Finally, someone is talking about the Iraqi shepherd who discovered a secret Israeli military site in Iraq’s desert and was hunted down and killed by Israeli forces, who sent a helicopter after him and opened fire until his vehicle burst into flames. nytimes.com/2026/05/17/world…

Türkiye this week inaugurated its new defense headquarters, the “Ay Yıldız” (Crescent and Star) Joint Headquarters in Ankara. The facility is designed to consolidate military command and control functions under one integrated structure within the Turkish Armed Forces. The concept is broadly comparable in intent to Egypt’s “Octagon” complex in the New Administrative Capital (NAC), which serves as a large-scale centralized headquarters for the Ministry of Defense and Egypt’s broader military command structure. However, the Egyptian facility is significantly larger in scope and scale, forming part of a wider defense command ecosystem rather than a single joint headquarters.

🛰🇪🇬 Timelapse satellite imagery documenting the construction of Egypt's State Strategic Command Center (ESCC) and Ministry of Defense headquarters, "The Octagon", between January 2017 and June 2026.

The Egyptian Armed Forces (EAF) publicly unveiled the 9A83ME transporter-erector-launchers (TELs) of the S-300VM/Antey-2500 long-range air and ballistic missile defense system for the first time during today's official inauguration of the Octagon.

Footage captures President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's motorcade arriving at Egypt's Strategic Command Headquarters, the Octagon, under the escort of two AH-64 Apache attack helicopters during today's official inauguration.

USAF aerial refueling aircraft have also been operating more heavily over the Gulf of Oman in recent days, a shift from previous activity, when only two tankers were typically seen active in the area.

Heightened U.S. Air Force activity has been observed over the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman in recent hours, with at least 10 aerial refueling aircraft currently airborne alongside a USAF E-3G Sentry AWACS.

🇪🇬🇮🇷 Egypt’s Senate speaker attended today’s tribute to Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, who was killed on day one of the war with the U.S. and Israel. This marks the highest-level visit by an Egyptian state official to Tehran in decades.

I'm not a fan of the concept, but it's undeniably a massive complex. The Octagon itself sits inside a much larger military district known as Al Kayyan Al Askari, which houses most of the military facilities relocated from Cairo to the New Administrative Capital (NAC).

Egypt is set to inaugurate the Egyptian State Strategic Command Center (ESSCC), known as the Octagon, in the New Administrative Capital. The Octagon is the headquarters of the Egyptian Armed Forces (EAF) and the main command hub overseeing the entire infrastructure of Egypt.

Iran has exported 50 million barrels of crude oil since the US-imposed blockade was lifted two weeks ago. This equates to 1.66 million barrels per day for June 2026. Most other countries in the region are still nowhere near pre-war levels. #OOTT #IranWar #Tankers

Egyptian Buk-M2E (9K317E) mobile medium-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system.

Egyptian Air Defense Forces (EADFF) also demonstrated Russian-made Repellent-1, a mobile electronic warfare (EW) and counter-UAS system.

A lot of Israeli Air Force ISR activity has been observed in recent days along the Mediterranean coastline, as well as over northern and central Israel.

An Israeli Air Force Gulfstream G550 Nachshon Oron (tail number 452) spy aircraft is currently conducting an extensive ISR mission off the coasts of Egypt and the Gaza Strip.

Thales Ground Master GM400 long-range 3D early warning surveillance radar operating alongside BAE Systems Commander SL radars,

Hensoldt Twinvis advanced passive radar system was also demonstrated alongside the IRIS-T SLM.

Egypt's military demonstrated the IRIS-T SLM medium-range air defense system integrated with the Guardian high-powered electromagnetic (HPEM) weapon system.

Interesting iraq conducted raids in the green zone hours before iran fm visit to iraq

Those politicians arrested in the campaign include MP Mohammed Al-Karbouli, MP Bahaa Al-Din Nouri, MP Hassan Al-Khafaji, MP Ziad Al-Janabi, MP Alia Nassif, Mohammed Al-Sayyhoud, Alaa Sukkar, Ibrahim Al-Sumaidi, Farhan Al-Qartousi, Mudhar Al-Karawi, and MP Muthanna Al-Samarrai.

A strange series of events unfolded in Iraq before dawn today as Iraqi security forces, SOF, army forces deployed major reinforcements into Baghdad's Green Zone, then launched a broad arrest campaign targeting politicians, lawmakers, and businessmen over alleged corruption.