TEL AVIV, ISRAEL – APRIL 08: An Iranian cluster munition is fired towards Tel Aviv and the surrounding area around 3 AM on April 08, 2026 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Alexi Rosenfeld | Getty Images News | Getty Images Many Middle Eastern countries reported incoming missiles and drones from Iran on Wednesday, triggering air defenses…
This report is from this week’s The Tech Download newsletter. Like what you see? You can subscribe here. Once considered a taboo sector to funnel money into by venture capitalists, defense tech has seen a remarkable shift over the past few years. It raised just $869 million globally in 2020, according to deal-counting platform Dealroom —…
A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle on 16 July 2020. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images The U.S. was searching for the crew of an American fighter jet Friday after it was downed in Iran, a U.S. official told MS NOW. It isn’t clear if the plane was shot down or went down for…
A general view of Tehran with smoke visible in the distance after explosions were reported in the city, on March 2, 2026 in Tehran, Iran. Contributor | Getty Images U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to destroy Iran’s bridges and power plants, saying the “New Regime leadership knows what has to be done, and…
Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.). Nathan Posner | Anadolu | Tom Williams | CQ-Roll Call, Inc | Getty Images Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va., and Adam Schiff, D-Calif., demanded answers on potential insider trading in government in a letter sent Thursday to the head of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the…
US President Donald Trump speaks after he signed an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on March 31, 2026. Brendan Smialowski | AFP | Getty Images President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he expected that U.S. military forces will leave Iran in “two or three weeks.” “We leave…
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth holds a briefing with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, amid the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 19, 2026. Evan Vucci | Reuters A broker for U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sought to make a large investment in…
Guvendemir | E+ | Getty Images The Iran war is redefining modern combat for the U.S. and driving demand for lower-cost tech. It’s the exact situation Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned against a few months ago. “We cannot afford to shoot down cheap drones with $2 million missiles,” Hegseth said in December. “And we ourselves…
Protesters, predominantly Houthi supporters, demonstrate in solidarity with Palestinians, in Sanaa, Yemen on Aug. 1, 2025. Khaled Abdullah | Reuters Yemen’s Houthis launched a missile strike against Israel, the group said Saturday. It was the first time the Tehran-backed militia had intervened in the U.S.-Israeli-led war against Iran, which has entered its second month. “The…
The once-impenetrable Arctic waters have become the latest battleground for sea dominance among military and maritime vessels, as increased activity by both the Chinese and Russian Coast Guard and naval ships in recent months has raised concern in the U.S. The Northwest Passage, a sea route extending north of Canada that connects the Arctic Ocean…
