The United States has approved the potential $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets and related defense equipment to Saudi Arabia, in a major proposed expansion of the kingdom’s access to advanced U.S. military technology.
U.S. drone maker Powerus has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Pakistan Army that includes an initial drone order, as the company explores expanding its technology and manufacturing activities in Pakistan.
Pakistan Army spokesperson Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry says the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye is purely defensive and contains no offensive or regional expansionist agenda. He says operational details of the pact’s defence commitments will remain confidential.
Saudi Arabia has announced the discovery of an estimated 110 million tonnes of uranium-bearing ore in the Madinah region, with the deposits also containing rare-earth minerals. The discovery was announced by Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman during the IAEA General Conference in Vienna.
Iran’s nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami was barred from attending the IAEA’s annual conference in Vienna after the United States pressured Austria to deny him entry, citing UN travel restrictions and sanctions.
BRICS leaders have called for maximum restraint amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, urging all parties to avoid actions that could worsen the conflict. The group also backed a Gaza ceasefire, full UN membership for Palestine, a two-state solution and protection of peaceful nuclear facilities.
London police have arrested a 60-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman suspected of assisting an Iranian intelligence service. The suspects were arrested under the National Security Act and later released on strict bail conditions pending further investigation.
The U.S. State Department has approved a $5 billion military equipment sale to Saudi Arabia, including guidance systems for thousands of bombs and long-range missiles. Washington said the deal would strengthen Saudi Arabia’s air-defense capabilities and contribute to stability and economic development in the Gulf.
Pakistan’s federal government has appointed Major General Faisal Naseer as National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) for a three-year term. Naseer, a former head of the ISI’s Internal Wing, takes charge as Pakistan faces rising militant violence, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
