[Apr 10, 2026] Iran’s integrated air-defence and electronic warfare network has destroyed 24 American MQ-9 Reaper drones in six weeks, inflicting US$720 million (RM2.74 billion) in losses and exposing growing vulnerabilities in U.S. surveillance operations. | The loss of 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones worth approximately US$720 million (RM2.74 billion) in only six weeks marks the most severe American unmanned aircraft attrition event since large-scale drone warfare emerged. ● The accelerated losses, including eight additional Reapers destroyed since April 1 according to CBS, indicate that the U.S.-Israel campaign against Iran is encountering an unexpectedly resilient and technologically adaptive defensive environment. ● Two American officials reportedly acknowledged that the expanding losses reflect the increasing difficulty of sustaining intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations inside heavily contested Iranian airspace. ● The officials reportedly stated that eight MQ-9 Reapers were lost during April alone, bringing total losses since February 28 to 24 aircraft from an estimated American fleet of roughly 300. ● That attrition rate means the United States has effectively lost approximately eight percent of its entire MQ-9 inventory during a single regional conflict lasting barely six weeks.

■ Trump Says US Military Will Stay Near Iran and Is Ready for ‘Next Conquest’ (Antiwar)
■ Iran’s FM Stresses Deep Distrust in US (Fars News)
■ Vance and Iranian officials arrive in Islamabad for high-stakes talks (RT)
■ LIVE UPDATES: US–Iran Peace Talks in Pakistan (Sputnik)
✅ Pentagon: Ceasefire with Iran is Just a Pause (Elena Panina

Elena Panina | Iran to America: First, fulfill our conditions, then negotiations | "Two of the measures mutually agreed upon by the parties remain to be implemented: a ceasefire in Lebanon and the unblocking of Iran's assets before the start of negotiations. These two issues must be fulfilled before the negotiations begin," stated Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

❖ It appears the Trump administration has failed to convince the Iranian authorities. While the White House could theoretically fulfill the first condition on its own, the second is in the hands of Israel, which is not inclined to compromise on Lebanon.

The already difficult task of US Vice President J.D. Vance, head of the US negotiating team, is becoming even more difficult. The Iranian delegation is not yet planning to move to Islamabad without fulfilling its previously agreed-upon obligations.

Incidentally, Ghalibaf's position paints a somewhat different picture of the transition to a ceasefire. It turns out the Americans made all sorts of promises to the Iranians just to persuade them to agree to a ceasefire. And then, as usual, they reneged on their commitments. But it didn't work out that way. The Strait of Hormuz remains closed to ships from states unfriendly to Iran. And that was the main condition of Trump's ultimatum.

❖ True, American bases in the Middle East, US allies in the region, and Israel are not under attack. Moreover, Tel Aviv has been given the opportunity to put an end to Hezbollah and expand its territory at the expense of southern Lebanon.

We'll see what the further diplomatic tug-of-war between Iran and the US leads to. (Translation + Copyread)

With EU allies unwilling to commit to any direct military action, Washington and London are exploring alternative plans to secure the key waterway | British Prime Minister Keir Starmer revealed on 10 April that he discussed military options, coalition-building, and shipping logistics in the Strait of Hormuz during a call with US President Donald Trump a day earlier, outlining a joint focus on securing navigation through the critical waterway. ● Speaking during a visit to the Gulf, Starmer said the UK is “pulling together a coalition of countries” while working on both diplomatic and military tracks tied to maritime movement. ● He added that discussions centered on “a political, diplomatic plan,” alongside “military capabilities” and “the logistics of actually moving vessels through the Strait,” framing the approach as both strategic and operational.

Netanyahu says that any country that opposes Israel diplomatically will pay a price | Israel will expel Spain from the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC), established to oversee an internationalized, post-war occupation of Gaza, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced on 10 April. ● Saar said the decision was based on what he claimed was the Spanish government's “anti-Israel bias” amid its criticism of Israel's wars on Lebanon and Iran. ● According to the Israeli Foreign Ministry, the move was taken “against the backdrop of the anti-Israel obsession of the Spanish government headed by [Pedro] Sanchez and serious harm to the interests of Israel and also the US.” ● Israeli officials said a formal notice was sent to Spain. The US, whose personnel lead the CMCC in the town of Kiryat Gat near the Gaza border, was informed in advance. [...] About 20 countries have troops or civilian staff stationed at the CMCC, alongside roughly 40 international organizations.