On January 12, Iran expanded military drills to include two nuclear sites, Fordo and Khondab, in addition to the Natanz facility. The exercises, dubbed Eqtedar, will run until mid-March and involve Iran’s army and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Meanwhile, Iran’s military is set to receive new equipment, including a destroyer and 1,000 strategic drones, boosting defense capabilities. Concurrently, Iran has increased tensions with the US, while negotiations for the release of 33 Israeli captives by Hamas are underway. n18oc_crux