Drone Swarm Triggers Lockdown at U.S. Nuclear Bomber Base in Louisiana

Drone Swarm Triggers Lockdown at U.S. Nuclear Bomber Base in Louisiana

Emmitt Barry

A swarm of unauthorized drones prompted a temporary lockdown at Barksdale Air Force Base earlier this month, raising fresh concerns about the vulnerability of America’s most sensitive military installations amid rising global tensions.

According to Air Force Global Strike Command, multiple drone incursions occurred on March 9, varying in number and duration, and forced base leadership to issue a brief “shelter in place” order. The lockdown was lifted the same morning, and officials emphasized that operations continued without disruption.

Authorities believe the incident may involve criminal activity, but the timing has heightened alarm as the U.S. remains engaged in escalating tensions with Iran. Military leaders are increasingly wary of low-cost drone warfare, including the use of Shahed drones, which have proven effective in conflicts abroad.

Barksdale Air Force Base is a critical component of America’s strategic deterrence, housing a fleet of B-52 bombers and nuclear-capable cruise missiles. The presence of such assets makes any unauthorized aerial activity a serious national security concern.

Officials confirmed the investigation remains active at the federal level, with the Pentagon coordinating a broader response to what it described as an “evolving threat” posed by small unmanned aircraft systems targeting key military infrastructure, including missile fields and weapons storage facilities.

Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dave Deptula warned that even surveillance-level drone activity could pose a significant risk if exploited for future attacks.

“Unauthorized drone activity around sensitive military installations is still a serious security concern,” Deptula said, noting that similar tactics have been used in modern warfare to devastating effect.

The U.S. military is now accelerating the deployment of counter-drone technologies, though specific measures remain classified as officials work to safeguard critical defense sites from emerging aerial threats.

Medvedev: EU could become greater military threat than NATO

EU could become greater military threat than NATO – Medvedev

RT

The EU’s planned military buildup while division is rocking NATO could make it a more serious threat to Russia than the US-led bloc, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council, has warned.

Divisions within NATO are evident, Medvedev said in a social media post on Friday, even if US President Donald Trump’s threats to withdraw from the bloc over a lack of European support for his war on Iran are unlikely to materialize. The row, he claimed, gives impetus to EU leaders to move faster toward establishing an independent “fully-fledged military component,” signaling a major shift in the balance of power.

“The EU is no longer just an economic union. It can transform, and rather quickly, into a full-blown military alliance, one overtly hostile to Russia, and in some ways worse than NATO,” Medvedev warned. He argued that Moscow should actively oppose EU expansion rather than remain passive.

Russia remains ‘calm’ about EU

For years, Moscow largely viewed the EU as an economic project with limited military relevance and as a rival to its Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) – unlike NATO, whose expansion was seen as a direct threat.

The 2014 coup in Kiev was triggered by pressure from Brussels on Ukraine to sign an association agreement that was incompatible with its existing free trade arrangement with Russia. Even after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Russian officials maintained that Ukraine’s potential EU membership was not a major concern.

EU stepping up military preparations

Last year, the EU announced plans to allocate some €800 billion ($923 billion) by 2030 for weapons and security capabilities, claiming the spending is necessary to prepare for a possible war with Russia. The initiative is facing challenges due to economic pressures and internal disagreements over the distribution of defense contracts among member states.

Moscow has repeatedly denied any intention to attack NATO or EU countries, arguing that such claims are used to justify massive investments in arms amid staggering economic growth. The shift in EU policy has reinforced views within Russia that it should be regarded as a strategic threat, particularly given strong anti-Russian sentiment among EU institutions and several member governments.

Christian Town In Syria Targeted Ahead Of Easter As Violence Escalates

Christian Town In Syria Targeted Ahead Of Easter As Violence Escalates

Stefan J. Bos,

Christians in central Syria faced a tense Easter weekend after their town was targeted by armed Muslim men, with residents watching in horror as church property, homes, shops, a café, and cars were damaged, residents said. 

The violence erupted in the predominantly Christian town of Suqaylabiyah in Hama province ahead of Palm Sunday, in what locals described as the latest attack against Syria’s Christian minority.

“I write to you from the town of ancient Seleucia, known today as Suqaylabiyah,” said a resident identified as George M.

“Today, in 2026, our streets are once again filled with the smell of blood—echoes of the suffering our grandparents endured. History is repeating itself before our eyes,” he added in remarks monitored by Worthy News.

There was confusion about what sparked the violence.

YOUNG MUSLIM MEN 

Some residents said unrest began after two young Muslim men allegedly harassed a Christian girl but were stopped by local Christian men.

Others said the clashes followed a dispute between two Muslim individuals which quickly escalated into wider sectarian violence.

It was not immediately clear whether these accounts referred to the same incident.

Soon after, witnesses said, scores of men, some arriving on motorcycles from nearby Sunni-Muslim majority areas, stormed the town, targeting Christian-owned property.

A video obtained by Worthy News appeared to show an elderly Christian shop owner sitting helplessly as masked gunmen looted and destroyed his store, smashing bottles and goods.

GUNFIRE IN STREETS 

Elsewhere, residents reported gunfire, looting, and the destruction of religious symbols, including a statue of the Virgin Mary.

“We passed through a state of terror, fear, and panic,” said one shop owner whose business was heavily damaged. Video footage seen by Worthy News also showed a Christian-owned cafe being destroyed, with furious men smashing bottles, furniture, and a flat-screen television. 

There were no immediate confirmed reports of casualties, though the attacks reportedly lasted for hours into the night. Reports of abductions could not be confirmed. 

Government forces later deployed reinforcements, restoring a fragile calm.

However, anger remained high among residents.

Christians and their supporters took to the streets demanding accountability, compensation, and protection, while some called for a strike until those responsible are punished, Worthy News learned through video footage.

SCALING BACK EASTER 

Church leaders reportedly reacted by scaling back Easter celebrations, limiting observances to prayers inside churches due to security concerns. 

The attack comes amid growing concerns over the safety of minorities since the fall of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad in 2024.

Members of Christian, Druze, and Alawite communities have reported increasing violence from armed groups in parts of the country.

Syria’s interim authorities have condemned attacks on minorities, but critics say they are either unable or unwilling to fully control militant factions.

Christians once made up about 10 percent of Syria’s population of roughly 23 million before the civil war that began in 2011.

Since then, hundreds of thousands have fled amid violence that has killed an estimated half a million people and displaced millions more.

HIGH ON PERSECUTION RANKING

Today, one of the world’s oldest Christian communities faces an uncertain future.

According to the Open Doors World Watch List, Syria ranks 12th among countries where Christians face the most severe persecution.

Advocacy groups warn that ongoing instability and rising Islamist influence continue to endanger Christian communities.

In his appeal, the Suqaylabiyah resident urged the international community not to ignore their plight.

“There was a time when the world did not see what was happening to us. But today, there is no excuse. You can see it with your own eyes,” George M. wrote on social media platform X. 

“We ask you: do not abandon us.”

Regional effort to broker ceasefire between US and Iran reportedly hits dead end

Regional effort to broker ceasefire between US and Iran reportedly hits dead end

TOI STAFF and AGENCIES

Current mediation efforts led by regional countries, including Pakistan, to broker a ceasefire between the United States and Iran have reportedly reached a dead end, as the war against the Islamic Republic was set to enter its sixth week, approaching the timeline US President Donald Trump set for the conflict.

Iran has officially told mediators that it is unwilling to meet US officials in Islamabad in the coming days and considers US demands unacceptable, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, adding that Turkey and Egypt are seeking a way out of the diplomatic cul-de-sac and looking at alternative sites to host the talks, such as Qatar or Istanbul.

But Qatar has resisted efforts by the United States and Middle Eastern countries to serve as the key mediator in ceasefire talks between the US and Iran, the Journal also reported, complicating the push to move forward with negotiations on ending the war.

Citing officials with the matter and mediators, the report said Qatar, which has served as a mediator with the Taliban, and also in negotiations to end the Israel-Hamas war, told the US last week that it isn’t eager to mediate in these negotiations.

The reports came as the war continued to escalate, as it was set to enter its sixth week. Friday marked the first time since February 28 that the US lost an aircraft in Iranian territory, after Iran shot down an American F-15E Strike Eagle fighter aircraft.

One crew member was rescued on Friday, and searches were ongoing for the second after an American F-15E Strike Eagle fighter aircraft was shot down in Iran, according to a US and an Israeli official.

Trump told NBC News that the downing of the jet won’t affect negotiations over ending the month-old conflict with Iran.

“No, not at all. No, it’s war. We’re in war,” Trump told the broadcaster.

Separately, Trump was not yet ready to say what the US will do if the missing crew member shot is harmed, The Independent reported, citing a brief interview with him.

Trump said he could not comment on what his course of action might be if Iranian forces get to the downed airman, The Independent said.

“We hope that’s not going to happen,” Trump said.

The Kan public broadcaster reported Friday that Israel is prepared for another two weeks of war with Iran, noting that the time frame extends past the four to six weeks set by the White House.

Israeli officials told Kan that the war may even extend past two weeks, and preparations are being made for Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day, Memorial Day, and Independence Day under fire.

The US and Israel launched a bombing campaign on Iran on February 28 in a bid to destabilize its regime and destroy its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

Recent US intelligence reports warn that Iran is unlikely to open the Strait of Hormuz any time soon because its grip on the world’s most vital oil artery provides the only real leverage it has over Washington, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

The finding suggests that Tehran could continue to throttle the strait to keep energy prices high as a means of pressuring Trump to find a quick off-ramp to the war.

The reports also provide the latest indication that the war, intended to eradicate Iran’s military strength, may actually increase its regional sway by showing Tehran’s ability to threaten the key waterway.

Trump has sought to downplay the difficulty of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which carries a fifth of the world’s oil trade. On Friday, he appeared to suggest that he could order US forces to reopen the passage.

“With a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL, & MAKE A FORTUNE,” he posted on his Truth Social platform.

But analysts have long warned that trying to use force against Iran, which controls one side of the strait, could prove costly and draw the US into a protracted ground war.

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Hezbollah operatives express fear, exasperation with war effort

'They're sending us to die:' Hezbollah operatives express fear, exasperation with war effort

MAYA ZANGER-NADIS

Hezbollah Radwan Force terrorists captured last week by the IDF's Givati Brigade revealed that their organization is facing a sharp decline in morale, and operatives feel that "Hezbollah is sending us to die...to avenge Ali Khamenei."

In an interrogation session with the IDF's Unit 504, one of the operatives explained that "morale is on the floor. No one has the strength to go out and fight."

Both operatives noted that they were worn out after a year and a half of war, referring to Hezbollah's involvement in the 2023-2025 Israel-Hamas war. They also both said that the official purpose they were given for Hezbollah's involvement in the current war was to avenge the death of Iran's former supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a targeted strike at the outset of the war. 

Operatives do not want to join Hezbollah's war effort

"Anyone who leaves their home does so against their will," one of the Radwan terrorists said. "You can't tell them you don't want to come."

Asked to expand on why people did not want to join the fight, the terrorist explained:

"If I were at home and they called me to war, I wouldn't come. Why? First, I just got out of a war. Not even a year and a half has passed. Second, my whole body - there's nothing healthy in it. Third, why should I prevent my children and my family from being with me?"

Another terrorist was asked about the treatment he got from his commanders, and told the IDF interrogators that "it's like sending an animal [to war]. He doesn't care about it. He doesn't tell it, for example, how it will eat, how it will sleep - any kind of communication. Who am I supposed to speak to? What am I supposed to do if I am injured? It's [like] a dog sending a dog into battle."

"Why does he send you, then?" asked the interrogator.

"To die," the operative responded. "And you don't have the ability to refuse or say no...What matters to [the commander] is that I operate, and that it's recorded so he can be promoted in rank."

IDF captures Hezbollah terrorists during Lebanon raids, destroys Radwan Force infrastructure

The IDF's Givati Brigade captured several Hezbollah terrorists from southern Lebanon and took them in for questioning on Monday evening.

The capture occured during an operation to locate weapons in the area; IDF troops discovered several armed Hezbollah Radwan Force operatives active at an anti-tank missile launch point.

Once identified, the Hezbollah fighters surrendered, evidently due to the "expanded IDF activity focused on eliminating terrorist infrastructure in the area," according to the IDF report, which added that troops confiscated "a large amount of weapons and gear" from their persons.

The operatives were immediately interrogated by Israeli security officials upon their arrival in Israeli territory, according to the IDF report.

IDF extends current round of fighting for reservists and regular army combat soldiers

Reservists who are being called up to relieve those recruited at the start of Operation Roaring Lion or earlier will have their service extended by an additional 9 weeks, the IDF announced on Friday.