Japanese and South Korean defense stocks hit record highs amid expectations that European countries will turn to Asia for military equipment after Trump’s threat to withdraw the US security umbrella.

Hanwha Aerospace shares have surged 131% this year, while Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is up 28%, reflecting growing demand for Asian defense firms.

Source: FT

UPDATE: The number of Gazan civilians killed in Israeli attacks rose to 310, Gaza Health Ministry says.

NEW: Israel Hayom, citing security officials, reported that the operation aimed to pressure Hamas into resuming negotiations and securing the release of as many hostages as possible.

NEW: Israel closed the Rafah border crossing to patients. Rafah border crossing was used for the exit of Gazan patients from the strip.

NEW: Izzat al-Risheq, member of Hamas’s political bureau: “Netanyahu’s decision to return to war is a decision to sacrifice the prisoners of the occupation and a death sentence against them.”

“The enemy will not achieve through war and destruction what it has failed to achieve through negotiations.”

NEW: Kiev is concerned that Trump may agree to hand over the port of Odessa to Russian control.

Aides to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed concerns that Mr. Trump might consider accommodating Mr. Putin’s demands for additional parts of Ukraine, potentially including the strategic port of Odesa.

Source: NYT

The Jaguar, a key part of France’s Scorpion modernization program, is facing serious technical and operational issues despite its €5 million per unit cost.

Designed as a next-generation reconnaissance and combat vehicle, it remains non-operational, requiring major fixes.

Key Issues:

• Unstable turret – Poor stabilization makes firing on the move inaccurate.
• Electronic failures – Software and hardware malfunctions raise reliability concerns.
• Power distribution issues – Officers joke: “On the Jaguar, you can’t use the lady’s hairdryer and the gentleman’s electric razor at the same time.”
• No drone defense – Lacks anti-drone capabilities, a major battlefield weakness.
• Climate control failures – Air conditioning is unreliable, impacting crew endurance.

Launched in 2014 with a €5 billion budget, Scorpion aims to modernize France’s armored fleet.

The Jaguar, along with Griffon and Serval, was meant to be its backbone—but its persistent flaws threaten that vision.

Source: Marianne

UPDATE: The number of Gazan civilians killed in Israeli attacks rose to 356, Gaza Health Ministry says.

Al Tabi'in School after the Israeli attack.

The Israeli army announced that it launched a large-scale offensive in the Gaza Strip, especially in the neighbourhoods of Beit Hanoun, Hirbet Huza'a, Abasan al-Kabira and al-Jadidah, and that these areas must be evacuated.

According to the Israeli announcement:

• These areas have been declared dangerous war zones
• Gazans in this area have been asked to move to western Gaza or Khan Younis.

Israeli army carried out attacks in different parts of the West Bank at the same time as the Gaza offensive. Israeli troops raided the town of Beit Ummar, north of Hebron, and made arrests.

This indicates that Israel is preparing for another ground invasion of Gaza.

Israeli officials had indicated that military operations could expand beyond airstrikes.

🇩🇪 Germany’s Bundestag Votes on Historic €500 Billion Investment Plan

Germany’s Bundestag will vote on a €500 billion spending package to boost infrastructure, defense, and climate investments today—requiring a constitutional change to ease the debt brake.

💢 €300B for the federal government
💢 €100B for federal states
💢 €100B for climate protection

The bill needs a two-thirds majority, with the CDU/CSU, SPD, and Greens backing it, while AfD and the Left oppose it.

If passed, the Bundesrat will confirm the decision on March 21.

BIG: Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are withdrawing from the Ottawa convention banning anti-personnel mines.

Quitting the 1997 treaty, which has been ratified or acceded to by more than 160 nations, will allow the countries to start stockpiling landmines again.

Following Türkiye, Finland and Denmark, the US is now officially asking Germany for eggs.

Source: Spiegel

The US and India should enhance their cooperation on security and intelligence-sharing under the administration of President Donald Trump, a top American intelligence official said.

Source: Bloomberg

🇹🇷🇺🇦 On the 11th anniversary of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, Türkiye reaffirmed its stance of non-recognition, calling it a violation of international law.

Turkish MFA emphasized support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and raised concerns over the Crimean Tatars.

NEW: A major explosion has been reported in Mogadishu. A resident near the seaport suspects the blast occurred in that vicinity. The cause of the explosion remains unclear at this time.