Defence & Security
The armed forces, defence spending and national security, from Ministry of Defence announcements and statements made to Parliament.
Defence Committee: Royal Navy short of anti-submarine frigates for Arctic
The Defence Committee’s report on the High North also says the UK has let its under-ice submarine capability lapse.
UK summons Iran’s ambassador, sanctions IRGC counterespionage head
Ruhollah Bazghandi and Shahram Ali Reza Tamarzadeh Jakki face an asset freeze, a travel ban and director disqualification.
Riyadh airport attacked again a day after deadly strike
The Foreign Office has extended its warning against non-essential travel to cover every Saudi airport except Medina.
Royal Navy member, 24, charged under National Security Act
The charges cover conduct between 26 November 2024 and 21 May 2025, and the Metropolitan Police said they are not connected to the RAF Fairford investigation.
British man, 22, arrested in RAF Fairford terror investigation
Counter Terrorism Policing said it was working “around the clock, and at pace” to identify the motivation behind events in Gloucestershire.
UAE: Flydubai co-pilot attacked captain with crash axe in attempted ‘terrorist act’
Flydubai said it has temporarily suspended flights to Tel Aviv at the request of the authorities.
Putin: All weapons ‘on the agenda’ for Kaliningrad
Putin said the warning was a response to Western talk of a Russian attack on Europe by 2029 or 2030, not a threat of Moscow’s own making.
RAF Fairford: arrested man is dual UK-Iranian national
Counter Terrorism Policing said the 25-year-old was held in Westminster on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts — the sixth person held in the investigation into the…
Netanyahu: Flydubai pilot stabbed co-pilot and tried to crash jet near Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said passengers and crew overpowered the attacker before the aircraft made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
MI5: More than 100 academics linked to Chinese spy-tied institute
The Security Service named the China General Technology Research Institute and said its primary purpose is to fund research that directly improves China’s Ministry of…
Healey: Clyde submarine base to get three new floating docks
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the scheme would modernise HM Naval Base Clyde “for decades to come” as part of efforts to strengthen Britain’s sovereign defence…
Five arrested and homes evacuated near RAF Fairford in ‘major incident’
Gloucestershire Police said army bomb disposal specialists examined three vehicles that had approached the airbase, which is used by the US, before dawn on 27 September.
Trump: Iran’s seven-day Hormuz deal ‘would not be acceptable’
Before speaking to reporters, the US president had posted on Truth Social an image of the strait labelled “Trump Strait”.
Zelensky: For Russia, ‘all ordinary life is simply a target’
Russia’s defence ministry said in two statements that it had hit data centres in Kyiv working for Ukraine’s armed forces.
Hormuz could reopen in seven days under Iran’s plan
Iran’s foreign minister said Tehran did not accept coercion, threats or intimidation and would not surrender its sovereign rights under pressure.
Netanyahu at UN: ‘Israel prevented genocide’ as delegates walk out
Türkiye’s delegate later told the assembly that the walkout was a “resounding diplomatic condemnation” of Netanyahu’s policies.
Burnham sends RAF aircraft to refuel Saudi jets
The refuelling agreement is “time-limited” and will be kept under review, Burnham said, without setting out how long the support would last.
UK military families to get say over home repairs
A pilot will give service families a role in signing off repairs, and a Red Tape Challenge will ask them to identify outdated rules, the Ministry of Defence said.
UK and Maldives reaffirm commitment to Indian Ocean security
At their third Strategic Dialogue, held in London on 17 September 2026, senior officials discussed defence cooperation, maritime security, counterterrorism and…
Moscow hit by largest drone attack yet, mayor says
Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said more than 1,600 drones were shot down, 450 of them on the approach to Moscow, as Russia’s defence ministry reported destroying nearly 2,000…
Denmark, Greenland and US sign ‘permanent’ Arctic security deal
The deal, which updates a defence arrangement dating back to 1951, is designed to be permanent and has no set end date, according to its text.
