Iran’s atomic agency says an airstrike has hit near its Bushehr nuclear facility, killing a security guard and damaging a support building. It is the fourth time the facility has been targeted during the war. The agency announced Saturday's attack on social media.
UFOs have intrigued people for decades, with sightings and investigations dating back to the first widely reported one in 1947. That year, pilot Kenneth Arnold reported seeing flying objects near Mount Rainier, sparking widespread interest. The U.S. Air Force launched Project Sign in 1948, later known as Project Blue Book, to investigate UFOs. Hollywood joined the conversation with films like "The Flying Saucer" in 1950. In 1969, the Air Force concluded there was no evidence of extraterrestrial threats. Recent years have seen renewed interest, with the Pentagon forming a task force in 2020 to study unidentified aerial phenomena. The debate continues, with no definitive evidence of alien life.
One crew member has been recued after an American aircraft was shot down in Iran. That’s according to one U.S. and one Israeli official, who both spoke on condition of anonymity to describe sensitive ongoing military operations. The rescue occurred as the U.S. military was conducting a search and rescue operation, according to three people familiar who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitivity of the situation. Israel is helping the United States with the operation. The number of crew on board wasn’t immediately known. It would be the first time the U.S. has lost aircraft in Iranian territory during the five-week war.
President Donald Trump has proposed boosting defense spending to $1.5 trillion in his 2027 budget released Friday, the largest such request in decades, reflecting his emphasis on U.S. military investments over domestic programs. The sizable increase for the Pentagon, some 44%, had been telegraphed by the Republican president even before the U.S.-led war against Iran. The president’s plan would also reduce spending on non-defense programs by 10%. The massive document typically highlights an administration’s priorities, but Congress, which handles federal spending issues, is free to reject it and often does.
Two U.S. military planes were shot down in separate incidents on Friday, escalating tensions in the ongoing conflict. One fighter jet was shot down in Iran. A U.S. crew member was rescued, but another remains missing. Separately, Iranian state media reported a U.S. A-10 attack aircraft crashed into the Persian Gulf. The incidents occurred as Iran launched attacks across the Middle East, targeting Gulf energy infrastructure and the Strait of Hormuz. This has disrupted global oil markets and increased economic pressures. The U.N. Security Council is expected to address the situation.
The U.S. Army’s top uniformed officer has been asked to step down by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Pentagon officials have not given a reason for Gen. Randy George's departure during the Iran war. George is the latest of more than a dozen firings of top U.S. generals and admirals. Iran has fired more missiles at Israel and Gulf Arab states. An Iranian military spokesperson said Thursday that Tehran maintains hidden stockpiles of arms, munitions and production facilities. Israel has launched a ground invasion in Lebanon against Iran-backed Hezbollah militants. Lebanon's Health Ministry says Israeli strikes have killed 27 people in a single day.
