TYB
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/04/30/nasa-jared-isaacman-pluto-planet/89869894007/
https://www.theregister.com/2026/04/29/nasa_boss_make_pluto_a_planet_again/
extra NASA
https://spacenews.com/house-appropriators-keep-nasa-funding-flat/
https://nasawatch.com/budget/nasa-fy-2027-budget-rodeo/
https://www.jpost.com/science/space/article-894744
https://www.aol.com/articles/15-places-earth-nasa-uses-124647620.html
https://www.nasdaq.com/events/nasas-artemis-ii-astronauts-ring-closing-bell
'Make Pluto a planet again,' NASA chief says at US senate hearing
Updated April 30, 2026, 9:33 a.m. ET
NASA chief Jared Isaacman has doubled down on his stance that Pluto is without a doubt a planet.
For two decades, controversy has surrounded the distant icy world after it was infamously stripped of its planethood and reclassified as a dwarf planet instead.
Since that 2006 decision, Pluto's legion of supporters have insisted that the demotion was unjustified and have demanded that the astronomical organization responsible for the ruling reconsider.
And among Pluto's more vocal and influential defenders is Isaacman, a private astronaut and the administrator of the largest space agency in the world.
Here's everything to know about Pluto and Isaacman's role in the ongoing campaign to make it a planet again.
Why is Pluto not a planet anymore?
Pluto was long considered the ninth and furthest planet in our solar system from the sun until it was controversially downgraded in 2006 in a vote by members of the International Astronomical Union.
Pluto may orbit its own star and be large enough to be mostly round – two key IAU criteria to be considered a planet.
But because Pluto – only about 1,400 miles wide – lacks the gravitational forces necessary to "clear its orbit of debris," the celestial body was instead classified as a smaller dwarf planet, the IAU stated in its resolution, according to NASA.
Pluto, a frigid mountainous world with craters and glaciers, is located among icy bodies in the Kuiper Belt, located at the outskirts of our solar system beyond Neptune's orbit – now the farthest planet from the sun.
The only spacecraft to explore Pluto up close was NASA's New Horizons, which in 2015 flew by the world and its five known moons.
NASA's Jared Isaacman reiterates support to 'make Pluto a planet again'
Isaacman, who was confirmed in December 2025 as NASA's administrator, recently reiterated his belief that Pluto rightfully deserves to have its planetary status restored.
Isaacman's latest remarks about Pluto came as the NASA head was speaking Tuesday, April 28, before a U.S. senate committee on President Donald Trump's proposed budget for NASA, which outlines significant cuts to the agency.
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After more than an hour of testimony, Isaacman was asked about Pluto by Sen. Jerry Moran, a Republican from Kansas who chairs the Senate Committee on Appropriations.
Replied Isaacman: "Senator, I am very much in the camp of 'make Pluto a planet again.'" Isaacman then teased a number of research papers in the works at NASA that "we would love to escalate through the scientific community to revisit this discussion."
This isn't the first time Isaacman has been asked about his stance on Pluto. In an interview published in March with the Daily Mail, Isaacman said he endorses the idea of Trump taking action to reclassify Pluto as a planet.
Pluto discovered in 1930 in Arizona
Pluto was discovered in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh, an American astronomer from Kansas at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona.
But nearly 30 years earlier, astronomer Percival Lowell first theorized the existence of the planet, partially based on irregularities in the orbit of Uranus.
Lowell – who founded the Lowell Observatory in 1894 – died in 1916, having never officially discovering the elusive planet, which came to be called Planet X.
That left Tombaugh, hired in 1929 to carry on his predecessor's work, to finally pinpoint the mysterious body after months of tedious work with an instrument known as a blink comparator.
Who was Pluto in Roman mythology?
The idea for Pluto's name came from 11-year-old Venetia Burney of Oxford, England, who suggested to her grandfather that the new discovery be named for the Roman god of the underworld. In Greek mythology, Hades is the equivalent of Pluto.
Burney's grandfather shared the name with the Lowell Observatory, which ultimately agreed with the suggestion, according to NASA.
Who else supports classifying Pluto as a planet?
Of course, it takes more than one person's declaration to reclassify Pluto as a planet – even if he is the leader of NASA. Fortunately for Pluto, the world has had plenty of big names in its corner over the years.
That includes Alan Stern, the principal investigator of the New Horizons mission, who has long used a different definition of planethood focused on factors including geology and atmosphere that don't exclude Pluto, Space.com has reported.
"Star Trek" actor William Shatner also recently spoke out, decrying IAU's members as "just a bunch of corrupt nerds on a power trip" and calling for "an end to the union’s tyranny of the cosmos."
Shatner then turned to none other than billionaire SpaceX CEO Elon Musk for an assist.
"We should ask Elon to get the President to sign one of those Executive thingies to make Pluto a planet again," Shatner posted in May 2025 on social media site X, which Musk also owns.
Musk, who at the time had the ear of Trump as one of the president's closest advisers, responded: "I'd support that.
But even if Trump were to sign an executive order, it would not be binding on the members of the IAU, who have the ultimate say in defining just what sort of body Pluto is.
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Quantum Physics, Biomedicine, and Computer Gear Fill Wednesday’s Schedule
April 29, 2026 3:31PM
Physics, biomedicine, and computer networking were the dominant projects for the Expedition 74 crew aboard the International Space Station on Wednesday.
The orbital residents also continued unpacking cargo from a pair of resupply ships while keeping up life support maintenance.
NASA flight engineer Jessica Meir spent her shift servicing hardware for a pair of advanced space physics investigations.
Meir reviewed procedures and trained to connect delicate fiber optic cables inside the Cold Atom Lab that chills atoms to near absolute zero for quantum research into atomic wave functions, general relativity, and the search for dark matter.
The sensitive cables emit light that helps trap, move, and measure the chilled atoms with high accuracy. Next, she set up research gear inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox to explore how weightlessness affects tiny particles floating in a Jello-like substance, known as a colloidal solid.
Results may lead to advanced manufacturing techniques leading to new medicines, better food textures, and improved personal‑care products on Earth and in space.
Flight engineer Sophie Adenot from ESA (European Space Agency) continued her biomedical research exploring how to create intravenous (IV) fluid, or a saline solution, using a spacecraft’s clean drinking water to treat medical conditions in space.
She collected fluid samples generated by the new Intravenous Fluid Generation – Mini device to analyze how evenly mixed the IV fluid is.
The technology demonstration seeks to promote crew self-sufficiency farther away from Earth, reduce a crew’s dependence on cargo missions, and avoid expiration of medical supplies on a spacecraft.
Adenot earlier began installing new computer hardware inside the Columbus laboratory module to update a ground controller’s ability to monitor scientific payloads and download research data in real time.
NASA flight engineer Chris Williams replaced ethernet cables in between Columbus and the Harmony module to upgrade communications with the orbital outpost’s computers, experiment hardware, and more.
Williams also pedaled on the new European Enhanced Exploration Exercise Device’s (E4D) exercise cycle for the first time at the end of his shift. The E4D is being tested for its ability to support crew workouts on missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Williams also partnered with NASA flight engineer Jack Hathaway taking apart then examining a handheld barcode and radio‑tag scanner that helps manage inventory aboard the space station.
Hathaway also inspected the Tranquility module’s advanced resistive exercise device that mimics working out with free weights in Earth’s gravity. He wrapped up his shift unloading cargo delivered inside Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL resupply ship on April 13.
Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev worked together unloading crew clothing, food containers, scientific supplies, and more from inside the Progress 95 cargo spacecraft that arrived on Monday.
The duo also installed air ducts between Progress 95 and the International Space Station and reconfigured the spacecraft’s docking hardware.
Roscosmos flight engineer Andrey Fedyaev worked throughout Wednesday on life support duties transferring water between tanks, disinfecting water tanks, and cleaning ventilation fan screens inside the Rassvet module.
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/04/29/quantum-physics-biomedicine-and-computer-gear-fill-wednesdays-schedule/
extra extra NASA
https://science.nasa.gov/blog/curiosity-blog-sols-4873-4878-welcome-to-the-atacama-drill-target/
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/quesst/2026/04/29/x-59-update-042926/
https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/winters-end-is-written-in-the-clouds/
https://science.nasa.gov/photojournal/us-indian-spacecraft-captures-mexico-city-subsidence/
https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/learn/tutorials/customize-fire-related-imagery-through-hls-interface-titiler-firms
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/i-am-artemis/i-am-artemis-ryan-schulte/
Pope Leo XIII’s legacy reaches space with asteroid named in his honor
April 29, 2026 at 2:36 PM ET
The Vatican Observatory has named four asteroids after key figures in its history. Among them is Pope Leo XIII, who refounded the institution in 1891.
The newly named asteroids were discovered by the telescope the Vatican operates in Arizona.
The asteroid “Gioacchinopecci” honors Pope Leo XIII, born Gioacchino Vincenzo Raffaele Luigi Pecci, whose legacy is closely tied to the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV.
According to the observatory, Leo XIII reestablished the Vatican Observatory after the loss of the Papal States and of important astronomical facilities, particularly the observatory of Father Angelo Secchi located above the Church of St. Ignatius in Rome.
Photographs of the Vatican from the early 20th century show the domes of the observatory’s telescopes above the Vatican walls and the Tower of the Winds.
In the 1930s, because electric lighting made Rome’s night sky brighter, the telescopes were moved to the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome, whose domes can still be seen today from miles away.
The later increase in light pollution from Rome led to the construction of the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope, or VATT, on Mount Graham in Arizona in the 1990s.
Through the 1891 motu proprio Ut Mysticam, Leo XIII established the Vatican Observatory, stating that it would help show the world that the Church’s present and historic attitude toward “true and solid science” was to “embrace it, encourage it, and promote it with the greatest possible dedication,” contrary to what its critics claimed.
In particular, he emphasized that the observatory would help promote “a most noble science that, more than any other human discipline, raises the spirit of mortals to the contemplation of heavenly events.”
Leo XIII is the third pope to have an asteroid named after him. Gregory XIII has one in recognition of his role in the reform of the calendar, as does Benedict XVI, to whom “(8661) Ratzinger” is dedicated.
In addition to Pope Leo XIII, another asteroid has been named “Lais” in honor of Giuseppe Lais, an Italian priest and astronomer who served as deputy director of the Vatican Observatory for 30 years.
Asteroids were also named for Pietro Maffi, an Italian cardinal, archbishop of Pisa, and astronomer, and André Bertiau, a Belgian Jesuit priest, astronomer, and former director of the Vatican Observatory.
Asteroids receive a provisional designation at the time of discovery based on the date of observation and managed by the Working Group for Small Body Nomenclature of the International Astronomical Union.
When an asteroid’s orbit is determined with sufficient precision and its future path can be reliably predicted, it is assigned a permanent number. Currently, about 850,000 of the roughly 1.3 million known asteroids have received a permanent number.
Only after receiving this number, the observatory noted, can discoverers propose a definitive name to replace the provisional designation.
The proposed name is then examined by the working group and must comply with specific guidelines. Once approved, the asteroid is known by its official name, written as “(number) Name.”
https://www.ewtnnews.com/vatican/pope-leo-xiii-s-legacy-reaches-space-with-asteroid-named-in-his-honor
extra random space news
https://aviationweek.com/space/budget-policy-regulation/l3harris-lands-classified-space-program
https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/arizona-eyes-space-expansion-move-boost-industry
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3352049/chinas-tiangong-space-station-double-size-nasa-phases-out-iss
https://futurism.com/space/hidden-shortcut-mars
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094576526002456?via%3Dihub
U.S. Space Command Takes Operational Control of Facility at Redstone Arsenal
April 29, 2026
REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. – During an official ribbon-cutting ceremony, Gen. Stephen Whiting, Commander of U.S. Space Command, announced the command’s operational control of a facility located on Redstone Arsenal, April 29, 2026, in Huntsville, Alabama.
This announcement marks yet another step in the command’s transition from Colorado Springs, Colorado to Huntsville, Alabama.
“Today, we cut the ribbon on more than just a building,” Whiting said during the ceremony. “This facility represents a critical step forward for U.S. Space Command.
This is where we plant our flag for the first operational element of our headquarters - the Joint Intelligence Support Element - here at Redstone Arsenal.”
The JISE, a team that falls under the USSPACECOM Intelligence Directorate, directly supports the command’s operational mission through intelligence analysis.
When their full transition is complete, they will be made up of an 80-person team that delivers the critical intelligence that underpins the U.S. freedom of movement in the space domain.
Brig. Gen. Nathan Rusin, Director of the USSPACECOM Intelligence Directorate, was in attendance and touted the significance of this historic event.
“As we execute the strategic transition of our combatant command headquarters to our new home at Redstone Arsenal here in Huntsville, our primary imperative remains absolute: maintaining uninterrupted space superiority and continuous warfighting readiness,” said Rusin.
“Make no mistake, the JISE leading this charge serves as a symbol of our commitment to ensuring mission needs are executed flawlessly throughout this move.”
Since the President announced the relocation of USSPACECOM on September 2, 2025, the command has been identifying facility requirements and opportunity to work with partners across the Garrison to expedite the move.
Whiting has announced a goal of having at least half of the command operating from Redstone by the end of 2028.
https://www.spacecom.mil/Newsroom/News/Article-Display/Article/4473792/us-space-command-takes-operational-control-of-facility-at-redstone-arsenal/
https://x.com/US_SpaceCom/status/2049621601990430873
https://256today.com/this-is-where-we-plant-our-flag-u-s-space-command-opens-first-huntsville-office/
https://256today.com/commercial-space-flight-next-huntsville-runway-upgrade-positions-hsv-for-future-missions/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SBjAi0ejL0
extra Space Force
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4472659/daf-launches-plan-to-bolster-ai-workforce/
https://defence-industry.eu/u-s-space-force-sets-record-with-five-different-rocket-launches-in-april/
Another one: Ariane 6 flies with four boosters once more
30/04/2026
On 30 April 2026, four P120C boosters ignited and lifted Ariane 6 to the skies, for the second time.
Flight VA268 took 32 satellites for Amazon’s Leo constellation to low-Earth orbit. Liftoff occurred at 05:57 local time (09:57 BST/10:57 CET) from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, with separation of the last satellites after 114 minutes.
The upper stage was then fired a third time to ensure a safe deorbit and allowing Ariane 6 to adhere to the zero debris approach.
https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transportation/Ariane/Another_one_Ariane_6_flies_with_four_boosters_once_more
https://newsroom.arianespace.com/ariane-6-flight-va263/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0zLzwGEhcg
extra ESA
https://www.esa.int/Education/ESA_Academy/5th_Symposium_on_Space_Educational_Activities_was_a_success
https://www.esa.int/Education/Engagement/Sponsorship_for_ISEB_student_program_and_IAC_2026
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2026/04/The_great_parachute_bake-out
Putin and Trump speak by phone – Kremlin aide
Updated 29 Apr, 2026 19:02
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with his US counterpart Donald Trump on Wednesday, during which the two discussed issues including the Ukraine conflict and the crisis in the Persian Gulf, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov has said.
During the conversation, Putin expressed his support to Trump in light of the latest attempt on the US president’s life at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday.
The Russian leader “strongly condemned” the incident, underlining that “political violence was unacceptable in any form,” Ushakov told journalists.
The Russian president backed Trump’s decision to extend the ceasefire with Iran, warning against renewed hostilities between the US-Israeli side and Tehran.
Moscow is ready to mediate in the standoff and maintains contact with all the sides, Putin said, according to Ushakov.
“At the same time, the Russian president emphasized the inevitable, extremely dire consequences not only for Iran and its neighbors, but for the entire international community, should the US and Israel resort to the use of force again.
And, of course, a ground operation on Iranian territory is regarded as a completely unacceptable and dangerous option,” the aide stated.
Putin and Trump also extensively discussed the Ukraine conflict and efforts to bring the hostilities to an end, Ushakov said.
The two presidents “expressed essentially similar assessments of the behavior of the Kiev regime led by [Vladimir] Zelensky,” which has been “incited and supported by Europeans” to prolong the conflict at any cost, the official added.
“The American president emphasized the importance of a swift cessation of hostilities and his readiness to facilitate this in every possible way. His representatives will continue contacts with both Moscow and Kiev,” Ushakov added.
During the conversation, which lasted over 90 minutes and was initiated by the Russian side, the US leader praised the recent Easter truce announced by Moscow.
Putin, in turn, proposed declaring a temporary ceasefire with Kiev during the upcoming Victory Day celebrations, Ushakov said.
“Trump actively supported this initiative, noting that the holiday commemorates our shared victory over Nazism in World War II,” he added.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said he had a “very good conversation” with Putin, “mostly about Ukraine.”
“I think we’re going to come up with a solution relatively quickly, I hope. I think [Putin would] like to see a solution, I can tell you, and that’s good,” the US president said.
https://www.rt.com/news/639267-putin-trump-phone-talks/
extra RT
https://www.rt.com/russia/639296-ukraine-conscription-officers-attacked/
https://www.rt.com/russia/639316-ukraine-anti-drone-crews/
https://www.rt.com/india/639289-lavrov-to-visit-india-for/
Massive fire engulfs Perm refinery after Ukraine's 1,500+ km deep strike inside Russia: What we know
Thu, April 30, 2026 - 18:54
Ukrainian drones have been attacking one of Russia’s largest oil refineries in Perm — more than 1,500 km from Ukraine — for the second day in a row. The fire has not yet subsided.
RBC-Ukraine has compiled everything known about the attack so far.
Key points
Second day in a row. Drones from the Security Service (SBU) Special Operations Center Alpha have struck oil infrastructure near Perm for the second time.
Refinery halted. Lukoil-Permnefteorgsintez — one of Russia’s largest plants with a capacity of 13 million tons per year — was hit.
Four tanks destroyed. A Liutyi drone hit the AVT-4 vacuum column directly, after which the fire spread to the atmospheric distillation column.
Parallel strike on the pipeline. At the same time, the Perm linear production dispatch station supplying oil to the plant was attacked again.
City in smoke. Public transport has been canceled, school classes and university lectures have been moved online, and an evacuation has been announced from nearby areas.
What was hit at the refinery
Lukoil-Permnefteorgsintez, a plant with a capacity of about 13 million tons of oil per year, was struck. It supplies fuel to both the civilian sector and the Russian army.
Drones hit the AVT-4 unit — a key node of primary oil processing. As a result of the strike, the vacuum and atmospheric distillation columns caught fire. Their damage put the unit completely out of operation.
At the same time, the SBU again struck the Perm linear production dispatch station that supplies oil to the plant.
Four tanks destroyed
Videos from the scene circulating on social media show thick black smoke and open flames. A fourth oil tank has already ruptured.
Analysts from CyberBoroshno, who track open sources, have verified the strike. According to them, a Liutyi drone hit the AVT-4 vacuum column directly, after which the fire spread to the neighboring atmospheric distillation column.
“We can confirm that at the LPDS Perm as of 1:15 pm on April 30, at least four tanks with a volume of 50,000 m³ each have been destroyed or are burning — the total affected capacity amounts to 200,000 m³ of commercial oil,” the analysts said.
The situation on the ground as of now:
The AVT-4 unit has been completely put out of operation.
The enterprise’s operations have been halted.
Public transport has been canceled.
Classes in schools and universities in the city are being canceled or moved online due to the threat of smoke.
Announcements about evacuation from nearby areas are being heard.
What Russian authorities say
Local authorities traditionally downplay the consequences of the strike.
“There are no casualties or significant destruction. There is no threat to the life and health of residents. There is no chemical hazard threat,” wrote Perm Krai governor Dmitry Makhonin.
Meanwhile, videos filmed by locals show a completely different picture — thick smoke and explosions.
SBU confirms strike on Russian strategic plant
“Russia must realize one simple thing: it no longer has a safe rear. Distance no longer guarantees protection. Every region where enterprises are working to support the war against Ukraine is within reach,” the SBU said.
The agency also emphasized that it will continue to systematically strike such facilities.
On April 29, SBU drones first struck oil infrastructure near Perm. At that time, the dispatch station supplying oil to the refinery caught fire, and the blaze engulfed almost all tanks at the facility.
After the first wave of explosions in Perm, there was a release of hazardous substances — a white mushroom cloud formed in the sky.
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/massive-fire-engulfs-perm-refinery-after-1777563849.html
https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/ukrainian-drones-hit-heart-of-russias-fuel-supply-as-fires-break-out-at-major-refinery-video-18364
extra Russia and Ukraine
https://maritime-executive.com/article/ukrainian-drone-boats-hit-two-russian-patrol-vessels-at-kerch-strait
https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-strike-russian-explosives-plant-in-nizhny-novgorod-oblast/
https://caspianpost.com/regions/russian-drone-strike-hits-dnipro-leaving-fire-and-casualties
https://www.euractiv.com/news/ukraines-armed-forces-advertise-for-15000-more-drone-pilots/
https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/ukrainian-drones-hunt-down-and-destroy-massive-russian-2s4-tyulpan-mortar-video-18367
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/2026-04-30/live-updates-894660
other Israel
https://www.timesofisrael.com/12-soldiers-injured-by-hezbollah-drone-in-northern-israel-idf-strikes-in-lebanon/
https://vinnews.com/2026/04/30/idf-kills-hamas-operative-planning-sniper-attack-on-troops/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-major-allegedly-smuggled-2-3m-of-contraband-into-gaza-charged-with-aiding-enemy/
https://www.jfeed.com/latest-news/idf-dismantles-hezbollah-missile-launch-positions-in-mount-dov-operation-42985
https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/04/30/hezbollah-shifts-to-daily-drone-strikes-against-israeli-troops-in-southern-lebanon/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinian-man-and-teen-shot-dead-in-separate-west-bank-altercations-with-idf/
Live Updates: IDF attacks in southern Lebanon, CENTCOM prepares for renewed strikes in Iran
April 30, 2026
UK raises terror threat level to severe • Mojtaba Khamenei: Hormuz's new management will bring calm • Netanyahu pushes for new deadline on Lebanon talks
April 30, 8:08 PM
Sgt. Liem Ben-Hamo killed in southern Lebanon
Twelve IDF soldiers were wounded on Thursday after a drone struck an armored military vehicle near the northern community of Shomera, as drone incursion sirens blared across northern Israel.
Sgt. Liem Ben-Hamo, 19, from Herzliya, was killed in southern Lebanon, the IDF announced on Thursday. An additional soldier was wounded in the same incident and subsequently evacuated for medical treatment.
Ben-Hamo was a soldier in the 13th Battalion of the Golani Brigade.
April 30, 8:08 PM
UK raises threat level to 'severe' after London antisemitic attack
Britain on Thursday raised its national terrorism threat level to "severe," signaling that a terrorist attack was considered highly likely, following an antisemitic stabbing in north London.
Interior minister Shabana Mahmood said the level had been increased from "substantial" after the attack in the Golders Green area on Wednesday, adding that the decision reflected a broader and rising threat environment rather than a single event.
April 30, 5:26 PM
Pentagon Iran war cost estimates may exclude billions added from damaged US assets - CNN
While a Pentagon official has given a $25 billion figure, CNN sources warned the cost including rebuilding damaged US assets may cost tens of billions more.
The cost of the Iran war to the US may be close to $40-50 billion when including the costs of rebuilding US military installations and replacing destroyed assets, CNN reported on Thursday.
This contradicts the number presented by Pentagon official Jules “Jay” Hurst, who cited a $25 billion cost before the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday. Hurst told the committee that “most” of that cost has been spent on munitions, and that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth declined to answer if that included the cost of damage to US bases.
Last week, Hurst stated that the Pentagon did not have a final cost “for what the damage is to our installations overseas,” adding that it would rely “on how we decide to rebuild those or if we do.”
According to past CNN reports, in the first 48 hours of the war, at least nine US military sites were significantly damaged by strikes on Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, the UAE, and Qatar.
April 30, 4:08 PM
Iranian officials celebrate 'Persian Gulf Day,' Iranian control over Hormuz
Iranian Parliamentary Speaker, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf marked Persian Gulf Day on his X/Twitter as the day "we expelled the European colonizers from the Persian Gulf," on Thursday.
He further stated that Iranian control of the Strait of Hormuz "will ensure that it and its neighbours enjoy the precious blessing of a future free from the presence and interference of America."
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also took to X to mark the day and included an image from US President Donald Trump's Truth Social account in which Trump had labeled the strait as the Strait of Trump, calling it a "terrible mistake."
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April 30, 3:38 PM
WATCH: IDF strikes Hezbollah military structures in southern Lebanon
April 30, 3:29 PM
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian claimed that the insecurity in the Persian Gulf has been caused by Israel and the US and labelled the actions as "American piracy" in a conversation with the Japanese Prime Minister, Iranian media reported on Thursday.
The president condemned the "violation of international law."
The Japanese Prime Minister reportedly called for continued talks and shipping security especially for Japanese ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
April 30, 1:50 PM
Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei says new management of Strait of Hormuz 'will bring calm'
Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said in a published written message on Thursday that a new chapter for the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz has been taking shape since the Iran war with the United States and Israel broke out on February 28.
Iran's Supreme Leader said that Tehran would secure the Gulf region and eliminate what he described as "the enemy's abuses of the waterway."
The Supreme Leader added that new management of the Strait of Hormuz would bring calm, progress, and economic benefits to all Gulf nations.
April 30, 1:42 PM
Twelve IDF soldiers wounded in drone strike on military vehicle near northern border
Twelve IDF soldiers were wounded on Thursday after a drone struck a military vehicle near the northern border community of Shomera, the military said.
According to the IDF, two soldiers were moderately injured, while 10 others sustained light wounds in the incident.
The circumstances of the strike are under review.
April 30, 1:31 PM
WATCH: IDF destroys Hezbollah missile launch sites in Mount Dov operation
Footage from the activity of the 810th brigade troops in the Mount Dov area, April 30, 2026. (IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
IDF troops from the Alpinist Unit, operating under the 810th Brigade, carried out a targeted operation in the Mount Dov area, dismantling Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure, the military said Thursday.
During the activity, troops operating alongside the Yahalom combat engineering unit located and destroyed several staging areas and missile launch positions used by Hezbollah operatives.
The IDF said it will continue operating to remove threats to Israeli civilians and troops, in accordance with directives from the political echelon.
April 30, 1:18 PM
Iran's supreme leader to release statement, state media reports
A message from Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, will shortly be released on the occasion of "national Persian Gulf day," state media said on Thursday, at a time when Iran's Gulf ports are under a US blockade.
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LISTEN: United Pilot Reports Hitting Drone Mid-Flight in Audio Recording
Apr 30th, 2026, 9:13 am
A United Airlines pilot reported a possible drone strike at 3,000 feet on Wednesday, according to an eye-opening air traffic control audio.
United flight 1980 departed San Francisco International Airport on Wednesday morning, and the pilot told the tower he had possibly “hit a drone.”
“I believe I just saw like a red, small object, about 1,000 feet below us to our right,” the pilot said.
“United flight 1980 reported a possible drone just prior to arriving in San Diego. The flight landed safely, and customers deplaned normally at the gate.
Our maintenance team found no damage after thoroughly inspecting the aircraft,” United Airlines said in a statement to KTLA.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also released a statement, acknowledging the incident and saying there were no other reports of drone sightings by pilots the rest of the day.
“While approaching San Diego International Airport at about 4,000 feet altitude, the crew of United Airlines Flight 1980 told air traffic control they believed they saw a drone 1,000 feet below them.
Air traffic control alerted other pilots but did not receive any additional drone-sighting reports,” they said.
The FBI in San Diego said they are “evaluating” the situation.
“While our policy is to neither confirm nor deny investigations, we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to evaluate the situation,” they said.
“If there is a violation of federal law within the FBI’s authorities, we will follow the facts wherever they may lead. As this is an ongoing matter, we do not have anything further.”
https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/listen-united-pilot-reports-hitting-drone-mid-flight-in-audio-recording/
https://twitter.com/thenewarea51/status/2049514635301155320
other assorted drone news
https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/beehives-3d-printed-rampart-engine
https://www.techradar.com/cameras/drones/poultry-in-motion-south-korea-tests-fried-chicken-delivery-to-remote-island-using-a-drone-and-four-wheel-robot-in-the-worlds-most-elaborate-takeaway-operation
https://themorningnews.com/news/2026/04/30/china-halts-drone-sales-in-beijing-over-security-fears/