Jake Epstein
@byjepstein
Senior defense reporter @businessinsider covering national security and global military issues. Reach out: [email protected].
New: The commander overseeing Operation Aspides told me the EU's counter-Houthi mission doesn't have the warships it needs to fully protect Red Sea shipping lanes. He said the two vessels that were recently attacked didn't ask for an escort in advance. businessinsider.com/europe-doesnt-…
Reports from the Ukrainian monitoring project Deep State Maps is accurate: small Russian sabotage groups did manage to infiltrate Pokrovsk several days ago. As of this writing, it’s confirmed that some groups have reached the outskirts of the town itself and remain there.
Newly aired state media footage showed Russia operating what look to be American-designed Ram pickup trucks with Shahed-style drones ready for launch in the back. businessinsider.com/russia-launchi…
Clarification on the number of additional Patriot systems that will be delivered to Ukraine courtesy of German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius: "Germany will contribute to the urgent delivery of five much-needed Patriot systems as quickly as possible".
Breaking: The Israeli military says it just launched a fresh wave of airstrikes against the Houthis, targeting their weapons, naval vessels, fuel containers, and engineering vehicles at Yemen’s Hudaydah port along the Red Sea.
the president of the United States appears to be recommending that Iran builds a secret, undeclared nuclear enrichment program.
The first half is pretty straightforward--"obliteration," the bombing was effective, he doesn't believe his own intel assessment. The second half is...intriguing.
Most of the M1A1 Abrams tanks pledged by Australia have already been delivered to Ukraine, according to the Australian Defence Ministry. The final batch will arrive in the coming months, completing the total of 49 tanks.
An American version of the Iranian-designed Shahed one-way attack drones that Russia uses in its daily attacks on Ukrainian cities showed up at the Pentagon this week. businessinsider.com/us-has-version…
”NATO must prepare for the possibility that Russia and China could launch wars in Europe and the Pacific simultaneously, with 2027 being a potential flashpoint year” stripes.com/theaters/europ…
"The U.S. Department of Defense has informed the DDPS that the delivery priorities for Patriot systems have been revised to support Ukraine's surface-to-air defense. Switzerland is also affected; it will receive later productions." vbs.admin.ch/fr/newnsb/UTor…
New NATO SACEUR, Gen. Alex Grynkewich, said this morning in Germany on getting Patriots to Ukraine: "Preparations are underway, we're working very closely with the Germans on the Patriot transfer. And the guidance that I've been given has been to move out as quickly as possible."
This is a pretty extensive seizure including anti-ship cruise missiles (C-802 derivatives), anti-ship ballistic missile seekers, surface-to-air missiles, C-UAV missiles (Ghaem 118), cruise missiles engines (Paveh), micro-cruise missiles and one-way attack UAVs (Shahed 107).
Content of of the @nrfyemen seizure of Iranian arms headed to the Houthis. @fab_hinz @CalibreObscura @CovertShores @obretix @bellingcat @Archer83Able @Osint613 @Schizointel @JonHawkes275 @Osinttechnical @sentdefender @OSINTWarfare @TheIntelFrog @taimurkhan @conflictarm.…
Featuring sharp expert commentary from @TheStudyofWar’s @KatStepanenko:
New: Russia has long been packing its Shahed one-way attack drones with highly destructive thermobaric warheads, but Ukrainians dealing with this deadly challenge tell me the threat is getting worse — saying the bombs are bigger and used more frequently. businessinsider.com/russian-drones…
New: Russia has long been packing its Shahed one-way attack drones with highly destructive thermobaric warheads, but Ukrainians dealing with this deadly challenge tell me the threat is getting worse — saying the bombs are bigger and used more frequently. businessinsider.com/russian-drones…
The US military says Yemeni forces intercepted a "massive" Iranian weapons shipment bound for the Houthis, consisting of missiles, warheads, seekers, drone engines, air defense equipment, radar systems, and comms equipment.
Yemeni Partners Successfully Interdict Massive Iranian Weapons Shipment Bound for the Houthis Congratulations to the Yemeni National Resistance Forces (NRF), led by Gen. Tareq Saleh, for the largest seizure of Iranian advanced conventional weapons in their history. The NRF…
Israeli strike against the Syrian Presidential Palace
Breaking: The Israeli military says it just carried out airstrikes at the entrance of Syria’s military headquarters in Damascus. t.me/idfofficial/15…
New: Bogged down by shipbuilding and maintenance woes, the Navy faces an uphill battle to get the fleet ready for a high-end war against China. The top US admiral told me how America plans to maintain its edge and fix long-standing readiness problems. businessinsider.com/how-us-navy-ad…
Exclusive: The US Navy's overreliance on its top missile interceptors is "unsustainable" in high-tempo combat missions, and cheaper air defense alternatives are needed to preserve critical munitions stockpiles, the acting chief of naval operations told me. businessinsider.com/us-navy-relian…
“Volodymyr, can you hit Moscow? . . . Can you hit St Petersburg too?” Trump asked on the call, according to the people. They said Zelenskyy replied: “Absolutely. We can if you give us the weapons.” New, with @ChristopherJM @HenryJFoy: ft.com/content/b66f03…