Royal United Services Institute

In February 2026, the United States and Israel initiated a war against Iran in the Middle East, leading to ongoing conflict, a fragile ceasefire, and the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz. Open hostilities resumed in July 2026, while the Houthis in Yemen have threatened Saudi shipping through Bab al-Mandab. A webinar by War on the Rocks and the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) discusses the implications for free navigation.

Israel's first Consul General in Dubai reflects on the enduring ties between Israel and the UAE despite regional tensions, emphasizing the UAE's leadership culture and the Abraham Accords' resilience. The article highlights the diplomatic achievements and the potential for expanded regional cooperation.

China is constructing an 885-foot naval replenishment ship to support carrier groups far from home, expanding its global logistics network with bases in Cambodia, Africa, and the Middle East, and leveraging its industrial capacity to mass-produce advanced military assets like the J-20 stealth fighter and nuclear-powered submarines.

Attention has returned to three islands in the Strait of Hormuz, controlled by Iran since 1971 but claimed by the UAE, as US-Iran peace talks show little progress. The US has recently targeted these islands, and a security expert highlights their strategic significance for reshaping regional security with limited diplomatic cost.

The UK's AI-powered ASGARD system has reduced war planning cycles at the corps level from 72 hours to one hour, according to Gen. Roly Walker. The system enables a corps to target 10 times as many targets daily and processes battlefield data for command decisions.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth criticized NATO allies for not doing enough in defense, despite European nations already advancing security priorities like increased defense spending and military modernization. The Pentagon's review of allies' performance, which ties U.S. military presence to their cooperation, has been criticized as undermining NATO solidarity.

UK Defense Secretary John Healey resigned over disagreements with Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government regarding military spending and the delayed Defense Investment Plan (DIP). The dispute centers on unmet NATO defense spending commitments, particularly ahead of a high-stakes summit with President Donald Trump.

The Chief of the Defence Staff, Richard Knighton, wrote to the Prime Minister in an unusual move, as hopes for a major announcement this week were dashed. Knighton was speaking at the Royal United Services Institute in London.

Russia is using GPS spoofing to misdirect Ukrainian strike drones into NATO airspace, causing incidents like a drone strike on a Romanian apartment block and a Latvian oil depot explosion. Lithuania reported increased Russian spoofing transmitters near Kaliningrad, disrupting drone navigation and forcing NATO countries to scramble jets. NATO has condemned the attacks but has not retaliated.

The UK's GCHQ director stated nearly 500,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine since 2022, a figure exceeding American WWII losses. Ukraine's General Staff reports daily Russian casualties of 1,000 killed and wounded, with Western officials noting Ukraine's growing battlefield advantage.

A new report by the Royal United Services Institute warns that granting outsiders access to inspect powerful AI models is creating new security risks, including theft, tampering, and exploitation. The report highlights inconsistent standards, vague terminology, and weak access controls in the rapidly expanding system of third-party AI evaluations. This poses significant risks, particularly when evaluating systems related to cyberattacks or chemical and biological weapon development.