EurAsian Times

The US State Department has approved the sale of approximately $1.96 billion in weapons to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s air defense capabilities. “This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a Major non-NATO Ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf Region,” the State Department said in a release.

Junaid Rashid was five when his father disappeared from the Indian army’s custody nearly three decades ago in Jammu and Kashmir. But after years of searching and court battles, a judge in Kashmir declared what Rashid already believed: his father, Abdul Rashid Wani, was dead. It was the first such ruling among thousands of petitions for the disappeared, marking a rare recognition that many other families still don’t have of their loss.

As the United States jostles with Iran to wrest control of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned that it will shut down other export channels used by Washington and its allies. The IRGC said that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the US ends its “acts of aggression” and warned that other regional oil export routes could also become targets.

The US recently received an unexpected rebuff from its closest ally, Israel, as the Israeli Transport Ministry refused to let more American refueling tankers land at the Ben Gurion Airport amid fresh hostilities with Iran.

The US carried out a fresh round of strikes on Iran and renewed a blockade of its ports, while Tehran targeted American allies in the Gulf and vowed the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed “until the US ends its aggression”. Here is the latest news and developments from the US-Iran War. US military completes latest wave of strikes on Iran The US military Central Command said it carried out a new wave of strikes on dozens of military targets in Iran.

Ukraine has outlined plans to acquire up to 16 Rafale fighter jets from France that could provide a substantial boost to its air force. However, the cutting-edge French fighter jets will not be a game-changer against Russia, at least in the near future. French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters on July 13 that France and Ukraine have agreed on a roadmap that will enable Ukraine to acquire 16 Rafale fighter jets, along with a host of other weapon systems.

On the 10th anniversary of the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkey’s foreign policy has come full circle. The coup, which left approximately 250 people dead and more than 2,000 injured, triggered a profound realignment. It accelerated Ankara’s drift away from its traditional allies, particularly the United States, and toward a closer relationship with Russia.

After the US and the UK, France has equipped its cutting-edge Rafale fighter jets with laser-guided rockets for counter-drone roles. The  Directorate General of Armaments (DGA), the French government’s defense procurement and technology department, announced on July 13 that a 68mm laser-guided rocket has been successfully integrated onto the Rafale under the Lutte anti-drone sur avion de combat (LADAC, or anti-drone capability for combat aircraft) initiative.

The Shenyang J-16 is often portrayed by China-based bloggers as a powerful underdog compared to the J-20 and J-10C jets. Interestingly, the jet entered “beast mode,” showcasing its growing offensive capabilities. Ordnance Science and Technology, a popular Chinese military magazine, published an analysis earlier this month along with a photo of a PLAAF (People’s Liberation Army Air Force) J-16 fighter jet with a massive loadout.

Turkish prosecutors ordered the arrest of 968 suspects linked to an organization that Ankara blames for a failed 2016 coup attempt, Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said on Monday. A rogue faction within the military launched a short-lived bid to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government on July 15, 2016. The attempt triggered clashes that killed about 250 people and wounded around 2,000 others.