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Defence
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Defence. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Smoke and fire rise near the South Pars gas field following an attack amid the US-Israeli war on Iran, on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters
US, Israel war on Iran

Iran war nears 3-front tipping point as Gulf energy hubs burn

Israeli strikes on the world’s largest gas field and Iranian attacks on Saudi and Qatari hubs threaten a global energy crisis.

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US-China relations

US claims China manipulating its position at UN to undermine America’s interests

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US, Israel war on Iran

UK allows US to use its bases to strike Iran missile sites targeting Hormuz

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US, Israel war on Iran

Trump calls Nato ‘cowards’ over lack of support in Iran war, sends more troops

Iran is threatening tourist sites worldwide, renewing fears that Tehran could resort to militant attacks beyond the Middle East.

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US President Donald Trump complained Nato countries did not ‌want to join the fight against Iran, yet still complain about high oil prices. Photo: AFP
Japan

Trump’s Pearl Harbour joke falls flat in Japan over his ‘disrespectful remarks’

As Japan faces pressure over the Iran war, some observers commend Takaichi for steering her meeting with Trump towards trade deals.

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Pakistan

Is Pakistan building ICBMs? Non-proliferation experts dispute US warning

US fears of Pakistani ICBMs targeting America are overstated as Islamabad’s missile programme remains regional, observers say.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Opinion | Iran war revives pandemic-era shocks – and may go further

As war in Iran quickly reshapes energy flows, trade routes and political alignments, the crisis may mark the start of a more volatile new phase.

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A delivery bike motors along a highway as a FlyDubai aircraft prepares to land while smoke rises from a fire near Dubai International Airport on March 16. Photo: AFP
United States

Trump compares Iran attack to Pearl Harbour in otherwise positive Takaichi talks

Two leaders tout bilateral relationship and pledge to work cooperatively on trade.

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Science

Liu Guozhi, once top PLA scientist, wiped off Chinese Academy of Sciences site

High-power microwave weapon expert was elected to the nation’s top scientific body in 2009.

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The Philippines

Beyond ‘lip service’: Philippines urged to act on air defence gaps

The Iran war has underscored the need for robust air systems and Manila should look to build a layered defence architecture, experts say.

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The Philippine Air Force’s SPYDER system is designed to counter aircraft, drones and missiles. Photo: Philippine Air Force
Japan

Russian hypersonic jets buzz Japan’s coast in ‘thinly veiled threat’

The exercises send a message that Tokyo should avoid antagonising Moscow or risk ‘repercussions’, observers say.

Footage of a Russian fighter jet carrying Kinzhal hypersonic missiles conducting exercises over the Sea of Japan, or East Sea. Photo: Handout
US-China relations

US says mainland China has no plans to attack Taiwan in 2027

Beijing seeks to control the island without the use of force, the US intelligence community confirms in its annual report on global threats.

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Ukraine war

Zelensky urges EU to bypass Hungarian veto on vital US$103 billion loan

Putin ally Viktor Orban has been blocking the loan, in part because of a closed pipeline supplying his country with Russian oil in Ukraine.

US, Israel war on Iran

Iranian intelligence minister Esmail Khatib ‘eliminated’: Israel’s Katz

Khatib is the third top Iranian official to be killed in two days as Israel authorises military to shoot on sight.

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Iranian intelligence minister Esmail Khatib attends the inauguration ceremony of the sixth Assembly of Experts in Tehran on May 21, 2024. Photo: AP
Ukraine war

Ukraine’s Zelensky warns of ‘brothers in hatred’ as Iran war steals focus

Ukrainian leader visits London as the Middle East conflict overshadows the four-year war against Russia.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte at 10 Downing Street in London. Photo: Reuters
Drones

China leads world in anti-drone patent race with US far behind, law firm finds

Patent filings for anti-drone technology surged 27 per cent last year amid rising global security concerns, says Mathys & Squire.

US, Israel war on Iran

US military’s Iran war pivot forces security rethink in Asia-Pacific

As assets are diverted to the Gulf, the Iran war’s high ‘burn rate’ risks creating a ‘thin spot’ in the US security umbrella.

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Japan

Japan identifies 1,500 new missile shelters as ‘front line’ fears grow

Underground car parks and subways are being repurposed as Tokyo warns of the most severe security threat since the second world war.

Japan has confirmed 1,489 sites – including subway stations and underground car parks – as being suitable for providing short-term protection in the event of an attack. Photo: Shutterstock
Science

How China gets more bang for its military buck than the US

The country’s military modernisation integrates civilian scientific and industrial capabilities into defence innovation allowing rapid development.

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US-China relations

Beijing on Iran war, Trump trade plan, new AI arena: 7 US-China relations reads

From a new US maritime strategy to the Iran crisis, here are highlights from SCMP’s overseas correspondents in the first half of March 2026.

European Union

Opinion | Europe says it must rearm – but to what end?

Beneath the rhetoric of defending democracy, a more uncomfortable reality drives the rearmament push: the fraying of the transatlantic bond.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Middle East

Opinion | How US-Israel war on Iran rocks foundations of the Abraham Accords

For Arab states, the conflict has revealed a paradox: the alliances meant to enhance their security may also have increased their vulnerability.

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Smoke rises from a warehouse in the industrial area of Sharjah city in the United Arab Emirates on March 1 following reports of Iranian strikes. Photo: AP
China's military weapons

How are military helicopters evolving to adapt to the age of drone warfare?

Armed forces such as the US and China are increasingly arming themselves with UAVs, but analysts believe crewed aircraft still have a role.

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US-China relations

The US is shifting THAAD to the Middle East. What does that mean for China?

Analysts warn of a regional capability gap in the wake of US redeployment of anti-missile system to the Middle East.

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North Korea

North Korea launches 10 missiles as South Korea, US conduct military exercises

North Korean leader’s sister Kim Yo-jong has slammed both countries for proceeding with the drills at a perilous time in global security.

North Korea’s Choe Hyon destroyer test-fires strategic cruise missiles in the Yellow Sea on Tuesday. Photo: Yonhap/dpa
US, Israel war on Iran

More than 2,000 Marines leave Japan for Middle East as Iran war intensifies

Trump has ordered the Okinawa-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and Tripoli assault ship to be redeployed to the Persian Gulf.

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US Marines take part in amphibious assault training as part of the Cobra Gold joint military exercise in Thailand on February 26. Photo: EPA
North Korea

Trump tells South Korea he is only leader who can break North Korean deadlock

Trump was interested to know if North Korea’s Kim Jong-un would be open to meeting him, South Korean prime minister said.

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China's military weapons

China announces AI boost to radar as drone swarms confound detectors in Iran war

Technology allows radar to observe moving targets from multiple angles, gain dynamic information – and even identify potential decoy drones.

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