✈️ 🇺🇸 🇮🇷 As the dust settles following more than five weeks of sustained U.S. combat operations against Iran, we now have the clearest picture yet of the toll taken on American aircraft during Epic Fury. After flying more than 13,000 sorties, the U.S. lost at least 39 aircraft throughout the 39-day operation, with another 10 damaged to various degrees.

America’s drone fleet absorbed the heaviest losses, accounting for more than 60% of total combat attrition. Up to 24 USAF MQ-9A Reaper drones were destroyed, according to the latest reporting from Jim LaPorta and CBS. Five fighters were downed while in the air, four F-15E Strike Eagles and one A-10 Warthog. An F-35A was hit over Iranian airspace, marking the first known combat damage to a 5th-generation fighter, but the pilot made an emergency landing safely. 20% of attrition was due to friendly fire, including three F-15Es shot down over Kuwait, or the deliberate destruction of assets to prevent capture during a combat search and rescue mission in Iranian territory. Some losses, however, will be felt more than others, such as the prized E-3G Sentry that was totally destroyed.

https://www.twz.com/air/operation-epic-fury-u-s-aircraft-losses-visualized

📎 Ian Ellis

🚛 🇮🇪 ⛽️ Ireland is currently experiencing massive protests over the price of fuel jumping over 20% in the last few weeks and the shortages starting to occur.

500 out of around 1200 fuel stations in the Republic of Ireland are set to run dry by the end of the day as protests continue to grow.

There are also rumours that hauliers are planning the same in the UK starting Tuesday 14th April.

📎 Carolina Lion

🔋 🇨🇳 🚢 The world's biggest battery maker across EVs, energy storage and AI data centres, is now electrifying ships. CATL batteries have been deployed in 900 ships, mostly smaller craft which operate close to the Chinese coastline, ports and river systems.

The Chinese group, which controls 37 per cent of the market for EV batteries and 22 per cent for energy storage systems in power grids and data centres, has deployed batteries on about 900 ships, mostly smaller craft operating close to the Chinese coastline, at ports or in rivers.

Electrifying parts of the maritime sector is central to Beijing’s broader goals of decarbonisation and reducing reliance on foreign resources. The International Maritime Organization aims to halve global shipping emissions, which account for 3 per cent of total carbon emissions, by 2050.

Batteries, which are best suited to nearshore operations, are among a suite of alternatives to highly polluting heavy-fuel oil. Chinese companies are also exploring commercialisation of clean fuels such as green methanol, ammonia and hydrogen.

The hunt for alternatives has gained greater urgency after the world’s energy supply chains were rocked by US-Israeli attacks on Iran and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital transport route for oil and gas from the Middle East.

Battery prices have declined sharply over the past two decades, with lithium-ion costs falling 90 per cent since 2010. Cheaper batteries have been fundamental to the boom in EVs.

📎 Financial Times

📢 🇨🇦 ♀️ 'We have to get ready for large-scale conflicts,' says Canada's military chief

As well as being the first woman to lead Canada's armed forces, General Jennie Carignan is also in command as her country pushes to rearm on a scale not seen since the Cold War.

This includes expanding the full-time military, bolstering the number of reservists and attempting to get up to 300,000 civilians to join a "strategic reserve" - a pool of people with some form of training that could be called upon in the event of a major crisis.

"The world has changed," General Carignan told Sky News. "We have to get ready for large-scale conflicts, more conventional, so we need a different military to do that and different capability."

A need to protect vital interests is one reason why Mark Carney's Canadian government is exploring the possibility of joining a multinational force of like-minded nations led by the UK, with a focus on this region as well as the Baltic Sea and North Atlantic.

"I think I'm here today because Canada decided to remove systemic barriers in our military 40 years ago," she said, when asked how she broke through that glass ceiling.

As for the main challenges that she faced along the way, the military chief said: "Perceptions. Perceptions that women are weak, perceptions that you can't be in a combat role and be a mother at the same time.

"I'm sure there will be [more female military chiefs] because it's totally possible and NATO allies are removing systemic barriers as well, and it's only a question of time."

https://news.sky.com/story/we-have-to-get-ready-for-large-scale-conflicts-says-canadas-military-chief-13530556

—❗️🇺🇸/🇮🇷 President Trump:

‘I could take out Iran in one day. One hour.’

@Middle_East_Spectator

🇺🇸 🇨🇳 🇻🇪 Trump: "As far as China's concerned, China can send their ships to us, China can send their ships to Venezuela... we have a lot of overcapacity, and we'll probably sell [oil] for even less money."

📎 Rapid Response 47

🇸🇦 🇶🇦 🇦🇪 Gulf Allies Turn Away From U.S. for Fresh Ammo

Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the U.A.E., some of America’s best customers for weapons systems, now are looking to South Korea, the U.K. and Ukraine to restock defenses against Iranian drones

📎 The Wall Street Journal

🇺🇸 🇮🇷 🇯🇵 The U.S. military has used around 850 Tomahawk missiles in operations against Iran, significantly reducing stockpiles, with replenishment expected to take at least three years. This has begun to affect allied supply, including Japan’s order for around 400 missiles.

Originally scheduled for delivery by March 2028, Washington has informed Tokyo that the timeline will likely be delayed as the U.S. prioritizes rebuilding its own inventory.

https://www.19fortyfive.com/2026/04/the-u-s-fired-850-tomahawk-missiles-at-iran-it-takes-3-years-to-replace-them-japans-order-just-got-delayed-china-is-watching/

📎 Arin Yuni

🇭🇺⚡️- For the first time in 16 years Hungary will have a new Prime Minister as Victor Orban and his party have been kicked out of power.

Orban's party had been one of the only pro-Israel/pro-Russia forces in mainstream European politics. They have now been replaced by the newly formed Tisza party running on a platform of anti immigration, anti corruption, pro EU conservatism.

The Tisza party is teetering on the edge of achieving a supermajority which will allow them to undo all of Orban's reforms.