Current Events in Mideast-Africa

Satellites Show Mystery Construction at Iran’s Top-Secret Military Site (Daily Beast)

Photo in a exhibition of an Iranian Mi-171 helicopter with 2xC-802 Chinese anti-ship missile, but I think the radar, because the size, is a simple weather radar more than a surface search radar: http://defence-blog.com/news/photos-of-iranian-mi-171-helicopter-with-version-of-the-chinese-c-802-missiles.html

The media are reporting wrongly (How not!) France has begun today his air bombing campaign against Daesh targets in Syria, but it's not true. The campaign, named Operation Chammal, begun on 27 September 2015, just three days before the Putin bombing actions from Latakia. But even before France was attacking Daesh targets in Irak from 18 September 2014, a year before: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Op%C3%A9ration_Chammal Other references: Air Fan magazine, October 2015 issue: 6xRafale, 1xC-135, 1xAtlantique in Al Dhafra, UAE, and 3xMirage 2000D and 3xMirage 2000N operating from Jordania. The search engine (I was looking for Operation Chammal) in L'Armee de l'Air …

France Says Egypt to Buy Mistral Warships (DefenseNews)

Russia Is Setting Up A Forward Operating Base in Syria, Pentagon Confirms (Defense One)

Grounding the Ayatollah’s Tomcats (War is Boring)

Syria reportedly receives MiG-31 interceptors from Russia (Jane's) Interesting choice given the ongoing civil war.

Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (aka the Iran nuke deal)

In a French blog, with links saying they will be Rafale standard F3 (no AESA radar?) and equipped with SCALP/Black Shasheen cruise missiles: http://www.defens-aero.com/2015/07/les-premieres-photos-des-rafale-de-la-force-aerienne-egyptienne.html

BBC News Does anyone know the identity of the ship?

Precision and Purpose: Airpower in the Libyan Civil War (pdf, RAND)

Plan B for Iran (Politico)

Egypt reportedly to buy 46 MiG-29s (Jane's) The EAF has never been shy of operating multiple types from multiple sources.

The Middle East Has Four Minutes To Act If Iran Fires a Missile (Defense One)

Iran warns Saudi, US against hindering Yemen aid ship (Stars and Stripes)

France Sells 24 Rafale Fighters to Qatar (DefenseNews)

Iran Intercepts Cargo Ship, US Moves to Respond (DefenseNews)

Russia Lifts Its Ban on Delivery of S-300 Missiles to Iran (Wall Street Journal)

After succesful test, Israeli medium-range anti-missile missile System to enter service near July 2015: http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-successfully-tests-new-anti-ballistic-missile-system/

Saudi Strikes Yemen Rebels as Iran Warns of 'Dangerous Step' (DefenseNews) This is quite the set of circumstances in the Mideast right now ... especially for scenario building. The US led coalition hitting ISIS/ISIL in Iraq and Syria, being aided by Iran and inadvertently aiding the dictator in Syria. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is hitting Iranian backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.