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☆ B-1B supersonic bombers sent a 'powerful' message to Iran's proxies all the way from Texas
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewIt's a long way to go from Texas to the airspace above Iraq and back to base, but it's a mission the B-1B Lancer can handle. AdvertisementA B-1B Lancer from Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, taxis down the runway before takeoff at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, Feb. 1, 2024. US Air Force photo by Senior Airman Leon RedfernThe bombers took off from Dyess and flew nonstop to the Middle East. B-1B Lancers from Dyess and Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, sit on the flightline at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, Feb. 1, 2024. An Airman from the 7th Munitions Conventional Maintenance shop prepares Joint Direct Attack Munitions at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, Jan. 31, 2024.

Persons: —, 1Bs, I'm, Mark Gunzinger, Leon Redfern, Douglas Sims, There's, Gunzinger, it'll Organizations: Service, US Central Command, Business, Ellsworth Air Force Base, Dyess Air Force Base, US Air Force, Senior, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Armaments, Attack Munitions, Joint, Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, 7th Munitions, Munitions, Leon Redfern Targets, Texas Locations: Texas, Iraq, South Dakota, Dyess, Iran, Syria, Jordan, Gen, East, United States

☆ US destroyed or damaged 84 of 85 targets in Iraq and Syria, officials say; no indications of Iranian casualties
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Oren Liebermann | Natasha Bertrand | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The US destroyed or damaged 84 out of 85 targets in its sweeping series of airstrikes on Friday in Syria and Iraq, according to two US defense officials, with no indications of Iranian casualties. All but one of the 85 targets were “destroyed or functionally damaged,” the officials said, citing a preliminary battlefield damage assessment. In Iraq, the US targeted al-Qaim and Akashat near the border with Syria. President Joe Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the strikes, far larger than previous US operations in Iraq or Syria, were only the start of the US response. The attack consisted of two rockets launched against the site, with no injuries or damage reported.

Persons: Deir, Douglas Sims, ”, Biden, Sims, Joe Biden, Lloyd Austin, Jake Sullivan, CNN’s Dana, Sullivan Organizations: CNN, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Joint Staff, Defense, Union, US Locations: Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Iran, Akashat, al, Gen, “ State

A screengrab from a video, geolocated by CNN to the town of Qaim, Iraq, shows the aftermath of US military strikes in the area according to the Iraqi Military. US officials say the strikes hit four facilities in Syria and three in Iraq, where security officials reported damage in the city of Al-Qaim. The sites allegedly belonged to various Iran-backed militias, which the US blames for the strike in Jordan. The US does not plan to strike inside Iran: A senior official with the Biden administration told CNN the US will not strike inside Iran – only focusing on targets outside of the country. Striking inside Iran would have been a huge escalation, and officials have telegraphed that is unlikely to happen.

Persons: Joe Biden, Lloyd Austin, Biden, Jordan, Douglas Sims, Sims, John Kirby Organizations: CNN, White House, Pentagon, Defense, Air Force, National Security Locations: Qaim, Iraq, Iraqi, Jordan, Syria, Al, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Yemen, Gen

☆ US starts retaliatory strikes in Iraq and Syria against Iran-linked targets
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

In Syria, the strikes killed 23 people who had been guarding the targeted locations, said Rami Abdulrahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an organization that reports on war in Syria. The White House said the United States had informed Iraq ahead of strikes. Baghdad later accused the United States of deception, saying a U.S. claim of coordination with the Iraqi authorities was "unfounded". The Syrian foreign ministry said the United States was fueling conflict in the region in a "very dangerous way". Britain called the United States its "steadfast" ally and said it supports Washington's right to respond to attacks.

Persons: Joe Biden, Andrew Caballero, Reynolds, Joe Biden's, Nasser Kanaani, Rami Abdulrahman, Douglas, Sims, Chip Somodevilla, General Douglas Sims, Biden, Lloyd Austin, Austin, Ebrahim Raisi, Radek Sikorski Organizations: Air Force, Joint Base Andrews, AFP, Getty, United, Revolutionary Guard, U.S, Syrian, Human Rights, Chiefs, Capitol Visitors Center, Joint Staff, Pentagon, U.S . Defense Locations: Maryland, United States, Iraq, Syria, U.S, Iran, Israel, Gen, Washington ,, Tehran, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraqi, Baghdad, Washington, Britain, Polish, Brussels

☆ U.S. Launches Retaliatory Strikes in Iraq, Syria; Nearly 40 Reported Killed
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

The White House said the United States had informed Iraq ahead of strikes. Baghdad later accused the United States of deception, saying a U.S. claim of coordination with the Iraqi authorities was "unfounded". The Syrian foreign ministry said the United States was fuelling conflict in the region in a "very dangerous way". The United States has assessed that the drone that killed the three soldiers and wounded more than 40 other people in Jordan was made by Iran, U.S. officials have told Reuters. Iranian advisers assist armed groups in both Iraq, where the United States has around 2,500 troops, and Syria, where it has 900.

Persons: Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Timour Azhari, Joe Biden's, Nasser Kanaani, Rami Abdulrahman, General Douglas Sims, Biden, Lloyd Austin, Austin, Ebrahim Raisi, Radek Sikorski, Jordan, Roger Wicker, Enas Alashray, Adam Makary, Andrew Gray, Sabine Siebold, Tom Perry, Frances Kerry Organizations: United, Revolutionary Guard, U.S, Syrian, Human Rights, Joint Staff, Pentagon, U.S . Defense, Reuters, Republican, Senate Armed Services Committee Locations: Timour Azhari WASHINGTON, BAGHDAD, United States, Iraq, Syria, U.S, Iran, Israel, Gaza, Tehran, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraqi, Baghdad, Washington, Britain, Polish, Brussels, Al, Jordan

The US said the attack lasted 30 minutes, hitting 85 targets across seven locations in Iraq and Syria. In 2016, the Iraqi parliament passed a bill recognizing the PMU as a government entity operating alongside the Iraqi military. A screengrab from a video, geolocated by CNN to the town of Qaim, Iraq, shows the aftermath of US military strikes in the area, according to the Iraqi Military. Iraq and Syria condemned the US attack as infringements on their sovereignty that risk fueling regional conflict. “The United States does not seek conflict in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world,” Biden said in a statement Friday, following the strikes on Iraq and Syria.

Persons: Joe Biden, –, Biden, Kennedy Ladon Sanders, Sanders, Matt Rourke, Qaim, Turki Al, John Kirby, Washington, ”, SANA, Kirby, Douglas Sims, “, Mike Johnson, ” Johnson, Jack Reed, Lloyd Austin, ” Biden, Charles Lister, ” Lister, Ebrahim Raisi Organizations: CNN, Hamas, Army, US Army, Dover Air Force Base, House, Hezbollah, Al, US National Security, Syrian, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iraq’s Armed Forces, United Nations Charter, Republican, Senate Armed, US, Coalition Forces, Austin, Middle East Institute, Iraq Locations: United States, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Iran, Gaza, Israel, Delaware, Iraqi, Al, ” Syria’s, Deir Ezzor, Gen, Qaim, ” Syria, Washington ,, Tehran

That was apparent Monday, when a Houthi missile hit a US-owned cargo ship in the Red Sea, marking what appears to be the first time the militants have successfully struck a US-owned or operated ship. Senior Biden administration officials insist Friday’s operation against the Houthis was successful at its objective: degrading the group’s military capabilities. Houthi fighters and tribesmen stage a rally against the U.S. and the U.K. strikes on Houthi-run military sites near Sanaa, Yemen, on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024. US officials fear one side will miscalculate, even if none of the major parties – Iran, Israel and the United States – want a wider war. The Suez Canal accounts for 10% to 15% of world trade, which includes oil exports, and for 30% of global container shipping volumes.

Persons: Biden, Israel simmers, John Kirby, Douglas Sims, ”, Mick Mulroy, Trump, Joe Biden, “ Organizations: CNN, US, Houthis, Biden, National Security, Pentagon, Joint Staff, New York Times, U.S, AP, United, Analysts, ABC News Locations: Yemen, Red, Sea, Gulf of Aden, Israel, Washington, Iran, Gaza, Africa, Suez, Red Sea, Gen, Sanaa, United States, Aden

☆ The Houthi rebels likely hid their missiles and drones before the US-led air attacks and retain about 75% of their firepower, report says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Nathan Rennolds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Despite US attacks, the Houthi rebel group retains around 75% of its offensive strike power. The Houthi targeting of ships was a response to Israel's war in Gaza after Hamas' October 7 attacks. AdvertisementBut two unnamed US officials told The Times on Saturday that the operation had only destroyed or damaged about 20-30% of the group's offensive capabilities. "Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea," the statement added. The Houthi attacks began in response to Israel's major offensive against Gaza following Hamas' October 7 attacks.

Persons: —, Douglas Sims II, Sims, Nicholas Brumfield Organizations: Service, New York Times, Army, Joint Staff, Times, Red, US, Gaza, Foreign Policy Research Institute Locations: Iran, Gaza, Yemen, Gen, Red, Netherlands, Canada, Bahrain, Australia, East

☆ Much of Houthis’ Offensive Capability Remains Intact After U.S.-led Airstrikes
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-13 | by ( Eric Schmitt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The United States-led airstrikes on Thursday and Friday against sites in Yemen controlled by the Houthi militia damaged or destroyed about 90 percent of the targets struck, but the group retained about three-quarters of its ability to fire missiles and drones at ships transiting the Red Sea, two U.S. officials said on Saturday. The damage estimates are the first detailed assessments of the strikes by American and British attack planes and warships against nearly 30 locations in Yemen, and they reveal the serious challenges facing the Biden administration and its allies as they seek to deter the Iran-backed Houthis from retaliating, secure critical shipping routes between Europe and Asia, and contain the spread of regional conflict. A top U.S. military officer, Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, the director of the military’s Joint Staff, said on Friday that the strikes had achieved their objective of damaging the Houthis’ ability to launch the kind of complex drone and missile attack they had conducted on Tuesday. But the two U.S. officials cautioned on Saturday that even after hitting more than 60 missile and drone targets with more than 150 precision-guided munitions, the strikes had damaged or destroyed only about 20 to 30 percent of the Houthis’ offensive capability, much of which is mounted on mobile platforms and can be readily moved or hidden.

Persons: Biden, Douglas Sims Organizations: American, military’s Joint Staff Locations: States, Yemen, British, Iran, retaliating, Europe, Asia, Gen

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. The first day of strikes began on Friday, hitting 28 locations and striking more than 60 targets. AdvertisementThe Houthis' military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said in a recorded address that the US strikes would "not go unanswered or unpunished." It remained unclear how extensive the damage was from Friday's strikes, though the Houthis said at least five sites, including airfields, had been attacked.

Persons: —, Joe Biden, Yemen's Houthis, Biden, Mick Ryan, Ryan, Lloyd Austin, Douglas Sims, Yahya Saree, Hussein Organizations: Service, Associated Press, Business, AP, US, Hamas, Atlantic Council, US Navy, Britain, White, Pentagon, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Foreign Ministry Locations: Yemen, Red, Sanaa, Palestinian, Israel, Aden, Gaza, Emmaus , Pennsylvania, Gen, America, Britain

The warning came as Yemen’s Houthis vowed retaliation, further raising the prospect of a wider conflict in a region already beset by Israel's war in Gaza. The U.S.-led bombardment came in response to a recent campaign of drone and missile attacks on commercial ships in the vital Red Sea. Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging Israel's offensive in Gaza against Hamas. The Houthis’ military spokesman, Brig. Tesla, meanwhile, said it would temporarily halt most production at its German factory because of attacks in the Red Sea.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, ”, Yemen’s Houthis, “, " Biden, Lloyd Austin, Donald Trump Lt, Douglas Sims, Yahya Saree, Nikolas, Iran’s, Hussein, George W, Bush, Friday's, Nasser Kanaani, Vassily Nebenzia, Linda Thomas, Ambassador Barbara Woodward, Thomas, Greenfield, ” ___ Gambrell, Ahmed Al, Haj, Bassem, Jill Lawless, Nasser Karimi, Fatima Hussein, Ellen Knickmeyer, Chris Megerian, Seung Min Kim, Edith M, Lederer Organizations: WASHINGTON, Britain, Associated Press, U.S . Central Command, Navy, White, Camp, U.S . Navy, Republicans, Pentagon, Joint Chiefs of Staff, . Air Forces Central Command, Tomahawk, Foreign Ministry, Brent, Food, U.S, U.S ., United Arab Emirates, . Security, Ambassador, United Nations Locations: Yemen, U.S, Sanaa, Iran, Aden, Gaza . U.S, Houthi, Gen, Red, Gaza, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Saudi, United Kingdom, Bani, Abbs, Gulf of Oman, Tehran, Washington, Suez, America, Britain, Houthis, Greenfield, U.K, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Beirut, London, Emmaus , Pennsylvania

☆ Ukrainian soldiers knocked out a crash course on the M1 Abrams tank, but Kyiv doesn't want to stop there
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ukrainian soldiers have reached the end of their planned training on American M1 Abrams tanks in Germany. US M1A1 Abrams tanks needed for training the Armed Forces of Ukraine arrive by rail at Grafenwoehr, Germany, May 14, 2023. While US officials have routinely asserted that the Abrams tanks would make their way to the battlefield this fall, an exact timeline remains unclear. US soldiers and an M1 Abrams tank in a wooded area during a multinational exercise at the Hohenfels training area in Germany. American officials, meanwhile, have suggested that the Abrams tanks are expected to give Kyiv a significant firepower boost on the battlefield.

Persons: Martin O'Donnell, O'Donnell, Biden, Abrams, Pat Ryder, Nicolas Armer, Douglas Sims, they'll, Sims Organizations: Abrams, Service, US Army, Training, Grafenwoehr, NATO, US, Armed Forces, US Air National Guard, Tylon Chapman, Russia, Stripes, Pentagon, Formidable, US military's Joint Staff, Kyiv, Western Locations: Germany, Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Kyiv, US Army Europe, Africa, Grafenwoehr, Washington, Formidable Russian, Gen, Russia

☆ Battlefield conditions in Ukraine aren't 'ideal' for F-16 fighter jets, but Abrams tanks will 'certainly make a difference,' US general says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Jake Epstein | Christopher Woody | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Kyiv hopes to one day field F-16 fighter jets, and it is expecting to receive Abrams tanks soon. F-16s aren't ideal for the fight now, a US general said, but Abrams tanks will make a difference. While there are still questions about Ukraine's F-16s, Abrams tanks are definitely going to be delivered and are expected to have a significant effect on the battlefield, Sims said Thursday. US M1A1 Abrams tanks needed for training the Armed Forces of Ukraine arrive by rail at Grafenwoehr, Germany, May 14, 2023. The Abrams tanks promised to Ukraine are part of more than $41.3 billion in security assistance that the US has provided Kyiv since Russia attacked in February 2022.

Persons: Abrams, Russia's, they're, Douglas Sims, Biden, Tylon Chapman, Sims, Kyiv's, Tylon, they'll Organizations: Service, Ukraine, NATO, Abrams, Russian, US military's Joint Staff, U.S . Air Force, Falcons, Ohio Air National, 180th Fighter Wing, U.S . Air Force KC, Iowa Air National, Air Refueling Wing, US Air National Guard, Tylon, Attack Munitions, Pentagon, US, Armed Forces, Tylon Chapman Locations: Kyiv, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Gen, Iowa, Tylon Chapman Russia, Moscow, Grafenwoehr, Germany, Russia

WASHINGTON, April 23 (Reuters) - All U.S. government personnel were evacuated from Washington's embassy in Khartoum, as well as a small number of diplomatic personnel from other countries, U.S. officials said on Saturday, as fighting rocks Sudan. The operation evacuated fewer than 100 people, the officials told reporters. "We evacuated all of the U.S. personnel and dependents assigned to Embassy Khartoum," said Under Secretary of State for Management John Bass. A substantial number of local staff remain in Khartoum supporting the embassy, where Washington decided to suspend operations on Saturday due to the security risks, Bass said. U.S. forces spent just an hour on the ground in Sudan before taking off again, entering and exiting Sudan without being fired upon by the warring factions on the ground, the military said.

☆ US and France evacuate diplomats from Sudan as battles rage on
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Khalid Abdelaziz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"The belligerent parties must implement an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and respect the will of the people of Sudan," Biden said in a statement. It pits Sudan's army against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who jointly staged a coup in 2021 but fell out during negotiations over a plan to form a civilian government and integrate the RSF into the armed forces. Saudi Arabia has already evacuated Gulf citizens from Port Sudan on the Red Sea, 650 km (400 miles) from Khartoum. Egypt, which has more than 10,000 citizens in Sudan, urged its nationals outside Khartoum to head to its consulate in Port Sudan, and to a consular office in Wadi Halfa on the border with Egypt, in preparation for their evacuation. It encouraged those in Khartoum to shelter in place and wait for the situation to improve.

☆ Watch live: Senate holds first hearing on the suspected Chinese spy balloon
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Christina Wilkie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Senate on Thursday is holding its first hearing on the Chinese spy balloon that floated over the United States last week before it was shot down over the weekend. The hearing comes as the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard complete a recovery operation of the downed spy balloon roughly six miles off the coast of South Carolina. On Saturday, Biden gave the order to take the 200-foot-tall spy balloon out of the sky. The operation resulted in an F-22 fighter jet shearing a hole in the bottom of the balloon with a sidewinder missile. "In our engagements, we are again hearing from our partners that the world expects China and the United States to manage our relationship responsibly.

☆ US officials say getting their hands on China's spy balloon was a 'key' reason for shooting it down near a South Carolina beach
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Christopher Woody | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

US officials say balloons have crossed over the US before as part of a wider Chinese surveillance program. The eight-day wait and the sensitivity of those bases have alarmed lawmakers, who called defense officials to Capitol Hill on Thursday to explain their handling of the incident. US sailors recover a high-altitude surveillance balloon off of Myrtle Beach on February 5. US sailors recover a high-altitude surveillance balloon off of Myrtle Beach on February 5. A Chinese spy balloon drifts to the ocean after being shot down off the South Carolina coast on February 4.

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