Middle East Escalation: The U.S. military launched another round of strikes against Iran, targeting “multiple targets” and warning Tehran it will “pay the price,” as attacks around U.S. troop host states tested a ceasefire. Venezuela Security Crackdown: Venezuelan forces launched a major operation in the gold-rich Orinoco Mining Arc to dismantle illegal armed mining groups, using troops, helicopters, and drones. UK Arms-Industry Protest Sentences: A London judge sentenced four Palestine Action activists to prison for a raid on Elbit Systems in Bristol, calling the attack a “terrorist connection” tied to disrupting UK weapons production. UK Defence Funding Turmoil: Reporting says Starmer’s welfare cuts were off the table for defence spending, while resignations around the Defence Investment Plan keep pressure on the government. AI for Defence Cybersecurity: Anthropic announced a $15M cyber defense program for state, local, tribal and territorial governments, offering Claude credits and training to close security gaps. Ukraine Defence Industrial Push: Ukraine’s gunsmiths’ chief says the sector now includes 1,000+ private firms and 2,000+ startups, with nearly 20 European joint-production agreements and a push for “national champions.” Poland F-35 Expansion: Poland inducted its first F-35A jets and signaled plans to buy two more squadrons, supported by a new $4B U.S. loan for purchases. Space & Defence Industry: SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 with Starlink satellites ahead of its record IPO, while SkyFall and Airbus signed an air-defense partnership memorandum to integrate interceptor drones with Airbus air C2. Sanctions & Business Risk: WuXi AppTec sued the U.S. Defense Department over its “Chinese military company” designation, challenging the blacklist move.