The White House considers Jim Webb, a former senator from Virginia, to serve as the next secretary of the Department of Defense, The New York Times reported Thursday. Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan assumed the role of acting DoD secretary on Tuesday after James Mattis resigned from his post.
Read More »Israel Air Force Conducts World’s First F-35 Combat Operation
Israel Air Force chief Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin said at a recent conference that the IAF had conducted two air strikes in the Middle East using the country’s variant of the F-35 fighter jet, dubbed “Adir” or “Mighty One.” The missions mark the first time Lockheed Martin‘s stealth aircraft has …
Read More »Trump Eyes Military Support to Border Security Efforts
President Donald Trump looks to deploy U.S. troops to help the country’s border with Mexico, DoD News reported Tuesday. “Until we can have a wall and proper security, we’re going to be guarding our border with the military,” he said Tuesday at a meeting with the presidents of the three …
Read More »US Military Continues Training Support for Syrian Security Forces
The U.S. military continues to train local security forces in Syria as part of efforts to stop activities of the Islamic State militant organization, facilitate stabilization and meet campaign objectives in the region. Syrian security forces are tasked to prevent members of the militant group from escaping the country, integrate …
Read More »US-Led Coalition Freed 98% of ISIS-Claimed Lands in 2017
The U.S.-led Global Coalition against the Islamic State militant group has liberated 98 percent of the territories claimed by ISIS in 2017. The Defense Department‘s Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve said in a year-end review posted Monday that the coalition’s 70 member nations and four member organizations helped …
Read More »James Mattis: DoD to Change Approach Against Islamic State Militants in 2018
Defense Secretary James Mattis has said the Defense Department will modify how it conducts operations to defeat the Islamic State militant group in 2018, DoD News reported Friday. Mattis told reporters Friday that coalition forces will work to hunt down the remaining members of the militant group and work with …
Read More »James Mattis Cites Iran’s Missile Program, Destabilization Efforts in Middle East
Defense Secretary James Mattis has said Iran has been involved in several destabilization activities in the Middle East that include the country’s ballistic missile support to the Houthis against Saudi Arabia, DoD News reported Saturday. Mattis told reporters Friday about Iran’s support to the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad and …
Read More »US, Coalition Forces Use Remotely Piloted Aircraft in Fight Against Islamic State Group
U.S. military personnel and coalition partners used combat remotely piloted aircraft to counter the Islamic State militant organization in Raqqah, Syria, the U.S. Air Force reported Tuesday. The aircrews flew combat RPAs such as General Atomics-built MQ-9 Reaper and MQ-1 Predator for at least 44,000 hours to get a view of …
Read More »Report: Number of US Troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria Reaches Nearly 26,000
The Defense Department has revealed in a new report that a total of 25,910 U.S. troops are currently deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria, Defense News reported Monday. There are 8,892 U.S. troops in Iraq, 15,298 in Afghanistan and 1,720 in Syria as of Sept. 30, according to a DoD report …
Read More »Trump Announces Minimum Security Requirements for US Visa, Immigration Vetting Procedures
President Donald Trump has announced the creation of minimum baseline requirements for immigration and visa screening processes for foreigners who seek to enter the U.S. as part of efforts to protect U.S. citizens’ safety amid the prevalence of terrorist attacks and transnational crime. The Department of Homeland Security developed the …
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