Philippine military

The United States and the Philippines announced on Thursday an agreement to expand American military presence in the Southeast Asian country, where U.S. forces would be granted access to four more Philippine military camps, effectively giving them new ground to ramp up deterrence against China's increasingly aggressive actions toward Taiwan and in the disputed South China Sea.

Turkey is set to export an armored amphibious combat earthmover, called "Kunduz," to the Philippines in 2021, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Feb. 10.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Nail Kurt, the CEO of Turkish defense firm FNSS, conveyed that the deal was signed between the firm and the Philippine military.

The Philippines said on July 16 it would re-open a former US naval base that was closed more than 20 years ago, stationing its own military hardware at the facility that faces the flashpoint South China Sea.

Israel downed a drone over the occupied Golan Heights on Aug. 31, the army said, amid mounting tension on the U.N.-patrolled armistice line with Syria on the strategic plateau.

Air defences "successfully intercepted an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that breached Israel airspace above the border with Syria," an army statement said.