Iran allegedly deploys drones amid nationwide protests as Human Rights Activists News Agency reports at least 544 confirmed deaths and over 10,000 arrests.

An American littoral combat ship in the Persian Gulf flicked a switch just before dawn on December 16 and hurled a stub-nosed delta-wing into the sky. The drone —LUCAS, for Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System—arced off the USS Santa Barbara ’s flight deck and sped toward a test range.

Oil markets were jolted after a drone strike hit a key export hub on the Russian Black Sea coast, sending benchmark prices up about 2 percent in a matter of hours. The move capped a volatile spell in which traders have been forced to reprice both regional security risks and the broader geopolitical squeeze

The U.S. strike follows months of effort by the Maduro regime to secure military support from its key allies, including China, Russia, and Iran under increasing pressure from President Donald Trump over Maduro’s rule.

The United States military, the best funded armed force in the world, is in a desperate race to catch up to the technological powerhouse... Iran? The Pentagon recently unveiled a delta-wing drone called the Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System (LUCAS ...

US President Donald Trump has warned of possible military action as protests have resulted in thousands dead in Iran. With American warships redeployed and stealth bombers, missiles, and cyber tools still available,

Iran has responded with defiant rhetoric, prompting a renewed focus on its military strength and whether it can credibly deter or retaliate against US action.

Last year in June, Tehran launched missile strikes against a US base in Qatar after vowing to retaliate when US forces directly attacked Iran’s three main nuclear sites following weeks of threats by Trump. US officials said the missiles had been successfully intercepted and no casualties were reported.