The U.S. Pentagon reported U.S. Army Specialist Christopher DiPompo, 30, of Apex, North Carolina, killed on July 14 in Iraq while efforting to render harmless an Iranian drone. DiPompo was killed from a deadly explosion during the disarming operation near Al-Asad Air Base. The Pentagon stated nearly 100 U.S. servicemembers wounded this month in incidents linked to Iran-related actions. The rising expenses are burdening Pentagon funds after billions were spent responding to Iranian aggression in the region. Additionally, Anduril Industries, a $1.2 billion startup, provides AI software the military relies on to automate cyber‑warfare duties.