Lloyd Austin

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun via video teleconference Tuesday, in the first substantive talks between the superpowers' defense chiefs in nearly 18 months.

President Joe Biden on Saturday lauded American forces who helped Israel down "nearly all" of the drones and missiles fired by Iran and vowed to coordinate a global response to Tehran's unprecedented attack. And the Pentagon said its forces intercepted "dozens of missiles" and drones launched from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen that were headed toward Israel.

Germany has vehemently refuted accusations of aiding in genocide in Gaza, as presented in a lawsuit brought before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) by Nicaragua. Tania von Uslar-Gleichen, legal adviser for the German Foreign Ministry, dismissed Nicaragua's claims as rushed and lacking substantial evidence during proceedings at the ICJ.

Amid ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, negotiations aimed at securing a ceasefire brokered by Qatar have hit a roadblock, with Israeli negotiators withdrawing from talks in Doha. The move comes as Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant meets with US officials, underlining the complex diplomatic landscape surrounding the conflict.

In a show of solidarity with Ukraine, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin affirmed today that the United States stands firm in its commitment to bolster Ukraine's defenses, despite ongoing aid obstacles and ammunition shortages, as reported by AFP.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin promised Tuesday that the United States will not let Ukraine fail, even as further aid remains stalled in Congress and Kiev's forces face shortages of munitions.

During a House Armed Services Committee hearing, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin delivered a stark message, asserting that if Ukraine were to lose its battle against Russia, NATO forces would engage in combat against Moscow. Austin's remarks came amidst tensions spurred by French President Emmanuel Macron's suggestion of potential Western military deployment to Ukraine.

American and British forces carried out a fresh wave of strikes Saturday against 18 Huthi targets in Yemen, following weeks of unrelenting attacks on Red Sea shipping by the Iran-backed rebels.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who is fighting prostate cancer, transferred his duties to his deputy hours after he was taken to hospital for "an emergent bladder issue," a spokesman said Sunday.

The joint air raids in Yemen come a day after a separate wave of unilateral American strikes against Iran-linked targets in Iraq and Syria that were carried out in response to the killing of three U.S. soldiers in Jordan on Jan. 28.