On October 15, 1962, senior U.S. officials learned that their fears had come true—the Soviet Union was installing nuclear-armed ballistic missiles in Cuba.
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s plans to livestream the scheduled Dec. 3 firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan had drawn widespread backlash.
North America · Defense
Ukraine's Starlink and Starshield satellite services — critical tools in its war against Russia that were unexpectedly throttled this week — have been restored to full capacity, a Ukrainian official tells Axios. The official also said that Ukraine conducted a strike overnight against a Russian oil refinery — defying President Trump's demand that it stop hitting those facilities. Why it matters: The twin developments further strained the U.S.-Ukraine relationship, as the war with Russia drags on and the Trump administration sided with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week by lifting sanctions on Russian oil sales. State of play: The move angered Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky responded by calling it "a weak decision" and a "gift to Putin." Trump then called for Ukraine to elect a new president. The crisis intensified this week when Elon Musk's SpaceX restricted service of Starlink — a satellite service used for defensive purposes in battle — while Starshield, a tool used for offensive war operations that is controlled by the U.S. government, was also slowed. After more than a day, the services were restored. Ukraine, meanwhile, fired on a Russian oil refinery, which U.S. officials are unlikely to look kindly upon. The Ukrainian official said the country resumed strikes because Russia continued to hit Ukrainian energy infrastructure, despite Trump announcing that the two sides had agreed to a ceasefire. That declaration came as a surprise to Zelensky. The bottom line: It's still unclear to many inside the Trump administration and the Ukrainian government whether T
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Welcome back to Five Questions for a General, a production of the Modern War Institute at West Point. This series features specially selected cadet hosts who are given an incredible professional development […]
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The future of war is in outer space — and the U.S. is unprepared for the fallout. Why it matters: An outbreak of space warfare would cripple the global economy by disrupting satellites used for everything from worldwide financial transactions to maritime navigation. It would also hinder the U.S. military's ability to conduct some of its key missions on Earth. The dependence on satellites is precisely what makes them tempting targets for foes. China has made major advancements, such as satellites with robotic arms that could disable U.S. equipment and lasers that can blind military space sensors. Russia lags behind, but U.S. officials fear it may unleash an orbital nuclear weapon that "could pose a threat to all satellites and to the space-enabled services the world depends on." What they're saying: Todd Harrison, the American Enterprise Institute's space expert, said "we've been under the illusion" that an adversary would target only military satellites and leave civil or commercial ones alone. That's no longer the case. "In a future conflict, we could very well see the civilian and commercial space infrastructure that we often take for granted ... being attacked," Harrison said. "Is the American public ready for that? I'm not sure they are." " We're quickly coming to the conclusion that there's no sanctuary in space, not even in a small conflict," he added. Threat level: Last month, U.S. officials revealed that the military had weapons in space — a bombshell admission they said was aimed at deterring adversaries. Yes, but: Doug Loverro, a former top NASA and Pentagon space
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The conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis has continued to ramp up, with each side trading tit-for-tat attacks, and further escalation in the coming days and weeks becoming more likely. Earlier this week, Saudi forces struck the Yemen Petroleum Company’s Sabaha fuel depot. The Houthis responded by attacking Saudi Aramco headquarters in Dhahran. The […] The post Houthi Escalation and What Happens Next in Yemen appeared first on The Soufan Center .
West & Central Asia · Defense · Oil & energy
Europe · North America · Defense · Global politics
The debate over autonomous weapons and the debate over frontier AI safety are about different problems. To regulate autonomous weapons effectively and move forward after a decade of discussion, lawmakers and the public need to understand not whether a weapon is autonomous but how autonomous it is, and policymakers need a framework to address it.
Defense
ICE is rejecting a Government Accountability Office recommendation for technology that automatically activates body cameras when weapons are drawn and safeguards to ensure agents record arrests, searches and detentions when required. Why it matters: The GAO warns that ICE risks losing crucial evidence on what happened during incidents involving force amid growing distrust over agent accountability in the wake of multiple fatal ICE shootings . The big picture: The GAO report found both CBP and ICE are struggling to manage their body-camera programs amid shifting deployment plans. CBP and ICE haven't updated their camera plans since 2022 and 2024, respectively. The plans fail to account for funding changes, expanded deployment needs and pauses in camera rollouts following one of Trump's executive orders that rescinded a Biden-era federal body-camera mandate. ICE's camera activation dispute is the central flashpoint in the GAO review, as DHS accepted all six other recommendations. CBP uses technology that automatically activates body cameras when officers draw firearms or turn on emergency lights, but ICE doesn't. Zoom in: At six of the 10 locations GAO reviewed, CBP and ICE personnel said they were unsure when they had to turn on their cameras. Some said camera use is "not mandated," "up to interpretation," and "has gray areas." Agents specifically reported uncertainty about whether they should record during "subpoena issuance, in-custody interviews, vehicle searches, undercover operations, and detainee transports." At five sites, people said they weren't sure how to use a ne
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The rupture between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over last week's diesel deal deepened Wednesday after an Elon Musk -owned satellite system used by Ukraine unexpectedly restricted service — undercutting Ukraine's fight against Russia. Why it matters: The Ukrainian military uses SpaceX's Starlink satellite communications system to control and operate its reconnaissance and intercept drones. When it doesn't operate at full capacity, Ukraine's ability to gather intelligence, use interceptor drones and conduct long-range strikes against Russia is impeded. Service was partially restored on Wednesday, but Ukrainian officials were still searching for answers about why the service was throttled and who was responsible. The limitations came days after a new crisis erupted between the U.S. and Ukraine over Trump's agreement to lift sanctions on Russian oil sales. Zelensky criticized the move, then Trump called for Ukraine to elect a new president. A senior U.S. official said the Trump administration had nothing to do with the alleged Starlink service constraints. But Ukrainian officials remain suspicious. Driving the news: Ukrainian officials said SpaceX imposed the restrictions Tuesday night. The system turned off, they said, when a drone exceeded 160 kph. In some cases, it disconnected when the speed went over 80 kph. The Starlink restrictions came several hours after the Ukrainian military did not receive an early warning about a Russian ballistic missile attack. Ukrainian officials said the U.S. has provided such alerts over the last several years as
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After Trump’s Russian diesel deal, will Europe give Ukraine the support it needs? Expert comment jon.wallace 14 October 2026 The new row between Washington and Kyiv must not distract Europe’s leaders from the urgent matter at hand: how to sustain Ukraine’s economy through the winter. An intervention by President Donald Trump this week has once again created problems for Ukraine’s war effort. The president’s deal with Moscow, which could see millions of barrels of Russian diesel released to global markets, was condemned by Democrats and even some prominent Republicans in the US. Trump openly framed the deal as an effort to secure ‘Lower prices for Americans’ as midterm elections approach in November. It is uncertain that the deal will do much to swing votes back to the president’s party. But it has created another open dispute between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy – at precisely the moment when Ukraine needs renewed, focussed support from its allies. A mounting Russian assault Recent weeks have seen a noticeable shift in Russia’s war strategy. Some had expected Putin to order a new wave of mobilization and a renewed offensive in the Donbas. Instead, he has moved to intensify Russia’s ballistic missile and drone campaign, with the aim of breaking Ukraine’s economy. There has been a marked uptick in attacks on ports, grain storage and shipping, seemingly to block Ukrainian agricultural exports. Key bridges across the River Dnipro in Kyiv have been hit. So have railways across the country. And attacks have continued on Ukraine’s energy grid (despite the ‘ energy cease
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The Yemen war is not just Saudi Arabia’s problem. It’s the Gulf’s too Expert comment thilton.drupal 14 October 2026 The renewed conflict in Yemen exposes the limits of Saudi Arabia’s military options and the vulnerabilities of the Gulf states. A unified Gulf Cooperation Council strategy on Yemen and a credible political settlement between Yemenis are needed. The Yemen conflict has escalated significantly in recent weeks. Houthi strikes on airports in Riyadh, Abha and Dammam have killed at least 20 people and injured hundreds. Saudi oil infrastructure has also been attacked. Within Yemen, renewed fighting following a Houthi offensive around the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait has brought return to full-scale war. The escalation is an alarming reminder of the 2015 Saudi-led intervention in Yemen. This came after the Iran-backed Houthis seized the Yemeni capital Sanaa in September 2014 and ousted the internationally recognized government from power. More than a decade later, the Houthis remain entrenched and clearly emboldened, while Yemen’s government is fragmented. Prospects for a political settlement currently seem remote. Since the UN-brokered truce in April 2022, Saudi Arabia has sought to disengage militarily from Yemen and pursue a negotiated settlement with the Houthis. Talks gained momentum in 2023, but the Houthis’ involvement in the Gaza war, including attacks on Red Sea shipping and Israel, disrupted the political process. US president Donald Trump’s intensive bombing campaign against the Houthis led to a separate US-Houthi ceasefire in May 2025. But it did not adva
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An examination of what Russia’s draft budget for 2027–29 reveals about its military spending intentions.
Europe · Defense
A U.S. Air Force reconnaissance flight photographed evidence that the Soviet Union was installing nuclear-armed ballistic missiles in Cuba, touching off the Cuban Missile Crisis.
South & Central America · North America · Defense · Global politics
Inside a bunker, a pilot operates a first-person-view drone, unable to see the aircraft directly. A navigator plots a grid and helps search a degraded video feed. Somewhere in the […]
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The recent arrest of five men near RAF Fairford Airbase in the United Kingdom as part of a suspected Iranian terror plot against the base and an “unspecified new threat” to use drones to attack U.S. assets stationed at Fairford prompted the United States to remove all 12 of its B-1 Lancer bombers from the […] The post Drones Are Threatening U.S. Assets Overseas, but Their Threat to the U.S. Homeland is Higher appeared first on The Soufan Center .
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Trump last week discussed the possibility of launching a major new operation against Iran before the Israeli and U.S. elections, according to two U.S. officials, one Israeli official and a fourth source with knowledge of the matter. Netanyahu said during the call that he was concerned about Israeli intelligence indicating Iran was taking troubling steps to reconstitute its nuclear program, according to the Israeli official. The Israeli leader's call with Trump about the possible attack took place before Trump said he would not strike Iran ahead of the midterms. Why it matters: Resuming major combat operations in Iran would inject a volatile new issue into the Oct. 27 Israeli elections and the U.S. midterms a week later. But the Israeli and U.S. militaries are still on alert and concluding preparations to be ready in case he changes his mind, sources said. " Bibi seems to want to go in again. He has talked to the president about it a couple times, and the president has said, 'Well, you know, Bibi, go ahead and get ready.' But there's really no commitment. 'Go ahead and get ready' is maybe now, maybe later, maybe never," a U.S. official said. A White House official said it's "false" that Trump and Netanyahu discussed resuming the war. "The President has said that we will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the midterm elections," the person said. Netanyahu's office said that "the prime minister maintains regular contact with President Trump and senior U.S. administration officials and does not comment on the conte
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth plans to livestream the December execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan by using a firing squad, one of the rarest forms of capital punishment in the United States. Why it matters: The planned livestream would mark the first public U.S. execution in roughly 90 years, but it has already drawn scrutiny , with President Trump expressing doubt it'll happen. Catch up quick: Hegseth said Oct. 8 that Hasan, who was convicted of killing 13 people in the 2009 shooting , will be executed in December, and the execution will be livestreamed. Trump has expressed apparent uneasiness despite giving his initial endorsement , Axios' Marc Caputo reported. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) expressed some concerns, too, while Vice President Vance said he wouldn't watch if it were aired. Zoom out: Execution by firing squad is rare, with only six since capital punishment resumed in 1977, per the Death Penalty Information Center. . The U.S. military last executed someone by firing squad in 1945, when it executed Pvt. Eddie Slovik for desertion in France, per NPR . The military's last execution was in 1961, when it hanged John A. Bennett . How a firing squad works State of play: The Pentagon hasn't disclosed its firing squad procedures for Hasan's execution and didn't respond to Axios' request for comment Tuesday. Past executions offer a glimpse of what the method typically involves. How it works: The procedure typically begins with a prisoner strapped to a chair placed before a wall and surrounded by sandbags to absorb blood. A medical professional will typical
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