEJGMTcyQlFTZmc4WFl5SWdaSUxzYUZrRGFOUGhaYl9lTkhTRXBOUDhWQ0l3QQ

Kharg Island — appealing target for Trump, with high risks https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiiAFBVV95cUxQMURuN2RSZjlNYUlGUFNZb3Q1WEZvbTRPODg1eTRueERieWY0ZUNIUFFaWUF1NGdvTllGb1dSeTZ2ZGMxdVd6Ym1pNjFnMjllSmxTcEllUVQ2dzhWTXNlMEx2eWRqVWtubjdTSk9lTWtsakZuR0hlaWhZRGtnQUlpRlJXMDBNR3pt

~90 ships still crossing Strait of Hormuz daily despite war https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMinAFBVV95cUxNNWNXMXdYQlRVb1pMSDlhNGxJaGE0WDJneVJmU1hKY2o0TjdKb3h3VmdtZmlfSWNjTXNwSWNwU1JFSGJ3YVhCaW5QUGRaOTA4LWRjWWpwWWlvbmxZczNob2tNTGIxT0YwdGE2LVdWaWF3eDByMHZxYXoyYldleGlxd0lTcU9BbHBULTVKNktMUzMtMGxNOXlqdEthUGs

Japan’s Takaichi visits Trump as Hormuz warship standoff simmers https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMitgFBVV95cUxOa2szbWlhZEh2QnZSVGp3ejBXcEY1c25LWExuSlpyX3d4WEVNYktjTWZKdWUxanJBWFlzNG00dzlFTEt1cnN4Z2M4ZXRaSEZPYzI0N3Qzek5uZnpDaGZKc3NqS1NERmI4azV1MklPbXZDeHdLT1NuTWpxajFQaWNTeXF2R1Fob2U1OC1uNXpOTmhGSnlvTU0tSkJWRzZmWE5oeWo1eWluVkEzOGZSeWNiZEJSTFVCZw

China ignores Trump’s Hormuz request as war deepens, Beijing trip slips https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMijwFBVV95cUxOald4V19aSzJyQXlVZG1ZVnF4WHViSE16ZU8wVC1FU2pyekxWZkpjbm1oUV85MmRfajZ6NkNxY1MwYWxMYVRYamROOXJTUndxWlE1LXEzaTBrQk8tcW15NjBZRHpNQk1oLTRTZXlvQ3V4SnpiUExiMVJ1ZnNFbjkxUVJzZ21QbC0zTzNTZVJOUQ

How ignorance and obfuscation ended Iran nuclear talks https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/18/ignorance-misunderstanding-obfuscation-iran-nuclear-talks-trump

Iran war exposes rifts in Trump’s MAGA base — FT on internal Republican divisions https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMihAFBVV95cUxOSWJyRG9lNy1kSXQ4ekVFbndtMHNOcmZrOG5zckxkR2w1bGlZa3dSTlBLY3N0OHJnZDVHc1dhcUVRVG1HZXBiNmlBZkZPZ3laV3hULUtiV25WOEF3OHRvMW5EWl80UWFON0N6NFNwS3FZZE9vbF9GUnRrTmc0TTcxM2NJbGY

🏛 US Defense Policy

US counterterrorism chief resigns over Iran war https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2026/03/counterterrorism-center-head-resigns-over-iran-war/412171/

Trump officials scrapped civilian casualty avoidance blueprint https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2026/03/us-built-blueprint-avoid-civilian-war-casualties-trump-officials-scrapped-it/412161/

Golden Dome missile defense cost jumps $10B — experts fear it’s just the start https://www.defenseone.com/defense-systems/2026/03/golden-domes-projected-cost-just-jumped-10-billion-experts-fear-s-just-starters/412179/

Record $1.5T spending proposal — only ‘most essential things’ https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2026/03/record-smashing-15-trillion-spending-proposal-will-fund-only-most-essential-things-comptroller/412190/

Lawmakers press SOUTHCOM on Hegseth’s ‘no quarter’ rhetoric https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2026/03/lawmaker-presses-southcom-hegseths-no-quarter-rhetoric/412188/

🤖 Defense AI & Tech

US Navy aims to use robots and AI to reduce ship maintenance https://www.defenseone.com/defense-systems/2026/03/us-navy-aims-use-robots-ai-reduce-ship-maintenance/412159/

Anduril secures $87M counter-UAS command & control contract https://www.defenseone.com/business/2026/03/anduril-secures-87m-contract-common-counter-unmanned-c2-program/412156/

HPE’s Jim Kelly on agentic AI for self-driving networks https://www.govconwire.com/articles/hpe-jim-kelly-agentic-ai-network

USPTO acting CDAO (ex-xAI) to keynote 2026 AI Summit https://www.govconwire.com/articles/robert-hayes-uspto-2026-ai-summit-keynote

💼 Defense Industry

Raytheon lands $2B Air Force AEHF satellite terminal contract mod https://www.govconwire.com/articles/raytheon-air-force-aehf-terminal-contract

SAIC posts $7.3B FY26 revenue, issues FY27 guidance https://www.govconwire.com/articles/saic-fy26-results-q4-revenue

AeroVironment acquires ESAero for $200M — expands UAS & air mobility https://www.govconwire.com/articles/aerovironment-esaero-uas-aam-platforms

Pentagon working to escape China’s rare-earths grip https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2026/03/how-pentagon-working-wriggle-out-chinas-rare-earths-grip/412134/

🇪🇺 Europe

Zelenskyy & Starmer urge continued Ukraine support as Iran war steals focus https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiqgFBVV95cUxQdUZpanFtQVFoMUo0RzVkazYxSjBackI3eWhlM21kQ0IzbG03RkxFa2UzUzYxRGJmN3dWSGlTZ0ZucldxaHlKanNaV3MyQ3RRaUhQMjdGT0xOQ0JVdFJuQzM4RS0tM0Y5MDBFUXhDa1VQemt0SWdUR05jOGJPN2RCWnJZcnkyNGFuMmhvc3NONU42dkxJVDl4aHhmaElyZWRWUW9UbnZYV29OQQ

EU hopes Druzhba pipeline deal pushes Orbán to back Ukraine loan https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikAFBVV95cUxPLVgtSzRoRUhjMFN3a24xZFFYUHdib1dqa3dTdzkwdVFmQWdHeDJ1d2VNU0NMNTRlSF9IbEluNGt5aXVqMVg5VDNqTHVSWm1IRlJtUmtjVkZTQ0ZzVHhtZENyMXA2ak1VN0VuUVhaeGdfX1dPS1B5aDhIWlAxbjBDclpiamRTaHpQejZ5TG40RU0