Ben Wolfgang
Articles by Ben Wolfgang
U.S. drops 5,000-pound bombs on Iranian missile sites near the Strait of Hormuz
U.S. forces used multiple 5,000-pound bombs to strike Iranian missile facilities near the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, Pentagon officials said late Tuesday. Published March 18, 2026
Back to the future: Despite tech advances, age-old ‘continuities of war’ key to U.S.-Iran conflict
The U.S.-Iran war is certainly a modern fight, but many of its overarching themes feel familiar, deeply reminiscent of past Middle East wars and, in some ways, unaffected by massive leaps in military technology. Published March 17, 2026
Anthropic sues Trump administration over Pentagon’s ‘supply chain risk’ designation
Artificial intelligence firm Anthropic sued the Trump administration Monday over its move to designate the company a "supply chain risk" to national security, setting up a high-stakes legal battle that could shape the future of AI use in the military. Published March 9, 2026
‘Dangerous precedent’ for religious freedom: Critics assail Tokyo court’s Unification Church ruling
Prominent U.S. political figures and global religious-freedom advocates assailed an extraordinary ruling from a Tokyo court Wednesday that upheld the dissolution of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, warning that the decision will erode Japan's standing as a champion of religious liberty. Published March 4, 2026
Pentagon insists no ‘regime-change war’ as Iran conflict spreads
Top Trump administration officials pushed back Monday on the notion that the U.S. is rapidly being dragged into another endless war in the Middle East, even as the conflict with Iran widened, the American death toll rose to six, and President Trump predicted the fighting could last at least another month. Published March 2, 2026
Fourth U.S. service member dies from wounds during Iran mission, Pentagon says
A service member died Monday after being wounded during the U.S. military operation against Iran, the Pentagon said, bringing the total number of American deaths so far in the campaign to four. Published March 2, 2026
Kuwait accidentally shoots down three U.S. fighter jets during Iran mission
Three American fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses in a friendly fire incident late Sunday, the Pentagon said. All six service members on the F-15E Strike Eagles ejected safely, were recovered and are in stable condition, according to U.S. Central Command. Published March 2, 2026
During Iran strikes, U.S. forces use one-way attack drones for first time in combat
American forces in the Middle East for the first time in combat used small, cheap, one-way attack drones during Saturday's strikes on Iran, the Pentagon said. Published February 28, 2026
U.S., Israel launch massive attack on Iran; Trump warns of American casualties as Tehran hits back
The U.S. and Israel launched a massive joint military attack early Saturday against Iran, as President Trump urged the Iranian people to "take over your government" and called on members of the Islamic republic's military to immediately surrender or be killed. Published February 28, 2026
Explosions reported near Riyadh, Dubai, Abu Dhabi as Iran launches major counterattack
Iran appears to have launched a major counterattack across the Middle East following a series of U.S. and Israeli strikes, with explosions reported near the Saudi capital of Riyadh, in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and elsewhere in the region. Published February 28, 2026
In extraordinary move, Pentagon designates Anthropic a ‘supply chain risk’ to U.S. national security
The Pentagon is designating artificial intelligence company Anthropic a "supply chain risk" to U.S. national security, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday. Published February 27, 2026
Anthropic rejects Pentagon’s ultimatum over unlimited Claude AI use for military
Leading artificial intelligence company Anthropic rejected an ultimatum Thursday from the Trump administration to open up its AI applications to unlimited use by the U.S. military or risk losing its Pentagon contracts and potentially be labeled a "supply chain risk." Published February 26, 2026
Iran’s nuclear program appears operational, despite Trump’s assertion it was ‘obliterated’
President Trump insists Iran's nuclear program was "obliterated" by last year's U.S. airstrikes. But Steve Witkoff, Mr. Trump's special envoy, said recently the Islamic republic is about a week away from having enough enriched uranium to build a nuclear bomb. Which is it? Published February 25, 2026
Some Americans stuck as violence expands in Mexico after cartel leader killed
The U.S. provided intelligence support to the Mexican military for its operation Sunday that resulted in the death of powerful drug cartel leader Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho," the White House said. Published February 23, 2026
Pentagon official laments some AI companies’ reluctance to fully commit to military’s operations
It is "disheartening" that some cutting-edge tech companies seem reluctant to fully do business with the military and support all of its operations, a key Defense Department official said Tuesday amid an escalating feud between the Pentagon and Silicon Valley firm Anthropic over the reported use of the company's AI tool in recent U.S. Special Forces missions in Venezuela. Published February 17, 2026
Pentagon transports, set to test next-generation mobile nuclear reactor
The Pentagon on Sunday airlifted a next-generation mobile nuclear reactor from California to a facility in Utah, marking a key step forward in what the Trump administration has cast as a cutting-edge plan to deliver reliable energy at military facilities. Published February 15, 2026
Rubio: U.S. will defend, renew Western civilization, ready to ‘do this alone’ if Europe won’t
Key European leaders fired back Sunday after Secretary of State Marco Rubio's blistering speech over the weekend in which he directly tied the shared history and culture of Western nations to their collective security in the 21st century. Published February 15, 2026
‘They have a mystical value’: Why Iran won’t budge on its prized ballistic missiles
Reaching a deal to constrain Iran's nuclear enrichment is an uphill battle. Persuading the Islamic republic to rein in its ballistic missile program could be next to impossible, analysts say, with the weapons having achieved an almost "mystical" reputation among some Iranian military leaders who remember their key role in the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s and now see them as vital to their country's survival. Published February 10, 2026
Defiant Iran says missile program nonnegotiable after meeting with U.S.
Iran's ballistic missile program was never on the table and was not up for negotiation during Friday's high-stakes meeting between Iranian and U.S. officials, the Islamic republic's chief diplomat said over the weekend. Published February 8, 2026
U.S., Russia revive high-level military communications after suspension in 2021
The U.S. and Russia have reestablished a high-level military-to-military dialogue that had been suspended since 2021, the Pentagon said Thursday. Published February 5, 2026
