Analysis Turkey’s expanding military role in Somalia draws scrutiny amid federal rift Turkey’s expanding military footprint in Somalia is drawing criticism amid deepening federal-regional tensions, with Ankara denying it is taking sides. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Turkey, UK advance $11B Eurofighter jet deal with training agreement Britain and Turkey signed a training and support agreement marking “the next phase” of Ankara’s entry into the Eurofighter program, building on a £8 billion jet deal signed last year. Turkey
Analysis Iran war drives Turkey-Gulf defense alignment, but not alliance Despite accelerated cooperation as a result of the US-Israeli war on Iran, structural and political constraints would make a formal military alliance unlikely. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
How deployment of 4,000+ US Marines could change war in Iran Two flotillas bearing thousands of US Marines will give Trump more options to open the Strait of Hormuz, but deploying them to the Gulf will necessitate expanding a war that's already widely unpopular at home. Iran
Analysis India's Modi arrives in Israel as fears grow of US-Iran conflict By Rina Bassist In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs
Analysis Amid Saudi-UAE rivalry, Turkey courts Riyadh without crossing Abu Dhabi By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Armenia recalls Israel ambassador over arms sales to Azerbaijan The diplomatic rebuke came after an Azerbaijani official said Israeli-made drones were being put to use in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Israel
Intel: First Israeli Iron Dome battery arrives in US A second Iron Dome battery is expected to arrive by the end of the year. Israel
US Senator grills State Department official on potential F-35 sale to UAE Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Robert Menendez said the possible sale of the advanced fighter jet to the United Arab Emirates could undermine Israel's military superiority in the region. Originals
Israel, India advance on Phalcon AWACS megadeal India’s Cabinet is set to approve next week a $1 billion deal to purchase two Israeli Phalcon AWACS. Israel
What’s next for Russia-Iran military partnership? If the arms embargo on Iran ends in October, what arms might Tehran buy from Moscow? Russia
US to buy eight of Turkey’s F-35s from Lockheed Martin The decision comes after Turkey had been expelled from the fighter jet's production program over its purchase of a Russian air defense system. Originals
Intel: Senators berate Pentagon failure to sever F-35 cooperation with Turkey The Pentagon is still allowing Turkey to produce components for US F-35 fighter jets, violating a defense law that President Donald Trump signed in December. Turkey
Egypt boosts navy amid Turkish threats in the region Differences and conflicts between Egypt and Turkey have intensified, while Turkish threats became clear in the Mediterranean, which disturbed Cairo and prompted it to conclude armament deals for the Egyptian navy to face any military dangers from the Turkish side. Egypt
Intel: Key Republican questions Pentagon’s proposed military training program The Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is pushing back on a Pentagon proposal to train foreign military officers from the Middle East and elsewhere, arguing that it unnecessarily replicates an existing program run by the State Department. United States
Intel: State Department approves $1.4 billion upgrade for Kuwait’s missile defenses The US State Department approved Kuwait’s request for $1.425 billion in upgrades for the Gulf country’s Patriot missile defense systems. Kuwait
Intel: Trump administration pursues new Saudi arms deal despite investigation The Donald Trump administration is doubling down with a new arms deal for Saudi Arabia despite an investigation into last year’s $8 billion emergency weapons sale to Riyadh, a key Senate Democrat revealed in a CNN op-ed Wednesday. Saudi Arabia
Intel: US rescinds ban on British defense firm implicated in Saudi weapons fraud The US State Department is rescinding a 9-year-old policy that barred it from doing business with the Saudi subsidiary of a British defense firm, which pled guilty to fraud in a multibillion-dollar arms deal in 2010. Saudi Arabia
![A British Royal Air Force Harrier GR7 groundcrew member cycles along the apron infront of a Patriot Missile defence system on his base in Kuwait April 6, 2003. [U.S. troops have a tight control on Baghdad airport and will move out from there in all directions, Jim Wilkinson, a spokesman for U.S. commander General Tommy Franks, said on Sunday.] - PBEAHUOQIBA](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2020/05/RTXLWAK.jpg/RTXLWAK.jpg?h=a5ae579a&itok=Rlh7RZgw)
