Defense & National Security — US military launches Iran strikes for 10th consecutive day

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View Online Defense & National Security Defense & National Security The Big Story  US military strikes Iran for 10th consecutive day The U.S. military launched another round of airstrikes against Iran on Monday, marking the 10th consecutive day of kinetic action as the death toll from the conflict rises.  © AP Photo/Vahid Salemi The strikes, which began at 4 p.m. EDT, are carried out at President Trump's direction and are designed to further "degrade Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz," the U.S. Central Command (Centcom) said.    U.S. attacks have widened in recent days. Iran has retaliated with strikes on U.S. outposts in the Gulf countries. Three U.S. service members, two in Jordan and one in Iraq, have been killed in the last three days.    Kuwaiti armed forces said on Monday that its air defense systems were working to intercept incoming Iranian munitions.   The Pentagon confirmed on Monday that nearly 100 U.S. service members have been wounded since July 7, when the hostilities escalated, and 96 percent of them have returned to duty.    The Houthis, an Iranian-backed militant group in Yemen, said they would impose a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, widening the threat to global oil supplies.      Welcome to The Hill’s Defense & National Security newsletter, I’m Filip Timotija — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads  How policy will affect defense and national security now and in the future: Hegseth, Caine testify on Iran supplemental amid escalation: What to know  Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine are set to testify in front of the Senate Tuesday on the White House’s supplemental funding request, days after an escalation in the U.S.-Iran war left three service members dead. Hegseth and Caine along with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rolling will appear before the Senate Appropriations Committee Tuesday at 10 a.m. to defend the administration’s …  Full Story Ret. Gen. Kellogg calls for ground troops in Iran, new negotiating team Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg on Monday called for U.S. ground troops in Iran as well as a new American negotiating team in the conflict. “Look, there’s about five things we ought to be doing right now, because the war has changed right now in Iran. One on negotiations, I would change out our negotiations team,” Kellogg said on Fox News’s “America Reports.” “You do not — have — or need real estate guys to be talking …  Full Story Rising US death count in Iran war drives Trump toward escalation Fears are growing that the deaths of three U.S. servicemembers over a 24-hour period this weekend could push President Trump toward further escalation, even as both sides leave diplomatic doors open.  The servicemembers’ deaths bring the U.S. death toll in the Iran war to 17 since the conflict broke out in March. Since the U.S. military began daily waves of strikes against Iran on July 7, nearly 100 service members in …  Full Story Pentagon confirms nearly 100 service members injured since Iran strikes resumed in July  The Pentagon confirmed on Monday that nearly 100 U.S. service members have sustained injuries since the U.S. military began launching continuous attacks against Iran earlier this month, with 96 percent of them having returned to duty.  “They are determined to get back in the fight,” Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement. “The vast majority of injuries experienced were minor concussions. Further updates …  Full Story In Other News  Branch out with a different read from The Hill: Man arrested after setting off explosive outside NY federal building A man has been arrested after he set off an explosive at a federal building in New York City, the FBI said Monday. At a press conference, FBI New York Field Office Assistant Director James Barnacle said that Andrew Arrabaca was at 26 Federal Plaza’s employee entrance shortly prior to 9:00 a.m. EDT. … Full Story On Tap Tomorrow  Events in and around the defense world:  Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, will testify tomorrow at 10 a.m. ET in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee on the White House's $87 billion supplemental request.  The Arab Center Washington D.C. is hosting a discussion tomorrow at 11 a.m. ET on "Iran War Aftershocks and Reshaping the Regional Order: Assessing the Current State of the US-Iran War."   The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research will hold an in-person event tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. ET on "Subversion and Seduction: A Conversation About China’s Economic Statecraft with Audrye Wong."  What We’re Reading  News we’ve flagged from other outlets: Iran Missile Struck Housing Units for U.S. Troops at Jordan Base, The Wall Street Journal reports.    Inside the Deadly U.S. Airstrike on a Shadow Fleet Tanker, The New York Times reports.    U.S. strikes unlikely to move Iran, intelligence reports say, The Washington Post reports.  Trending Today  Two key stories on The Hill right now: Higher consumption of sweeteners linked to decline in memory Researchers discovered adults who consumed heavier amounts of sweeteners showed a 62% faster decline. Read more Iran: 2 oil tankers in Strait of Hormuz have exploded Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Monday said two “deviant” oil tankers exploded after passing through the Strait … Read more Opinions in The Hill  Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill: Winning before the battle ends What the US needs to know about Iran’s mosaic defense As Putin loses confidence in his military, Ukraine presses harder   You’re all caught up. See you tomorrow!  Check out The Hill's Defense page for the latest coverage. Like this newsletter? Take a moment to view all our topical emails here 📩 Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  400 N. Capitol St. NW Suite 950, Washington, DC 20001 Copyright © 1998 - 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved.

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