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PLA Army, Navy, Air Force start annual training for 2026

China

China

China

PLA Army, Navy, Air Force start annual training for 2026

2026-01-04 15:58 Last Updated At:01-05 13:27

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Army, Navy and Air Force started the annual training for 2026 on Sunday, focusing on high-intensity drills to enhance real combat capabilities.

A brigade of the 79th Group Army conducted a live-force training to test the ability to seize control of an enemy stronghold. The training involved four assault teams and one drone team, along with two infantry vehicles and quadruped robots. It took the officers and soldiers only about six minutes to win the battle, effectively enhancing their battlefield adaptability and response capability.

In a naval port in Qingdao City, east China's Shandong Province, China's first Type 055 guided-missile destroyer the Nanchang, guided-missile destroyer the Xining, and missile frigate the Weifang have assembled navy personnel, ready to head for designated sea areas to start their first combat-oriented training of the new year. The training exercises include ship maneuvering and weapon use under complex weather conditions, naval gunfire against sea and shore targets, and live firing of jamming bombs and anti-frogman grenades, as well as navigation training in various special scenarios, including narrow waterways, power failure, and water leakage.

At an airbase of the Air Force, several J-20 stealth fighter jets were lined up in formation. Ground crew members were conducting systematic inspections of the aircraft along designated routes. Once airborne, the fighters will quickly engage in red-blue air combat confrontations, launching beyond-visual-range air combat and other multi-subject training exercises.

PLA Army, Navy, Air Force start annual training for 2026

PLA Army, Navy, Air Force start annual training for 2026

PLA Army, Navy, Air Force start annual training for 2026

PLA Army, Navy, Air Force start annual training for 2026

Iran's Supreme National Security Council confirmed the death of its secretary Ali Larijani in a statement, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported early Wednesday.

Also on Wednesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed deep condolences over the death of Larijani in a statement, describing it as a major loss to the nation.

Born in Najaf, Iraq, in 1958, Larijani has held prominent positions in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iranian government agencies, and the state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) after the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

In 2005, Larijani was appointed Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, stepping down in 2007. He entered parliament in 2008 and served as speaker for three consecutive terms.

In August 2025, Larijani returned to the post of Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, once again becoming a central figure in Iran's leadership.

Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Tuesday confirmed the death of Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of the Basij volunteer force, in a U.S.-Israeli strike.

On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel had killed Larijani in ongoing strikes on Iran.

The Israel Defense Forces said earlier on Tuesday that it had launched wide-scale strikes on Iranian government infrastructure in Tehran. It later said the attacks had killed Larijani and Soleimani.

The deaths came amid heightened regional tensions following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran starting Feb. 28, to which Iran and its regional allies responded with attacks on Israeli and U.S. interests across the Middle East.

Iran confirms death of top security official Ali Larijani in attack

Iran confirms death of top security official Ali Larijani in attack

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