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☆ US identifies 2 Navy SEALs declared dead after operation off Somali coast
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Haley Britzky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The two Navy SEALs who the US Navy declared dead after they went missing while conducting an operation on January 11 off the coast of Somalia have been identified as Navy Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Christopher Chambers who was 37 and Navy Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class Nathan Gage Ingram who was 27, the US Navy announced Monday. Blake Chaney, commander of Naval Special Warfare Group 1, said in a statement that Chambers and Ingram “were exceptional warriors, cherished teammates, and dear friends to many.”“Chris and Gage selflessly served their country with unwavering professionalism and exceptional capabilities,” Chaney said. According to biographies provided by Naval Special Warfare Command, Chambers, from Maryland, enlisted in the Navy in May 2012 and had served with SEAL units on the West Coast since 2014. Ingram, from Texas, enlisted in September 2019, immediately going into pre-special warfare training after completing boot camp at Recruit Training Command Great Lakes, Illinois. “During this expansive search operation, airborne and naval platforms from the US, Japan, and Spain continuously searched more than 21,000 square miles to locate our missing teammates.

Persons: Christopher Chambers, Nathan Gage Ingram, Capt, Blake Chaney, Chambers, Ingram “, ” “ Chris, Gage selflessly, ” Chaney, Ingram, CENTCOM, ” CNN’s Natasha Bertrand Organizations: CNN, Navy, US Navy, Special Warfare, NSW, Warfare, Central Command, US, Special Warfare Command, Marine, Recruit Training Command, Terrorism, Medal, National Defense Service, Numerical Meteorology, Oceanography Center, U.S . Coast Guard Atlantic Area Command, University of San, Oceanography, Naval Research Locations: Somalia, West Coast, Iran, Yemen, Maryland, Texas, Lakes , Illinois, Japan, Spain, University of San Diego

☆ An Israeli airstrike on the Syrian capital killed at least 4 Iranian advisers, state media say
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

An Israeli strike on the Syrian capital on Saturday destroyed a building used by the Iranian paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, killing at least four Iranians, Syrian and Iranian state media reported. Iranian state television said four advisers from the Revolutionary Guard had been killed in the strike in Damascus, without identifying them, adding that Israel was behind the strike. Last month, an Israeli airstrike on a suburb of Damascus killed Iranian general Seyed Razi Mousavi, a longtime adviser of the Iranian paramilitary Revolutionary Guard in Syria. Iranian and Syrian officials have long acknowledged Iran has advisers and military experts in Syria, but denied there were any ground troops. Earlier this month, a strike said to be carried out by Israel killed top Hamas commander Saleh Arouri in Beirut.

Persons: Israel, Nour, Sadegh Omidzadeh, Hajj Gholam, Rami Abdurrahman, Khaled Mawed, Seyed Razi Mousavi, Bashar Assad, Bashar Assad's, Saleh Arouri Organizations: Iranian, Revolutionary Guard, Quds Force, Hajj, Syrian, Human Rights, Security, Windows, Associated Press Locations: Wafideen, Damascus, Syria, Israeli, Syrian, Iran, Mazzeh, Venezuela, South Africa, Israel, Gaza, Beirut, Golan, Lebanon, Red

ON BOARD THE USS BATAAN (AP) — When attacks with missiles and drones surged in the Red Sea late last year, crewmembers of the USS Bataan worked round the clock to make sure they were shot down before reaching passing merchant vessels. Weeks later, they are still perfecting that operation in training and simulations, along with a dozen other scenarios, despite moving north to the Mediterranean where commercial marine traffic is at little risk. The U.S. Navy is reshuffling its warship deployment in the Middle East to maintain dominance in the region – now eyeing the longer haul as concerns mount that Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza could set off a regional conflict. The Bataan was sailing toward the eastern Mediterranean Friday after taking part in live-fire exercises with NATO-member Greece on the country’s mainland. “I would say, the difference (after coming to Greece) is that the food is a little bit better.”

Persons: Weeks, Gerald Ford, Jeremy Hawkins, “ We’re, ”, Gregory Aftandilian, Sam Peters, we’re, “ Organizations: BATAAN, U.S . Navy, United, Carter, School of International Service, American University in, American University in Washington DC, NATO, U.S, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Navy Locations: Red, Bataan, Gaza, United States, Mesa Verde, America, Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, American University in Washington, Israel, Greece, North Carolina, Valdosta, U.S, Georgia

☆ Missions like the nighttime sea raid that saw 2 Navy SEALs go missing are 'dangerous' and 'complex,' former Special Forces soldier says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Two Navy SEALs went missing at sea during a raid to interdict smuggled Iranian weapons last week. Western forces have carried out numerous visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) missions in recent years. These operations can be "dangerous" and "complex," a former US Special Forces soldier said. A former US Special Forces soldier said these missions are particularly "dangerous" and "complex" for a number of reasons, including the difficulty of successfully mounting a moving target and the potential to encounter hostiles once on board. AdvertisementUS forces seized this dhow during a nighttime mission on Jan. 11, 2024, and maintained custody of it the following day.

Persons: —, hostiles, Lino Miani, USS Lewis B, CENTCOM, Michael Kurilla, Melissa Parrish, there's, Miani, Jason Dunham, Kyle McNally CENTCOM, Kurilla Organizations: Navy, US Special Forces, Service, Operations, Green Beret, Insider, USS, Puller, Central Command, US, Command Public, US Navy, US Army Green Berets, Combat, Foundation, US Navy SEAL, Royal Jordanian Naval Base, US Army, Troops, Pentagon, 1st, Special Operations, US Marine Corps, UN Locations: Somalia, Iran, Yemen, Aqaba, Camp Pendleton , California, Iranian

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Navy ships and aircraft combed areas of the Gulf of Aden for two missing U.S. Navy SEALs on Monday as details emerged about their mission to board and take over a vessel carrying components for medium-range Iranian ballistic missiles headed for Somalia, a U.S. defense official said Monday. The crew members, who were taken into custody, had no paperwork, which allowed a search of the vessel. U.S. officials have said that the waters in the Gulf of Aden are warm, and Navy SEALs are trained for such emergencies. On Monday, Navy ships, helicopters and drones were involved in the ongoing search. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesThe U.S. Navy has conducted regular interdiction missions in the region, also intercepting weapons on ships that were bound for Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen.

Persons: USS Lewis B, Puller Organizations: WASHINGTON, — U.S . Navy, U.S . Navy, Navy, USS, Prosperity Guardian Locations: Gulf, Aden, Somalia, U.S, Iran, Iranian, Yemen, Red, United States, United Kingdom

☆ Remains of five crew found after US Osprey aircraft crashes off Japan
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A floating object believed to belong to the U.S. military aircraft V-22 Osprey that crashed into the sea is seen off Yakushima Island, Kagoshima prefecture, western Japan November 30, 2023, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Mandatory credit Kyodo via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON/TOKYO, Dec 4 (Reuters) - U.S. and Japanese dive teams found the remains of five more crew members from a V-22 Osprey aircraft that crashed off western Japan last week, the Pentagon said on Monday. Two crew members remain unaccounted for. "There is an ongoing combined effort to recover the remaining crew members from the wreckage," Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said. Following the crash, the U.S. military unit that the V-22 Osprey aircraft belonged to suspended flight operations.

Persons: Sabrina Singh, Phil Stewart, Satoshi Sugiyama, Bernadette Baum, Alison Williams Organizations: Kyodo, REUTERS Acquire, WASHINGTON, Osprey, Pentagon, U.S ., ., U.S, Pacifist Japan, U.S . Marine Corps, Thomson Locations: Kagoshima prefecture, Japan, TOKYO, Yakushima, Tokyo, U.S, Washington

Japan, a key U.S. ally, had sought the suspension of all non-emergency V-22 Osprey flights over its territory after one fell into the sea on Wednesday in western Japan. Japan's Coast Guard has said one person was found and confirmed dead, and the search for the remaining seven aboard continues. The Pentagon said on Thursday that it was still flying Ospreys for now, and that it was not aware of any official request for their grounding. "We are concerned that despite our repeated requests, and in the absence of sufficient explanation (from the U.S. military), the Osprey continues to fly," he told a news conference. The Japan Self-Defense Forces (SDF), which also operates Ospreys, has said it would suspend flights of the transport aircraft.

Persons: Hirokazu Matsuno, Yoko Kamikawa, Rahm Emanuel, Robert Dujarric, Dujarric, Mariko Katsumura, John Geddie, Chang, Ran Kim, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Kyodo, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Japan's Coast Guard, Pentagon, Ospreys, U.S ., Japan Self - Defense Forces, U.S, Pacifist Japan, U.S . Marine Corps, Tokyo's Temple University, Thomson Locations: Kagoshima prefecture, Japan, U.S, Tokyo

☆ Japan asks US military to ground Osprey aircraft after fatal crash
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Kantaro Komiya | Thomson Reuters | Kantaro Writes About Everything Japan'S Economic Indicators To North Korea'S Missiles To Global Regulation On Ai Companies. His Previous Stories Have Been Published In The Associated Press | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A Japan Coast Guard vessel and a helicopter conduct a search and rescue operation at the site where a U.S. military aircraft V-22 Osprey crashed into the sea off Yakushima Island, Kagoshima prefecture, Japan November 30, 2023, in this photo taken by Kyodo. The Japan Self-Defense Forces (SDF), which also operates Ospreys, will suspend flights of the transport aircraft until the circumstances of the incident are clarified, another senior defence ministry official said in parliament. A spokesperson for U.S. military forces in Japan did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The deployment of the aircraft in Japan has been controversial, with critics of the U.S. military presence in the southwest islands saying it is prone to accidents. The last fatal U.S. military aircraft crash in Japan was 2018, when a mid-air collision during a training exercise killed six people, according to the defence ministry.

Persons: Minoru Kihara, Witnesses, Chang, Ran Kim, Kantaro Komiya, Tim Kelly, John Geddie, Kim Coghill, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Japan Coast Guard, Kyodo, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, U.S . Air Force, U.S, Ospreys, Japan Self - Defense Forces, Boeing, Bell Helicopter, Marines, Navy, U.S . Marine Corps, Osprey, Thomson Locations: Kagoshima prefecture, Japan, U.S, Australia, Okinawa

☆ Britain to send seven Royal Navy ships to patrol areas with undersea cables
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Britain said on Thursday it will send seven Royal Navy ships and a maritime patrol aircraft to take part in Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) patrols of areas with vulnerable undersea infrastructure next month. Europe and NATO have become increasingly concerned about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure around and under the Baltic Sea. JEF, a 10-nation military alliance of northern European countries, is focused on security in the High North, North Atlantic and Baltic Sea region. That followed explosions in September 2022 that ruptured the Nord Stream pipelines under the Baltic Sea and cut Europe's supply of Russian gas. Vessels will be spaced to cover a wide area from the Channel to the Baltic Sea, it added.

Persons: JEF, Grant Shapps, Kylie MacLellan, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Royal Navy, Expeditionary Force, NATO, British, Royal Fleet, Royal Air Force, Channel, Thomson Locations: Britain, Europe, Baltic, North Atlantic, Sweden, Estonia, Finnish, Estonian

☆ Satellite photos show how the US Air Force is reclaiming a WWII-era airfield from the jungle to prepare to dodge Chinese missiles
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Christopher Woody | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

The US Air Force is developing more dispersed bases to counter the threat posed by China's missiles. US engineers quickly began building what became the biggest and busiest air base of the war. "Air Force engineers are scheduled to remove the vegetation that have penetrated through the cracks and joints of the old pavement surfaces," Peden added. Money is allotted for work at Tindal air base — including $93 million to build a parking apron for six B-52 bombers — and Darwin air base, both of which are in Australia's Northern Territory. The Air Force is working with the rest of the military to address those challenges, Thomas Lawhead, acting deputy chief of staff for Air Force Futures, said at an event this month.

Persons: —, Gen, Kenneth Wilsbach, Wilsbach, Lance Cpl, J, Gage, Capt, Gerald Peden, Peden, Jason Robertson, Cesar Basa, Michael S, Murphy, Frank Kendall, Kendall, Sgt, JT May III, Thomas Lawhead, Joseph P, Lawhead Organizations: US Air Force, China's, Service, Airport, US Pacific Air Forces, an Air and Space Forces Association, Field, International Airport, Commonwealth of, Marines, Air Force, Google, Air, Tinian's, US Marine Corps, KC, Pacific Air Forces, Tech, Northwest Field, Tindal, Pentagon, Air Force Futures, Army Locations: Tinian, SkyFi, Japan, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, West, Commonwealth, Northern Mariana Islands, Pacific, —, Guam, Northern Territory, Philippines, Manila, Philippine, China, North Korea, Northern Mariana

☆ Britain to Send Seven Royal Navy Ships to Patrol Areas With Undersea Cables
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain said on Thursday it will send seven Royal Navy ships and a maritime patrol aircraft to take part in Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) patrols of areas with vulnerable undersea infrastructure next month. Europe and NATO have become increasingly concerned about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure around and under the Baltic Sea. JEF, a 10-nation military alliance of northern European countries, is focused on security in the High North, North Atlantic and Baltic Sea region. That followed explosions in September 2022 that ruptured the Nord Stream pipelines under the Baltic Sea and cut Europe's supply of Russian gas. Vessels will be spaced to cover a wide area from the Channel to the Baltic Sea, it added.

Persons: JEF, Grant Shapps, Kylie MacLellan, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Royal Navy, Expeditionary Force, NATO, British, Royal Fleet, Royal Air Force, Channel Locations: Britain, Europe, Baltic, North Atlantic, Sweden, Estonia, Finnish, Estonian

☆ NATO navies are worried about Russia using its unique weapons to pick a fight on territory nobody controls
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Constantine Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Recent damage to undersea pipelines and cables in Europe has raised concern among NATO members. AdvertisementThe emphasis on defending underwater infrastructure is visible in the alliance's operations. The annual Dynamic Messenger exercise includes a focus on protecting critical underwater infrastructure and involves information exchanges between alliance militaries and private-sector actors. OLE BERG-RUSTEN/NTB/AFP via Getty ImagesProtecting underwater infrastructure is no simple task, however. AdvertisementThe situation becomes more complicated because underwater infrastructure often passes through international waters, muddling the legal framework around its protection and making a response harder.

Persons: —, David Cattler, Shawn Coover, Adm, Ben Key, Jens Köhler, JEF, Andrey Luzik, Key, Constantine Atlamazoglou Organizations: NATO, Service, Finnish Border Guard, REUTERS, Steam, US Marine Corps, Staff, British Royal Navy's, Royal Navy, Getty, Joint Expeditionary Force, Norwegian Coast Guard, OLE BERG, Russia Ministry of Defense, Directorate, Fletcher School of Law, LinkedIn, Twitter Locations: Europe, Russia, NATO's, Estonia, Finland, Baltic, Norway, Norwegian, Germany, Ukraine, Hiddensee, Nordic, AFP, Severomorsk

Many countries are working on them — and neither China, Russia, Iran, India or Pakistan have signed a U.S.-initiated pledge to use military AI responsibly. Another AI project at Space Force analyzes radar data to detect imminent adversary missile launches, he said. One urgent challenge, says Jane Pinelis, chief AI engineer at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Lab and former chief of AI assurance in Martell’s office, is recruiting and retaining the talent needed to test AI tech. Testing and evaluation standards are also immature, a recent National Academy of Sciences report on Air Force AI highlighted. Might that mean the U.S. one day fielding under duress autonomous weapons that don’t fully pass muster?

Persons: —, Replicator —, Kathleen Hicks, ”, Gregory Allen, we’ve, Missy Cummings, George Mason, Lisa Costa, Wallace ‘ Rhet ’ Turnbull, Tom Siebel, Matt Visser, Palantir, Jack Shanahan, Maven, Mark Milley, Christian Brose, Paul Scharre, ” Anduril, Nathan Michael, Michael, Shanahan, Craig Martell, Martell, Jane Pinelis, “ Organizations: U.S ., Russia, Air Force, China, Pentagon, Department of Defense, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Navy, ” U.S . Space Force, Space Force, Space Systems Command, Blackhawk, ., U.S . Missile Defense Agency, Defense Counterintelligence, Security Agency, Third Infantry Division, NATO, Maven, National Geospatial - Intelligence Agency, U.S . Special Operations, ISIS, Command, Control, Chiefs, Armed Services Committee, U.S, Marines, Special Forces, Industry, BAT, Marine Expeditionary, Pentagon AI, LinkedIn, Johns Hopkins, Lab, National Academy of Sciences Locations: Md, Ukraine, U.S, China, Russia, Iran, India, Pakistan, ” U.S, Silicon Valley

☆ Russia's armored trains are a valuable tool with some big vulnerabilities
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Hope Seck | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Russia has used armored trains for military purposes for more than a century. Russia's use of armored trains for transport, mine-clearing, and resupply, however, has drawn particular scrutiny and criticism. Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesHowever, as details have emerged about these new armored transport trains used in Ukraine, observers have expressed bemusement. A video by the YouTube channel EngineerReact summarizes the primary problems with train warfare in the 21st century, calling Russia's armored trains "a terrible idea." "That was probably the best use of [military trains] in an offensive operation, in combat, in the recent wars," he said.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, luxuriously, trainspotter, Maksim Konstantinov, Richard Killblane, Scott Sturkol Killblane, Killblane, Taji, Jerome Bishop The, it's, there's Organizations: Service, Red Army, Russo, Museum of Russian Railways, Getty, YouTube, Ukraine's Territorial Defence Force, Army Special Forces, Army Transportation School, Army, US Army, Jerome Bishop The US Army, 757th Expeditionary Railway Center Locations: Russia, Ukraine, United States, Japanese, Germany, Soviet Union, Afghanistan, Russian, St . Petersburg, McCoy, Wisconsin, Iraq, Mosul, Taji, Sadr

☆ Thousands of US Marines are sailing to Israel while the Pentagon orders 2,000 additional troops to ready for potential deployment, reports say
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Hannah Getahun | Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Two thousand Marines and sailors are heading toward Israel, a defense official told CNN. Multiple reports suggest the move could bolster Israel ahead of its expected ground invasion of Gaza. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . A defense official who spoke with the outlet said a rapid response force of 2,000 US Marines and sailors is headed toward the coast of Israel. AdvertisementAdvertisementFox News reported that the troops on the rapid response team are separate from the ones warned about a potential deployment.

Persons: —, Gerald R, Ford, USS Eisenhower, Defense Lloyd Austin, Joe Biden's, Jordan, Biden, Jonathan Conricus Organizations: CNN, Service, US Navy, USS, Fox News, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Marine, Street Journal, Pentagon, US, Defense, Fox, Wednesday, West Bank Locations: Israel, Gaza

STOCKHOLM/HELSINKI, Oct 17 (Reuters) - A Baltic Sea telecom cable connecting Sweden and Estonia was damaged at roughly the same time as a Finnish-Estonian pipeline and cable were earlier this month, but remains operational, Sweden's civil defence minister said on Tuesday. The damage to the Swedish-Estonian cable was sustained outside the territorial waters and exclusive economic zone of Sweden, the country's civil defence minister, Carl-Oskar Bohlin said, and the cable had continued to function since then. VESSELS IN AREAEurope and NATO have become increasingly concerned about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure around and under the Baltic Sea. The latest incidents follow explosions in September 2022 that ruptured the Nord Stream pipelines under the Baltic Sea and cut Europe's supply of Russian gas. Finland said on Oct. 8 that the Balticconnector subsea gas pipeline and a telecommunications cable connecting Finland and Estonia had been damaged in what may have been a deliberate act.

Persons: Carl, Oskar Bohlin, Arelion, Ewa Skoog Haslum, NBI, Atomflot, Ulf Kristersson, Nerijus Adomaitis, Niklas Pollard, Simon Johnson, Marie, Gleb Stolyarov, Andrew Gray, Gwladys, Bill Berkrot, Mark Potter, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Estonian Economic Affairs, Communications Ministry, NATO, Reuters, National Bureau of Investigation, NewNew Shipping, Sweden's, Joint Expeditionary Force, Marie Mannes, Thomson Locations: STOCKHOLM, HELSINKI, Sweden, Estonia, Finnish, Estonian, Russian, Swedish, Finland, Hiiumaa, NATO, Baltic, Europe, Rosatom, Oslo, Stockholm, Brussels

On Tuesday, more ships and forces were heading toward Israel, and other troops in the U.S. were preparing to deploy if called on. The buildup reflects growing U.S. concern that the deadly fighting between Hamas and Israel will escalate into wider regional conflict. The Pentagon has said those troops are not participating in any hostage rescues and there are no other U.S. military forces on the ground in Israel. AND MORE TROOPS ARE GETTING READYAustin ordered about 2,000 U.S. forces to be prepared to deploy if needed in the coming days and weeks. She said the troops would be able to respond quickly, particularly to provide intelligence and surveillance, transportation and medical assistance.

Persons: Gerald R, Lloyd Austin, Dwight D, USS Carter, Austin, Israel, Frank Kendall, Sabrina Singh Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S, Ford, Pentagon, Eisenhower, Bataan, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, USS, Aircraft, Dome, Israeli Defense Forces, AIR FORCE, Air Force, Atlantic Council, U.S . Air Force, Army Locations: U.S, Israel, Iran, Mesa Verde, Bataan, Gulf, Gaza, Syria

☆ U.S. Amphibious Assault Ship Bataan Approaches Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The USS Bataan, an amphibious assault ship currently operating near the Red Sea, is moving towards Israel’s shores and could potentially help evacuate Americans, a U.S. defense official said Monday. The Bataan, which is carrying members of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, is expected to arrive near Israel in roughly five days, the official said. It will join the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group, which is nearby. The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, a second aircraft carrier strike group, is expected to reach the region in roughly two weeks.

Persons: Gerald R, Dwight D, Eisenhower Organizations: 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Ford Locations: Bataan, Israel’s, U.S, Israel

☆ Blinken, seeking aid breakthrough, in marathon talks with Israel's Netanyahu
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Humeyra Pamuk | Thomson Reuters | Humeyra Pamuk Is A Senior Foreign Policy Correspondent Based In Washington Dc. She Covers The U.S. State Department | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken listens as Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant speaks at The Kirya, Israel's Ministry of Defense, in Tel Aviv, Israel October 16, 2023. Blinken, Israel's leading diplomat, was on the fifth consecutive day of round-the-clock diplomacy in the region, shuttling back to Israel after visiting six Arab countries in four days. Blinken, seeking to prevent the conflict from spreading, arrived in the aftermath of Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks that killed 1,300 people in Israel. Speaking to reporters earlier after meeting Blinken, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said, "This will be a long war; the price will be high. Miller said Blinken discussed humanitarian coordination with Netanyahu at an earlier meeting.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Yoav Gallant, Jacquelyn Martin, Benjamin Netanyahu's, blaring, Israel's, Blinken, Netanyahu, Matthew Miller, Miller, —, Humeyra Pamuk, Steve Holland, Jasper Ward, Simon Lewis, Idrees Ali, Patricia Zengerle, Doina Chiacu, Lisa Shumaker, Howard Goller Organizations: Israel's Ministry of Defense, REUTERS Acquire, Israeli, Defense Ministry, Blinken, State, Israel, Washington, U.S, Marine, UN Office, of Humanitarian Affairs, Thomson Locations: Tel Aviv, Israel, TEL AVIV, Gaza, Egypt, Rafah, Bataan, United States

CNN —A US Marine rapid response force is headed to the waters off the coast of Israel and the Pentagon is preparing American troops for a potential deployment to the country, escalating the US’ show of force in the region as it works to prevent the conflict between Israel and Hamas from widening any further. A defense official familiar with the planning said the rapid response force, consisting of 2,000 Marines and sailors, is being sent. That could be particularly valuable if Israel launches a ground invasion of Gaza, which could be complicated and bloody, experts have warned. Officials would not specify where exactly the Marine unit will now go, other than to say it is headed toward Israel. The Wall Street Journal was first to report about the potential deployment of troops to Israel.

Persons: Defense Lloyd Austin, Biden, Capt, Angelica White, Sabrina Singh, “, ” Organizations: CNN, Pentagon, Hezbollah, Defense, Israel, USS Ford, Air Force, Troops, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Marine Corps Locations: Israel, Iran, Lebanese, Gaza, Middle East, Kuwait, “, Red, Bataan, Gulf of Oman, of Oman, Hormuz

☆ Ukraine Invited to Observe North Europe Defence Alliance Exercises
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - A British-led defence alliance of several European countries has invited Ukraine to observe its exercises, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson told a press conference on Friday. Kristersson said JEF member states' defence ministers will meet to discuss how to protect critical infrastructure, particularly under water. The group said in June it would increase cooperation to detect possible threats to critical undersea and offshore infrastructure. Explosions last year to the Nord Stream gas pipelines under the Baltic sea between Russia and Germany remain unexplained. (Reporting by Simon Johnson and Anna Ringstrom, editing by Terje Solsvik and Deborah Kyvrikosaios)

Persons: Ulf Kristersson, JEF, Kristersson, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Simon Johnson, Anna Ringstrom, Terje Solsvik, Deborah Kyvrikosaios Organizations: Joint Expeditionary Force, Atlantic Locations: STOCKHOLM, British, Ukraine, Swedish, Britain, Baltic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Gotland, Russia, Germany

☆ Britain sends auxiliary ships, spy planes to support Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Oct 12 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is deploying two Royal Navy ships and surveillance aircraft to the eastern Mediterranean to support Israel and reinforce regional stability, his Downing Street office said on Thursday. The military package, which includes P8 surveillance planes, other surveillance assets, two auxiliary ships, three Merlin helicopters and a company of Royal Marines, will be on standby in the region to provide "practical support to Israel ... and offer deterrence and assurance," Downing Street said. "Alongside our allies, the deployment of our world class military will support efforts to ensure regional stability and prevent further escalation." Sunak said UK military and diplomatic teams will also support international partners to re-establish security and ensure humanitarian aid reaches the region. UK military teams in Israel, Cyprus and across the region will also be bolstered to support contingency planning.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Sunak, Abdel Fattah al, Downing, William James, Sachin Ravikumar, Toby Chopra Organizations: British, Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Israel, Joint Expeditionary Force, Russia, Thomson Locations: Israel, Cyprus, Gaza, Sweden

☆ Russian failures in Ukraine are forcing Moscow to give up on one of the biggest Putin-era military reforms
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

As a result, Russia's military is ditching one of the main reforms lauched under Vladimir PutinNEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. The German Army in World War II routinely formed combined-arms battlegroups ("kampfgruppen"), as did the US Army's task forces. BTGs were composed of professional contract soldiers, who are generally more capable, competent, and motivated than the sullen conscripts that still hamper Russia's army today. A few high-readiness battalions can't compensate for the low-readiness conscripts that make up about one-third of Russia's army. ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP via Getty Images"The Russian military is well-suited to short, high-intensity campaigns defined by a heavy use of artillery," Michael Kofman and Rob Lee, both experts on Russia's military, wrote in June 2022.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, —, Vladimir Putin's, Josef Stalin, SERGEY VENYAVSKY, Olesya, Tkacheva, BTGs, SERGEI VENYAVSKY, ALEXANDER NEMENOV, Michael Kofman, Rob Lee, Michael Peck Organizations: Service, Russian, Red Army, Tactical Groups, Getty, Ukraine —, Brussels School, Governance, Wilson Center, Washington DC, German Army, US, Foreign Military Studies Office, Britain's Royal United Services Institute, Troops, Soviet Army, British Army, Ministry of Defense, Russian Armed Forces, Defense, Foreign Policy, Twitter, LinkedIn Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Chechen, AFP, Washington, Russian, Georgia, Moscow, Syria, Russia's, Krasnodar, Soviet, BTGs, Germany, Forbes

☆ The US Navy turned the tables on Iran, sending drones that look like speedboats to spy on its warships and troublesome gunboats
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. US Navy photoAn undated still image released on Oct. 6 from video taken by an Arabian Fox MAST-13 unmanned surface vessel of an Iranian Navy AB-212 helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz. AdvertisementAdvertisementOther images from the September operation that were released by the US Navy on Friday showed an IRGCN warship and an Iranian Navy frigate. An L3Harris Arabian Fox MAST-13 unmanned surface vessel sails in the Arabian Gulf, Jan. 22, during exercise Neon Defender 23. US Navy photoA MARTAC T-38 Devil Ray unmanned surface vessel operates in the Gulf of Aqaba, Mar.

Persons: —, NAVCENT, Joe Baggett, Ray USV, Brad Cooper, Cooper, Arleigh Burke, Alexus, Grynkewich, they'll Organizations: US Navy, Navy, Service, Washington, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, US Naval Forces Central Command, Iranian, Fleet, Iranian Navy, Arabian Fox, US Marines, Coast Guard, Pentagon, Bataan, Ready, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, US Air Forces Central Command, Defense Writers Locations: Tehran, Hormuz, Persian, Gulf of Oman, Iran, Arabian, Panama, Strait, Iranian Navy, Iranian, NAVCENT, Gulf, Aqaba, Mar

☆ Iranian forces dangerously flashed a laser at a US Marine Corps attack helicopter
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Iranian naval ships repeatedly shined a laser at a US Marine Corps helicopter on Wednesday. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. AdvertisementAdvertisementIranian naval forces repeatedly flashed a laser at a US Marine Corps attack helicopter flying above Middle Eastern waters, the US Navy said on Thursday, as tensions between the two countries remain high across the region. This unsafe, unprofessional, and irresponsible behavior by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy risks US and partner nation lives and needs to cease immediately," Cmdr. "US naval forces remain vigilant and will continue to fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows while promoting regional maritime security."

Persons: —, NAVCENT, It's, Cmdr, Rick Chernitzer, Trump, Michael Kurilla, Washington's, John Kirby, there's, Kirby Organizations: US Marine Corps, US Navy, Service, US Naval Forces Central Command, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Iran's Guard Corps, Pentagon, US Central Command, Bataan, Ready, Guard Corps, National Security Locations: Iran, Arabian, Bataan, Iraq, Syria, Tehran

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