Libya’s Khalifa Hifter names son Saddam second-in-command: What to know Saddam Hifter’s appointment as deputy general commander of the Libyan National Army positions him as a key power player in eastern Libya amid ongoing political division. Libya
Analysis Turkey’s military shake-up: Adapting to new threats or political meddling? A new personnel law reflects growing political influence over military decision-making, raising concerns about the military's meritocracy and autonomy. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Germany to halt Israel military exports that can be used in Gaza: What to know Germany, traditionally one of Israel’s strongest allies in Europe, has been under pressure to toughen its stance toward the war in Gaza as the humanitarian crisis deepens. Israel
Turkey names new army chief in unexpected reshuffle While official releases cited staffing shortages as the reason, it has been roughly a decade since a Turkish chief of staff has retired before completing a full four-year tenure. Turkey
Analysis Why France is quietly becoming Saudi Arabia’s go-to internal security partner By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Analysis Eurofighters and drones: Turkey's IDEF25 marks leap toward defense autonomy By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Israel, Hezbollah rattle swords, with military drills near border The military drills of Hezbollah and of the Israel Defense Forces — only a few days apart — reflect growing tensions on Israel’s northern border. Israel
CENTCOM commander visits Israel, observes multifront war exercise Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla is on a wider tour of the Middle East as the Pentagon aims to build regional military capabilities to better deter attacks by Iran and its proxies. Israel
UAE axes $879m military helicopter deal with Airbus Muammar Abdulla Abushehab, defense and security industry affairs sector chief for the UAE’s Tawazun Council, stressed that the decision was not a political one. United Arab Emirates
Turkey inks $321 million deal with Romania for Bayraktar military drones Ukraine has had considerable success using the drone against Russia since Moscow's invasion last year. Turkey
Saudi Arabia rises to world's 5th largest military spender: SIPRI The kingdom has risen from eighth to fifth place since 2021, surpassing the United Kingdom, Germany and France. Legacy: Gulf
Iran flaunts military hardware on Army Day as it threatens Israel At a moment of escalating war of words, Iran's president said Israel will face destruction should it strike his country, which the Jewish state has long considered as an existential threat. Iran
Breaking | Last Updated: April 12, 2023, 10:12 pm CENTCOM eyeing artificial intelligence to counter Iran’s drones, says Kurilla The top commander of US forces in the Middle East expressed concerns over China's inroads the region and told Al-Monitor he wants to turn up the heat at the next Red Sands exercise in Saudi Arabia to simulate more complex drone attacks. Washington Connection
Egypt denies report it planned to produce 40,000 rockets for Russia Moscow has also denied the claims that President Sisi ordered the military to secretly ship the rockets to Russia. Egypt
Egypt, Sudan hold joint military drills as Nile dispute with Ethiopia drags on The naval drills come at a time of heightened tensions with Ethiopia as Addis Ababa works toward completing the filling of its controversial Nile dam without reaching an agreement with its downstream neighbors. Egypt
Saudis joining Shanghai Cooperation Organization as China bromance blossoms Russia, China and a number of former Soviet states in Central Asia created the SCO in 2001 to counter US hegemony in the region. Legacy: Gulf
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt rank among world’s top 10 arms importers: SIPRI Middle East countries made up more than a fourth of the top 40 global arms importers from 2018 to 2022, according to a new report. Legacy: Gulf
UAE's IDEX weapons fair brings in Russia, China, and billion-dollar deals The United Arab Emirates’ defense expenditure amounted to $22.5 billion last year and is expected to reach $28.6 billion by 2027. Legacy: Gulf
