Defense Briefing

Yemeni Houthis have officially declared military entry on the side of Iran against the US and Israel, threatening to block the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb, through which 10% of global maritime oil is transported. Reuters confirms initial Houthi rocket attacks on Israel. The expansion of the conflict to another belligerent significantly increases the risk of massive energy price escalation and supply chain disruption.

After one month of war, Iranian authorities report nearly 2,000 deaths across over 200 cities; US-Israeli strikes recently hit a water supply facility in Khuzestan and universities in Tehran. The IRGC declared US and Israeli universities in the region legitimate targets. Former US Defense Secretary Panetta sees 'no clear path to end this war'.

Germany is rapidly expanding its armed forces and emerging as Europe's central military power, driven by growing concerns about a Russian attack on NATO by 2029. This structural shift coincides with the NATO report on 20% higher defense spending by European allies in 2025. For the defense and security industry, this means a historic demand boom.

A British parliamentary report calls on the UK and European allies to develop concrete plans for a reduced US role in a European defense crisis. This follows an IO study showing: US withdrawal threats weaken NATO's hold on Europeans, but significantly increase the desire for national security autonomy. Pressure for an independent European defense architecture thus reaches a new political level.

Ukrainian forces have liberated over 400 km² in the Oleksandrivka and Hulyaipole directions since late January 2026, according to ISW – a significant territorial gain despite Russia's spring offensive. Simultaneously, the Pentagon is reviewing the diversion of Ukraine-bound weapons, including NATO-procured air defense missiles, to the Middle East. This decision could significantly weaken Ukrainian defensive capability at a critical moment.