🇺🇸⚡️ — The U.S. Navy has awarded $76.6 billion in contracts to General Dynamics Electric Boat and HII's Newport News Shipbuilding to expand shipyard capacity and continue production of Virginia-class attack submarines and Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines, Axios reports.

The contracts are expected to strengthen the U.S. submarine industrial base, support the AUKUS security partnership, and modernize the country's sea-based nuclear deterrent.

The Navy has already contracted seven Columbia-class submarines, with the lead boat, USS District of Columbia, reported to be 66% complete earlier this year.

🇺🇸⚡️ — Senior Pentagon officials are privately urging Senate Republicans to support a future reconciliation package that would include a major increase in defense spending, according to Axios.

During a closed-door briefing, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and senior Pentagon officials outlined global security threats, emphasizing China, the need to rebuild U.S. munitions stockpiles depleted by the wars involving Iran and Ukraine, and increased investment in artificial intelligence to maintain America's military edge. Democrats were not invited to the briefing.

The Trump administration is already looking beyond the current reconciliation effort and is discussing a potential lame-duck package that could pair substantial Pentagon funding with other priorities, including a debt ceiling increase expected to be needed in 2027.

🇮🇱🇱🇧⚡️ — Two Israeli soldiers were killed and seven others were wounded after an explosion inside a booby-trapped building in Majdal Zoun, southern Lebanon, according to Israeli media.

The casualties were evacuated to Rambam Hospital in Haifa.

🇲🇦⚽️ — FIFA President Gianni Infantino will hold a crisis meeting with senior FIFA officials in Morocco today as he seeks to shore up support following the collapse of his proposal to sell a 20% stake in FIFA's World Cup commercial rights business to private investors for $4.2 billion, Reuters reports.

He is now working to consolidate backing ahead of FIFA's presidential election in March 2027.

While he continues to retain support from some confederations and member associations, growing opposition from Europe and parts of Asia and North America has made what was once expected to be a straightforward reelection campaign increasingly uncertain.

🇷🇺❌🇺🇦 — Russia's Ministry of Defence released footage of Geran-4 jet-powered drone strikes on three cargo ships in the western Black Sea.

The Russian MoD alleges the vessels were transporting equipment intended for the Ukrainian military.

🇯🇵🇺🇸⚡️ — Japan is considering integrating U.S.-developed AI systems into the Japan Self-Defense Forces to accelerate military decision-making and deepen interoperability with U.S. forces, according to Nikkei Asia.

The systems under consideration include Palantir's Maven Smart System (MSS) and Anduril's Lattice, which are designed to analyze battlefield data, coordinate sensors, support missile defense, and improve command and control.

To reduce dependence on foreign technology, Tokyo is also exploring a Japanese AI "command center," potentially built around Sakana AI's Fugu model, to coordinate multiple AI platforms while keeping critical infrastructure and data processing within Japan.

The initiative is expected to form part of Japan's updated national security strategy later this year.

🇩🇪🇷🇺🇺🇦⚡️ — Several security sources indicated that Russian actors are considered the most likely suspects behind the failed drone incident currently under investigation at Leipzig/Halle Airport, according to RND.

At the time of the incident, four Ukrainian Antonov cargo aircraft were parked nearby.

Investigators are examining whether the intended target may have been NATO, the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr), or Ukraine's logistics operations.

🇾🇪⚡️ — A commercial vessel has sunk after being attacked by an uncrewed surface vessel (USV) approximately 9 nautical miles southwest of Al Mukha, Yemen, yesterday.

The attack sparked a fire on board before the vessel eventually sank. All crew members were rescued by local authorities and are safe.

It is most likely the Indian cargo vessel that we reported on yesterday.

🇨🇳🇺🇸⚡️ — China has announced a series of retaliatory economic measures against the U.S., including export controls on drones destined for the U.S. and a ban on dealings with six American entities.

Beijing said the measures respond to recent U.S. actions, including the FCC's ban on imports of Chinese drones and the Department of Homeland Security's addition of 43 Chinese companies to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act entity list.

🇩🇪⚡️ — German authorities safely neutralized the drone found at Leipzig/Halle Airport after determining its detonator was defective, preventing the attached explosive device from detonating.

In a separate incident overnight, a DHL cargo aircraft struck an unidentified object, possibly a drone, and landed safely with minor damage.

Authorities are investigating whether the two incidents are connected.

🇩🇪🇺🇦⚡️ — A late-night sightseeing tour at Leipzig/Halle Airport led to the discovery of the explosive-laden drone near the Ukrainian Antonov aircraft, according to ZEIT.

Shortly before midnight, a tour bus carrying visitors spotted a quadcopter hovering close to the parked aircraft. The tour guide exited the bus, pushed the unauthorized drone to the ground, and reported the airspace violation.

A subsequent inspection found that the drone was carrying an improvised explosive device (IED), triggering the major security response.

🇮🇱❌🇱🇧 — The Israeli military has issued an evacuation warning for residents of Al-Mansouri in southern Lebanon, claiming that Hezbollah has violated the ceasefire and announcing plans to carry out strikes in the area.

The IDF instructed civilians to move at least one kilometer north of the village to open areas until further notice.

🇺🇸🇮🇷⚡️ — A Gulf official told CNN there is a "50:50" chance the U.S. and Iran will reach a provisional deal on Friday.

The official said the Iranian delegation does not include representatives of the IRGC, which would ultimately need to approve the details of any provisional agreement.