https://www.scmp.com/rss/522008/feed US Navy: The maritime warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces, headquartered at The Pentagon, Virginia. The US Navy is dedicated to maintaining combat-ready naval forces, deterring aggression, and ensuring global freedom of the seas. Its main areas of focus include sea control, power projection, maritime security, naval aviation, research, and special operations. Recognised as the world’s most powerful navy, it has made significant contributions to technological advancements,... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Mark Magnier Mark Magnier In the latest cycle of threats and concessions that have marked US President Donald Trump’s approach to the war that he and his Israeli counterpart started against Iran, the mercurial leader said on Thursday he would destroy any boat attempting to lay mines in the blocked Strait of Hormuz. His focus on diminutive vessels followed his oft-repeated messaging that Iran’s larger naval vessels no longer exist as he renewed his effort to muscle Tehran’s frustratingly resilient regime to concede... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3351209/trump-says-navy-will-shoot-and-kill-boats-laying-mines-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3351209/trump-says-navy-will-shoot-and-kill-boats-laying-mines-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:15:37 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US Secretary of the Navy John Phelan is leaving his job, the Pentagon abruptly announced on Wednesday, the first head of a military service to depart during US President Donald Trump’s second term but just the latest top defence leader to step down or be ousted. No reason was given for the unexpected departure of the US Navy’s top civilian official, coming as the sea service has imposed a blockade of Iranian ports and was targeting ships linked to Tehran around the world during a tenuous... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351061/trumps-top-navy-official-out-us-still-locked-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351061/trumps-top-navy-official-out-us-still-locked-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 22:21:41 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang US President Donald Trump’s long-standing obsession with sea power was underscored by his pledge to rebuild the US Navy into what he called a “Golden Fleet” as he returned to the White House. His financial year 2027 budget released on April 3 puts a price tag on the ambition: US$65.8 billion for 34 warships, including initial funding for a next-generation battleship he wants to name after himself, part of the largest US$1.5 trillion defence-spending request in history. But analysts say the... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3350866/trumps-military-push-confronts-us-lawmakers-and-chinas-shipbuilding-edge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3350866/trumps-military-push-confronts-us-lawmakers-and-chinas-shipbuilding-edge?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:00:09 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang As the clock ticks down to the end of a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, all eyes are on whether they can return to the negotiating table in Pakistan, while the stand-off in the Strait of Hormuz continues. These are the main takeaways from what happened overnight. What did Trump say? US President Donald Trump defended his war against Iran in a series of social media posts. He said he would not lift the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz “until there is a ‘DEAL’”. “I read the Fake News... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350798/trump-iran-and-strait-hormuz-heres-what-happened-overnight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350798/trump-iran-and-strait-hormuz-heres-what-happened-overnight?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:40:33 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang An oil tanker sailing under the flag of Hong Kong has passed through the Strait of Hormuz and entered the Gulf of Oman, as a US blockade continues to target vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports, according to a maritime data firm. The tanker, AVA 6, departed from a port in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, Beijing time. It passed through the Strait of Hormuz sometime between 4am and 2pm on Thursday, according to data from Mingkun Technology, a Chinese maritime information provider based... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3350423/hong-kong-flagged-oil-tanker-passes-through-strait-hormuz-test-us-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3350423/hong-kong-flagged-oil-tanker-passes-through-strait-hormuz-test-us-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 06:29:35 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang US military leaders painted a picture of Chinese military threats, spanning Taiwan and space, as they briefed Congress on the military readiness for the financial year 2027 on Wednesday. The People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) “invasion rehearsals and live-fire exercises near Taiwan and around the region” had illustrated “the need for combat-ready naval forces in the Indo-Pacific”, according to James Kilby, vice chief of Naval Operations. “[The US Navy therefore] remains committed to partnering and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350232/china-threat-used-convince-congress-need-bolster-us-military-capabilities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350232/china-threat-used-convince-congress-need-bolster-us-military-capabilities?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:08:57 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The US military said on Tuesday that four people had been killed in a strike on another alleged drug-trafficking boat, the fourth such deadly attack in as many days. US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said in a post on X that the strike – just as the previous three – occurred in the eastern Pacific Ocean. It posted aerial video on social media showing a vessel bobbing in the water before being struck by a projectile and exploding. The four new fatalities raise the total death toll of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350107/us-military-says-4-killed-fourth-drug-boat-strike-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350107/us-military-says-4-killed-fourth-drug-boat-strike-week?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 02:13:44 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Lucy Quaggin,Dewey Sim,Teresa Elena Frontado Khushboo Razdan,Lucy Quaggin,Dewey Sim,Teresa Elena Frontado The United States began a naval blockade on Iranian ports on Monday after US-Iran peace talks to reopen the Strait of Hormuz failed over the weekend, but questions persist over how fully the measures can be enforced and what they will mean in practice. Despite concerns of escalation, Pakistan, which has acted as mediator in the peace negotiations, continued efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict, including a phone call with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi to support the fragile ceasefire and... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3349946/us-moves-block-iranian-ports-iran-threatens-retaliatory-strikes-gulf-shipping-hubs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3349946/us-moves-block-iranian-ports-iran-threatens-retaliatory-strikes-gulf-shipping-hubs?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:17:19 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang China is pushing a ceasefire in the Iran war as key to the Strait of Hormuz being open to international trade and energy, as US President Donald Trump announced a sweeping naval operation targeting the oil transit chokepoint. Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Monday that the strait was an important channel for international trade in goods and energy, and that “maintaining its safety, stability and unimpeded passage serves the common interests of the international community”. “The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349929/china-says-open-strait-hormuz-crucial-global-interests-trump-threatens-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349929/china-says-open-strait-hormuz-crucial-global-interests-trump-threatens-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:00:52 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan US President Donald Trump has announced a sweeping naval operation targeting the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transit chokepoints, in a move that risks deepening a global crisis and further complicating ties with Beijing in the countdown to next month’s summit. “Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump said in a social media post... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349813/blown-hell-trump-announces-us-blockade-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349813/blown-hell-trump-announces-us-blockade-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 13:10:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Venezuela’s government and its political opposition are seeking to coordinate their legal defence of the oil-rich country’s United States assets, after Washington’s official recognition of ‌interim president Delcy Rodriguez raised questions about who could represent the country in US courts. Lawyers for Rodriguez’s government and the opposition asked Manhattan-based US Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn on Monday to pause for 45 days a case in which creditors are seeking to seize funds linked to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3349197/venezuelas-government-opposition-may-cooperate-safeguard-us-assets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3349197/venezuelas-government-opposition-may-cooperate-safeguard-us-assets?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 19:47:22 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang US President Donald Trump is seeking congressional approval for US$1.5 trillion in defence spending in his new budget proposal, underscoring his administration’s focus on military investment as the country remains engaged in conflict in the Middle East. The blueprint released by the White House on Friday for the financial year 2027 proposes a 44 per cent increase in the US defence budget – implementing the widely controversial plan first unveiled by Trump in a January social media post. If... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3349007/trump-administration-seeks-us15-trillion-defence-new-budget-request?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3349007/trump-administration-seeks-us15-trillion-defence-new-budget-request?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 18:26:42 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The United States has formally reopened its embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, after the restoration of full diplomatic relations with the South American country following the Trump administration’s removal of then-president Nicolas Maduro in early January. The State Department announced on Monday that it had resumed normal operations at the embassy in Caracas – which had been in need of significant repair, including remediation from mould – after a seven-year closure that began during US President... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3348456/us-reopens-embassy-venezuela-months-after-military-operation-remove-maduro?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3348456/us-reopens-embassy-venezuela-months-after-military-operation-remove-maduro?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 19:45:16 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald ⁠Trump signalled he was reversing course on blocking oil shipments to Cuba on Sunday, saying he had “no problem” with any country sending in crude as a Russian tanker neared a Cuban port with a badly needed shipment. A sanctioned Russian vessel, part of the country’s “shadow fleet”, was just off the coast of eastern Cuba on Sunday, according to ship tracking data, and was expected to reach port on Monday, ‌a lifeline for the country’s economy that has nearly ground to a halt... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3348329/us-allow-russian-oil-tanker-reach-cuba-possible-lifeline-caribbean-island?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3348329/us-allow-russian-oil-tanker-reach-cuba-possible-lifeline-caribbean-island?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 23:29:59 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall They were killed by American bombs. They were held at gunpoint by Japanese guards who fired indiscriminately into the crowded holds and when the ship finally went down, many were left to drown. Eight decades later, the United States is coming back for them. Hundreds perished when the Japanese “hell ship” Oryoku Maru was sunk in Subic Bay in December 1944. Now, the Pentagon has launched a multi-year mission in waters off the Philippines to retrieve their remains. As many as 250 Americans are... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346424/us-returns-wwii-dead-japans-hell-ship-tomb-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346424/us-returns-wwii-dead-japans-hell-ship-tomb-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 02:30:08 +0000 Lucy Quaggin,Xinmei Shen Lucy Quaggin,Xinmei Shen Iran’s new supreme leader has vowed to keep blocking the Strait of Hormuz, attack US bases and avenge the blood of its martyrs in his first statement since succeeding his father. US President Donald Trump responded with an insult and threat soon after. “The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must definitely be used,” Mojtaba Khamenei said about the strategic waterway, which carries about a fifth of global oil shipments. Khamenei urged Iran’s Gulf neighbours to close US military bases in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346408/irans-mojtaba-khamenei-tells-gulf-nations-close-us-bases-war-rages?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346408/irans-mojtaba-khamenei-tells-gulf-nations-close-us-bases-war-rages?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 14:05:21 +0000 Xinmei Shen,Lucy Quaggin,Teresa Elena Frontado Xinmei Shen,Lucy Quaggin,Teresa Elena Frontado US Central Command (CENTCOM) has urged civilians to keep clear of all port facilities in Iran, an announcement that drew a warning from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards of Gulf-wide retaliatory strikes if those sites are targeted. On Wednesday, CENTCOM said that the Iran was using civilian ports along the Strait of Hormuz to conduct military operations, which would make the ports legitimate military targets under international law. Civilians should immediately avoid all port facilities, and Iranian... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3346273/us-military-warns-civilians-avoid-port-facilities-used-iranian-navy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3346273/us-military-warns-civilians-avoid-port-facilities-used-iranian-navy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 16:42:52 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Iran and the United States held hours of indirect negotiations on Thursday over Tehran’s nuclear programme but walked away without a deal, leaving the danger of another Mideast war on the table as the US has gathered a massive fleet of aircraft and warships in the region. Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who mediated the talks in Geneva, said there had been “significant progress in the negotiation” without elaborating. But just before the talks ended, Iranian state television reported... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3344787/us-and-iran-wrap-indirect-nuclear-talks-american-forces-mass-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3344787/us-and-iran-wrap-indirect-nuclear-talks-american-forces-mass-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 19:49:28 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US military forces boarded a third sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean after tracking it from the Caribbean Sea in an effort to target illicit oil connected to Venezuela, the Pentagon said on Tuesday. An organisation that tracks ship movements said the vessel was the only tanker left to pursue after more than a dozen fled the coast of Venezuela following the capture of the South American country’s authoritarian then-president, Nicolas Maduro. The boarding is the 10th interdiction of an oil... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3344520/us-boards-third-venezuela-linked-oil-tanker-indian-ocean?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3344520/us-boards-third-venezuela-linked-oil-tanker-indian-ocean?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 21:46:22 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Beijing appears to be testing its 155mm (6.1-inch) naval gun to boost the PLA Navy’s land-attack firepower. The weapon would be the biggest in the People’s Liberation Army’s naval arsenal and could be useful in an amphibious operation against Taiwan. Photos of the massive weapon mounted on the bow of a test vessel have recently emerged on Chinese social media. The location was identified as the Liaonan shipyard in Dalian, in China’s northeastern Liaoning province. The estimated barrel length and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3344362/chinas-155mm-naval-gun-seen-test-vessel-signalling-boost-amphibious-landing-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3344362/chinas-155mm-naval-gun-seen-test-vessel-signalling-boost-amphibious-landing-power?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 13:00:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump said he was considering a limited strike on Iran after ordering a major naval build-up in the Middle East aimed at heaping pressure on Tehran to cut a deal to curb its nuclear programme. The latest threat came after Iran’s foreign minister said a draft proposal for an agreement with Washington would be ready in a matter of days following negotiations between the two sides in Geneva earlier this week. Trump had suggested on Thursday that “bad things” would happen if... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3344183/trump-weighs-limited-strike-iran-tehran-says-draft-deal-coming-soon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3344183/trump-weighs-limited-strike-iran-tehran-says-draft-deal-coming-soon?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 18:02:25 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he was directing the Pentagon and other government agencies to identify and release files related to extraterrestrials and UFOs because of “tremendous interest”. Trump made the announcement in a social media post hours after he accused former president Barack Obama of disclosing “classified information” when Obama recently suggested in a podcast interview that aliens were real. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One: “I don’t know if they’re... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344066/trump-says-hes-ordering-release-us-files-ufos-and-aliens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344066/trump-says-hes-ordering-release-us-files-ufos-and-aliens?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 03:12:48 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg The US military is stationing a vast array of forces in the Middle East, including two aircraft carriers, fighter jets and refuelling tankers, giving US President Donald Trump the option for a major attack against Iran as he pressures the country to strike a deal over its nuclear programme. The deployment is unlike anything the US has done since 2003, when it amassed forces ahead of the invasion of Iraq. It dwarfs the military build-up that Trump ordered off the coast of Venezuela in the weeks... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3344049/trump-appears-set-iran-10-day-deadline-us-deploys-vast-middle-east-force?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3344049/trump-appears-set-iran-10-day-deadline-us-deploys-vast-middle-east-force?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 18:36:13 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The US military said Tuesday that it carried out strikes on three boats accused of smuggling drugs in Latin American waters, killing 11 people in one of the deadliest days of the Trump administration’s months-long campaign against alleged traffickers. The series of strikes conducted Monday brought the death toll to at least 145 people since the administration began targeting those it calls “narcoterrorists” in small vessels since early September. Like most of the military’s statements on the 42... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3343855/11-killed-us-strikes-3-more-alleged-drug-boats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3343855/11-killed-us-strikes-3-more-alleged-drug-boats?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 23:32:54 +0000 Liu Zhen,Zhao Ziwen Liu Zhen,Zhao Ziwen America’s increasing use of MQ-9 drones near China poses a challenge to Beijing and makes it more urgent for the People’s Liberation Army to improve counter-reconnaissance, according to military experts. The MQ-9 Reaper can carry out both reconnaissance and strike missions. It has been used for numerous high-profile operations, including the 2020 assassination of Iranian major general Qassem Soleimani. And it has been deployed as part of the US military’s surveillance network in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343673/why-growing-network-american-mq-9-drones-challenge-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343673/why-growing-network-american-mq-9-drones-challenge-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 14:00:17 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US military forces boarded another sanctioned tanker in the Indian Ocean after tracking the vessel from the Caribbean Sea in an effort to target illicit oil connected to Venezuela, the Pentagon said on Sunday. Venezuela had faced US sanctions on its oil for several years, relying on a shadow fleet of falsely flagged tankers to smuggle crude into global supply chains. US President Donald Trump ordered a quarantine of sanctioned tankers in December to pressure then-President Nicolas Maduro before... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3343657/us-military-boards-another-oil-tanker-indian-ocean-after-tracking-it-caribbean?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3343657/us-military-boards-another-oil-tanker-indian-ocean-after-tracking-it-caribbean?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 22:46:54 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Switzerland said on Saturday that Oman would host talks between the United States and Iran in Geneva next week, with Washington pushing Tehran to make a deal to limit its nuclear programme. “Switzerland stands ready at all times to offer its good offices to facilitate dialogue between the United States and Iran,” a Swiss foreign ministry spokesman said. On February 6, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held talks in Oman with US envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3343601/us-iran-talks-be-held-geneva-next-week-hosted-oman?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3343601/us-iran-talks-be-held-geneva-next-week-hosted-oman?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 18:10:50 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump said on Friday that a change of government in Iran would be the “best thing that could happen”, as he sent a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East to ratchet up military pressure on the Islamic republic. Trump’s comments were his most overt call yet for the toppling of Iran’s clerical establishment, and came as he pushes on Washington’s arch-foe Tehran to make a deal to limit its nuclear programme. At the same time, the exiled son of the Iranian shah toppled in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3343549/trump-says-change-power-iran-would-be-best-thing-he-sends-second-carrier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3343549/trump-says-change-power-iran-would-be-best-thing-he-sends-second-carrier?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 23:44:41 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he was considering sending a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East, even as Washington and Tehran ‍prepare to resume negotiations aimed at averting a new conflict. Oman facilitated talks between Iran and the US last week, which a spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry said had allowed Tehran to gauge Washington’s seriousness and showed enough consensus for diplomacy to continue. The talks came after Trump had positioned one aircraft carrier in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3343117/trump-hints-sending-second-aircraft-carrier-us-and-iran-plan-next-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3343117/trump-hints-sending-second-aircraft-carrier-us-and-iran-plan-next-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:50:17 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US military forces boarded a sanctioned tanker in the Indian Ocean after tracking the ship from the Caribbean Sea as part of an oil quarantine meant to squeeze Venezuela, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Monday. Venezuela had faced US sanctions on its oil and relied on a shadow fleet of falsely flagged tankers to smuggle crude into global supply chains. Following the US raid to capture then-president Nicolas Maduro in early January, several tankers fled the Venezuelan coast, including... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3342982/us-boards-sanctioned-oil-tanker-indian-ocean-after-pursuit-caribbean-hegseth-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3342982/us-boards-sanctioned-oil-tanker-indian-ocean-after-pursuit-caribbean-hegseth-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 23:49:33 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang China has showcased a range of uncrewed platforms – including a drone for anti-submarine warfare – at the World Defence Show in Saudi Arabia, as demand grows in the region for autonomous systems. More than 770 exhibitors from 76 countries are taking part in the defence show in Riyadh, which opened on Sunday and runs until Thursday. China has one of the biggest pavilions at the show, and a full-scale model of the Wing Loong-X unmanned aerial vehicle is among the Chinese drones drawing... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342898/chinese-drone-anti-submarine-warfare-among-systems-saudi-defence-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342898/chinese-drone-anti-submarine-warfare-among-systems-saudi-defence-show?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 10:00:10 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen The world’s fastest air-launched anti-ship cruise missile appears to be in service in the Chinese navy. A photo of a carrier-based J-15T fighter equipped with two YJ-15 missiles has surfaced online in what seems to be a highly operational configuration. The South China Morning Post cannot verify the authenticity of the widely circulated image but, if genuine, the photo would confirm that the missile was designed for the People’s Liberation Army’s naval and air force tactical aircraft, such as... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342769/has-yj-15-missile-been-deployed-chinese-navy-photo-gives-clues?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342769/has-yj-15-missile-been-deployed-chinese-navy-photo-gives-clues?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 13:00:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The US military said on Thursday that it carried out another deadly strike on a vessel accused of trafficking drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean. US Southern Command said on social media that the boat “was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations”. It said the strike killed two people. A video linked to the post showed a boat moving through the water before exploding in flames. The strike was announced just hours after... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3342605/us-destroys-another-alleged-drug-trafficking-boat-pacific-killing-2?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3342605/us-destroys-another-alleged-drug-trafficking-boat-pacific-killing-2?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 04:39:39 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg President Donald Trump sent a fresh warning to Iran’s leaders as US military forces amassed in the region, even as diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran were set for later this week. “I would say he should be very worried, yeah. He should be,” Trump said in an interview with NBC News on Wednesday, when asked about Iran’s supreme leader. “As you know, they are negotiating with us.” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a social media post on Wednesday that talks with the US... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3342432/trump-says-iran-leaders-should-be-very-worried-talks-flail?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3342432/trump-says-iran-leaders-should-be-very-worried-talks-flail?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 21:07:29 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A US Navy fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that was approaching the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea, US Central Command said on Tuesday, threatening to ramp up tensions as the Trump administration warns of possible military action to get Iran to the negotiating table. The drone “aggressively approached” the aircraft carrier with “unclear intent” and kept flying towards it “despite de-escalatory measures taken by US forces operating in international waters,” Central... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3342291/us-shoots-down-iranian-drone-aggressively-approaching-aircraft-carrier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3342291/us-shoots-down-iranian-drone-aggressively-approaching-aircraft-carrier?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 18:16:44 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Singapore begins ban on ‘undesirable’ visitors, airlines to comply or face fine Singapore’s move to bar undesirable visitors from boarding planes to the city state has begun, with airlines flying into its airports required to deny access to passengers flagged as... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3342171/singapores-undesirable-visitor-ban-japans-chinese-tourist-drought-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3342171/singapores-undesirable-visitor-ban-japans-chinese-tourist-drought-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 06:30:39 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China’s visa-free waivers spark Korean travel boom, underpin tourism revival 2. China’s PLA tightens fuel rules as US investigates cause of twin air crashes 3. Failures on 2 fronts led to Hong Kong’s seat belt U-turn, experts say 4. China’s new YJ-18C missile: a logistics killer for US Navy? 5.... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3342036/korean-travel-boom-china-pla-tightens-fuel-rules-5-weekend-reads-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3342036/korean-travel-boom-china-pla-tightens-fuel-rules-5-weekend-reads-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 04:30:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse An explosion that hit a building in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas on Saturday was caused by a gas leak, according to a preliminary assessment, the local head of the fire department said. Earlier, Iranian state media reported that at least one person had been killed and ⁠14 injured in the blast, which comes amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington over Iran’s crackdown earlier this month on nationwide protests and over the country’s nuclear programme. “This [gas... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3341963/iran-state-media-reports-explosion-gulf-coast-city-bandar-abbas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3341963/iran-state-media-reports-explosion-gulf-coast-city-bandar-abbas?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 13:57:36 +0000 Reuters Reuters US ‌President Donald Trump urged Iran on Wednesday to come to the table and make a deal on nuclear weapons or the next US ‍attack would be far worse. Tehran responded with a threat to strike back against the United States, Israel and those who support them. “Hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS – one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence!” Trump wrote on social media. Amid a build-up... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3341600/trump-warns-iran-make-nuclear-deal-or-next-attack-will-be-far-worse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3341600/trump-warns-iran-make-nuclear-deal-or-next-attack-will-be-far-worse?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 22:07:10 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain With the recent arrival of a US Navy aircraft carrier task force in the Middle East near Iran, President Donald Trump is set to have all the military assets in place needed to launch a war against Tehran by the end of this week. While a last-minute diplomatic breakthrough is still on Washington’s cards, Trump may soon have to pick one of the plans drawn up by the Pentagon to meet his desired outcomes – none of which have been made public. Washington has maintained diplomatic backchannels open... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341529/us-naval-strike-force-sails-near-iran-trump-faces-no-easy-levers-against-tehran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341529/us-naval-strike-force-sails-near-iran-trump-faces-no-easy-levers-against-tehran?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 08:03:52 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse More than 100 political prisoners were freed Sunday in Venezuela, where detainees are slowly being released under pressure from the United States, the non-governmental organisation Foro Penal said. “At Foro Penal we have verified 104 releases of political prisoners in Venezuela today,” the NGO wrote on social media. Foro Penal had earlier reported 80 political prisoners being released Sunday. Director Alfredo Romero said on X that the group was verifying the identities of those released from... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3341183/least-80-political-prisoners-released-venezuela-rights-group-leader-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3341183/least-80-political-prisoners-released-venezuela-rights-group-leader-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 17:30:30 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The US military said on Friday that it had carried out a deadly strike on a vessel accused of trafficking drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, the first known attack since the raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro earlier this month. US Southern Command said on social media that the boat was “engaged in narco-trafficking operations” and that the strike killed two people and left one survivor. It said it notified the coastguard to launch search and rescue operations for that... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3341076/us-kills-2-first-known-strike-alleged-drug-boat-maduros-capture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3341076/us-kills-2-first-known-strike-alleged-drug-boat-maduros-capture?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 23:31:25 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US military forces boarded and took control of a seventh oil tanker connected with Venezuela on Tuesday, as part of the Trump administration’s broader efforts to take control of the South American country’s oil. US Southern Command said in a social media post that US forces apprehended the Motor Vessel Sagitta “without incident” and that the tanker was operating in defiance of US President Donald Trump’s “established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean”. The military command did... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3340642/us-forces-seize-seventh-sanctioned-oil-tanker-linked-venezuela?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3340642/us-forces-seize-seventh-sanctioned-oil-tanker-linked-venezuela?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 04:34:58 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang December was a record-breaking month and busier than ever for the Hainan, China’s first Type 075 amphibious assault ship and one of Beijing’s most important assets in the event of any potential military operation against Taiwan. The Yushen-class vessel, one of the world’s largest amphibious assault ships, made an appearance during the People’s Liberation Army’s large-scale military drills around the self-ruled island in late December. It was the first time a Type 075 took part in such... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340410/type-075-amphibious-assault-ship-plas-light-aircraft-carrier-key-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340410/type-075-amphibious-assault-ship-plas-light-aircraft-carrier-key-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 08:06:24 +0000 Liu Zhen,Alcott Wei Liu Zhen,Alcott Wei China’s newest aircraft carrier, the Fujian, has significant design flaws that future carriers can overcome only by adopting nuclear power, according to a military magazine. The Fujian is the country’s first domestically designed aircraft carrier and was commissioned in November. With a displacement of over 80,000 tonnes, it is the world’s largest conventional warship and the first non-American ship to be equipped with advanced electromagnetic catapults. However, the most advanced US ships – the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340320/why-china-may-need-take-nuclear-option-its-next-aircraft-carrier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340320/why-china-may-need-take-nuclear-option-its-next-aircraft-carrier?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jan 2026 14:00:10 +0000 Reuters Reuters The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned airlines on Friday to exercise caution when flying over Mexico, Central America and parts of South America, citing the risks of potential military activities and GPS interference. The FAA said it had issued “Notices to Airmen” covering Mexico and Central American countries, as well as Ecuador, Colombia and portions of airspace within the eastern Pacific Ocean. They say: “Potential risks exist for aircraft at all altitudes, including during... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3340243/us-airlines-warned-potential-risks-when-flying-over-mexico-south-america?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3340243/us-airlines-warned-potential-risks-when-flying-over-mexico-south-america?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jan 2026 04:34:51 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The United States has finalised a sale of Venezuelan oil – the first since Washington took control of the sector following the toppling of Nicolas Maduro, a US official told Agence France-Presse on Thursday. According to the official, who did not identify the buyer, the deal is worth US$500 million, and additional sales could take place in the coming days or weeks. “President Trump brokered a historic energy deal with Venezuela, immediately following the arrest of narcoterrorist Nicolas Maduro,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340069/washington-completes-first-sale-venezuelan-oil-us500-million-deal-says-us-official?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340069/washington-completes-first-sale-venezuelan-oil-us500-million-deal-says-us-official?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 19:20:31 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US forces in the Caribbean Sea have seized another sanctioned oil tanker that the Trump administration says has ties to Venezuela, part of a broader US effort to take control of the South American country’s oil. The US Coast Guard boarded the tanker, named Veronica, early Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on social media. The ship had previously passed through Venezuelan waters and was operating in defiance of US President Donald Trump’s “established quarantine of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340055/us-seizes-another-venezuela-linked-tanker-ahead-trump-machado-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340055/us-seizes-another-venezuela-linked-tanker-ahead-trump-machado-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 13:41:47 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg US President Donald Trump’s pressure campaign to unify his party behind his takeover of Venezuela succeeded Wednesday when all but three Senate Republicans voted to block a resolution opposing further military action in the country. US Vice-President J.D. Vance broke a tie vote in order to stop the resolution. The 51-50 vote followed fiery phone calls from Trump to Republican defectors who last week voted to advance the resolution. Trump’s success in flipping votes effectively ends one of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3339940/trump-prevails-us-senate-showdown-over-venezuela-war-powers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3339940/trump-prevails-us-senate-showdown-over-venezuela-war-powers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 01:17:28 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen The US Secretary of the Navy on Tuesday outlined US President Donald Trump’s Golden Fleet initiative, stating that revitalising the American shipbuilding industry was essential for restoring strategic maritime dominance over China. Speaking at the Surface Navy Association symposium, Secretary John Phelan emphasised the importance of a strong industrial base, warning that the US Navy is currently unable to compete with Beijing’s production capacity. “To be a superpower, you need a dominant... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3339933/trumps-golden-fleet-shipbuilding-push-give-us-military-and-strategic-advantage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3339933/trumps-golden-fleet-shipbuilding-push-give-us-military-and-strategic-advantage?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 20:05:43 +0000