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[1/3] A U.S army soldier stands with his weapon at a military base in the Makhmour area near Mosul during an operation to attack Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq, October 18, 2016. A U.S. military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, did not specifically say what might trigger the evacuation of U.S. military families, who are deployed to Middle East locations including Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet. Senior Biden administration officials including Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin have warned of the risk of major escalation in attacks on American troops in the Middle East and that Iran could seek to widen the Israel-Hamas war. Austin has ordered new air defenses to the Middle East to safeguard troops, including a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. Iranian security officials told Reuters Iran's strategy was for Middle East proxies like Hezbollah to pursue limited strikes on Israeli and U.S. targets but to avoid a major escalation that would draw in Tehran.

Persons: Alaa, Michael, Erik, Kurilla, Asad, Lloyd Austin, Austin, John Kirby, Kirby, Phil Stewart, Chizu Organizations: Islamic, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Reuters, U.S . Army, U.S . Central Command, American, Navy's, Senior Biden, Defense, Pentagon, Area Defense, United, Thomson Locations: U.S, Makhmour, Mosul, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Israel, Gaza, Yemen, Iranian, Middle East, Bahrain, United States, Tehran

☆ Rockets attack targets Iraqi base housing U.S. forces - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

ANBAR, Iraq, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Two rockets landed inside Iraq's Ain al-Asad air base, which hosts U.S. and other international forces west of Baghdad, two security sources told Reuters on Tuesday. One of the sources said the rockets were big, and the rocket launcher was found about 50 km southeast of the base. Ain al-Asad air base is located in the western Anbar province. Reporting by Kamal Ayash; Writing by Amina Ismail; Editing by Alison WilliamsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Asad, Kamal Ayash, Amina Ismail, Alison Williams Organizations: Reuters, Thomson Locations: ANBAR, Iraq, Iraq's Ain, Baghdad, Ain, Anbar

☆ White House says Iran 'actively facilitating' some attacks on US military bases
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Steve Holland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Military vehicles of U.S. soldiers are seen at the al-Asad air base in Anbar province, Iraq, January 13, 2020. "We know that Iran is closely monitoring these events, and in some cases, actively facilitating these attacks and spurring on others who may want to exploit the conflict for their own good, or for that of Iran," he said. "We are deeply concerned about the potential for any significant escalation of these attacks in the days ahead," Kirby said. "We know Iran's goal is to maintain some level of deniability here, but we're not going to allow them to do that," Kirby said. "We also are not going to allow any threat to our interests in the region to go unchallenged."

Persons: Asad, John Davison, Biden, John Kirby, Kirby, we're, Steve Holland, Doina Chiacu, Andrea Shalal, Deepa Babington, Grant McCool Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Department of Defense, Islamic Revolutionary Guard, Hamas, Thomson Locations: U.S, Anbar province, Iraq, Iran, Iranian, Syria, United States, Israel

☆ Iran's Quandary: How to Stay Out of Israel's War on Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +9 min

Iran, a longtime backer of Gaza's rulers Hamas, finds itself in a quandary as it tries to manage the spiralling crisis, according to nine Iranian officials with direct knowledge of the thinking within the clerical establishment. "We are in contact with our friends Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah," Vahid Jalalzadeh, the head of parliament's National Security Committee said on Wednesday, according to Iranian state media. Iran's foreign ministry didn't respond to a request for comment about the country's response to the unfolding crisis, while Israeli military authorities declined to comment. Khamenei, the supreme leader, has denied Iran was involved in the attack, though he praised the damage inflicted on Israel. "Iran's nuanced position emphasizes the delicate balance it must maintain between regional interests and internal stability," said the former senior Iranian official.

Persons: Parisa Hafezi, Jonathan Saul, Arshad Mohammed DUBAI, wouldn't, Avi Melamed, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Israel, Israel didn't, Khamenei, Joe Biden, Biden, John Kirby, Washington, Jon Alterman, Jerusalem, Arshad Mohammed, Laila Bassam, Samia Nakhoul, Michael Georgy, Pravin Char Organizations: Reuters, Islamic, parliament's National Security, Israel, Wednesday, Hezbollah, U.S, Germany's Ramstein Air Base, House, State Department, CSIS, Swiss, Iran, Iranian Locations: Iran, Israel, Gaza, Tehran, U.S, Lebanon, Yemen, United States, Islamic Republic, Iranian, Lebanese, Syria, Iraq, Washington, America, GAZA, LEBANON, China, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Beirut, Paritosh, New York

[1/4] A formation of Israeli tanks is positioned near Israel's border with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel October 21, 2023. Iran, a longtime backer of Gaza's rulers Hamas, finds itself in a quandary as it tries to manage the spiralling crisis, according to nine Iranian officials with direct knowledge of the thinking within the clerical establishment. "We are in contact with our friends Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah," Vahid Jalalzadeh, the head of parliament's National Security Committee said on Wednesday, according to Iranian state media. Iran's foreign ministry didn't respond to a request for comment about the country's response to the unfolding crisis, while Israeli military authorities declined to comment. "Iran's nuanced position emphasizes the delicate balance it must maintain between regional interests and internal stability," said the former senior Iranian official.

Persons: Violeta Santos Moura, wouldn't, Avi Melamed, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Israel, Israel didn't, Khamenei, Joe Biden, Biden, John Kirby, Washington, Jon Alterman, Parisa Hafezi, Jonathan Saul, Jerusalem, Arshad Mohammed, Laila Bassam, Samia Nakhoul, Michael Georgy, Pravin Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Islamic, parliament's National Security, Israel, Wednesday, Hezbollah, U.S, Germany's Ramstein Air Base, House, State Department, CSIS, Swiss, Iran, Iranian, Thomson Locations: Israel's, Gaza, Israel, Rights DUBAI, Iran, Tehran, U.S, Lebanon, Yemen, United States, Islamic Republic, Iranian, Lebanese, Syria, Iraq, Washington, America, GAZA, LEBANON, China, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Beirut, Paritosh, New York

The incidents underscored the risks that the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas could spiral into a wider war. Israel has responded to the Hamas attacks with airstrikes and a “complete siege” of Gaza, which the group controls. About 200 American troops are stationed at Al Tanf, whose main role is training Syrian militias to fight the Islamic State. There were unconfirmed reports on social media of additional drone attacks in Syria late Thursday. “Clearly, this is an uptick in terms of the types of drone activity we’ve seen in Iraq and Syria,” General Ryder said.

Persons: “, ”, Patrick Ryder, General Ryder, Biden, Gholamhossein Gheybparvar, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ” General Ryder, Al Tanf, Al Asad Organizations: U.S . Navy, Navy, Pentagon, Palestinian, Military, Senior Biden, American, Hamas, Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Iran’s, Guards, Al, ”, Al Asad, Al Asad Air Base, military’s, Command Locations: U.S, Yemen, Israel, ” Brig, Iranian, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Gaza, United States, Lebanon, Houthis, Syrian, Al, State, Al Asad Air

☆ US-supplied ATACMS enter the Ukraine war
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Ukraine had repeatedly asked the U.S. for ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile Systems), which Kyiv has pledged not to use inside Russia's territory. The Biden administration may soon begin shipping to Ukraine several variants of Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), a long-range missile system that often carries varying amounts of cluster bomblets. There were about 1,650 made with several hundred used in conflicts such as Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom, according to Army documents. There were 610 produced with about 74 used in Operation Iraqi Freedom, according to Army documents. There were about 513 made, with about 33 used in conflicts such as Operation Enduring Freedom, according to Army Documents.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Biden, Vladimir Putin, Mike Stone, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Korean, Army Tactical Missile, United States Army, REUTERS, Rights, ATACMS, Army Tactical Missile Systems, Kyiv, Senior, U.S, Army, Desert, Pentagon, GPS, Thomson Locations: United States, South Korea, Ukraine, Russia, Russian, Iraqi, Washington

☆ Rockets, drones hit Iraqi base housing U.S. forces -security sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Military vehicles of U.S. soldiers are seen at the al-Asad air base in Anbar province, Iraq, January 13, 2020. REUTERS/John Davison/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsANBAR, Iraq, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Drones and rockets targeted on Thursday evening the Ain al-Asad air base, which hosts U.S. and other international forces in western Iraq, and multiple blasts were heard inside the base, two security sources said. The Iraqi military said it closed the area around the base and started a search operation. Thursday's attack is the third in less than 24 hours against airbases which house U.S. troops in Iraq. Ain al-Asad air base is located in the western Anbar province.

Persons: Asad, John Davison, Kamal Ayash, Ahmed Rasheed, Chizu Nomiyama, Daniel Wallis Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, ., United, Thomson Locations: U.S, Anbar province, Iraq, Rights ANBAR, Iran, Gaza, United States, Syria, State, Ain, Anbar

☆ US troops attacked in Iraq, Syria and on alert for more strikes
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Idrees Ali | Thomson Reuters | National Security Correspondent Focusing On The Pentagon In Washington D.C. Reports On U.S. Military Activity | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

On Wednesday, a drone hit U.S. forces in Syria resulting in minor injuries, while another one was brought down. Earlier this week, U.S. forces thwarted multiple drones targeting troops in Iraq. At least 3,785 Palestinians have been killed and 12,493 wounded in Israeli strikes on Gaza, the health ministry in Gaza said. In past years, Iranian-backed militias in Iraq regularly targeted U.S. forces in Iraq and the U.S. embassy in Baghdad with rockets. Such attacks had abated under a truce in place since last year, and Iraq has had a period of relative calm.

Persons: Alaa, Joe Biden, Al, Asad, I'm, Patrick Ryder, Ryder, Ali al, Israel, Idrees Ali, Grant McCool Organizations: U.S, Islamic, REUTERS, Rights, Pentagon, U.S . Navy, Thursday, ISRAEL, Gaza, United, Hezbollah, Thomson Locations: Makhmour, Mosul, Iraq, Syria, Washington, Iran, Israel, U.S, Al Asad, Yemen, Gaza, United States, State, Baghdad

☆ Biden to seek $60 bln for Ukraine, $14 bln for Israel - source
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks to the press onboard of Air Force One en route from Israel, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, October 18, 2023. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein Acquire Licensing RightsOct 19 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will ask Congress for $60 billion for Ukraine and $14 billion for Israel, a source familiar with his plan told Reuters. The request will also include $10 billion for humanitarian aid, $14 billion for border security and $7 billion for the Indo-Pacific region, the source said. Half of the $60 billion Biden is requesting for Ukraine would go toward replacing and modernizing U.S. weapons stocks, the source said. Biden was scheduled to outline the request in a White House speech at 8 p.m.

Persons: Joe Biden, Evelyn Hockstein, Biden, Patricia Zengerle, Dan Whitcomb, Howard Goller Organizations: Air Force, Ramstein Air Base, REUTERS, Reuters, U.S, Thomson Locations: Israel, Germany, Ukraine, U.S, Washington

☆ Putin says US wading deeper into Ukraine war, calls missile supplies a 'mistake'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, October 18, 2023. Sputnik/Andrei Gordeev/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that the United States was wading deeper into the Ukraine conflict and making a mistake by providing Kyiv with long-range ATACMS missiles. He told a news conference during a visit to China that he had briefed President Xi Jinping "in some detail" about Ukraine. War is war," Putin said. This is another mistake by the United States."

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Andrei Gordeev, Xi Jinping, Putin, Mark Trevelyan, Kevin Liffey Organizations: of, People, Sputnik, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Kremlin, Army Tactical Missile, Kyiv, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING, United States, Ukraine, Russia, Washington, Israel, Russian, Moscow

He was a violinist who became a soldier with Ukraine’s special forces. “We did it so that people in Ukraine and in occupied Crimea don’t lose spirit and keep faith in Crimea returning to Ukraine,” Muzykant said. Russian forces illegally annexed Crimea in 2014. Vasco Cotovio/CNNMuzykant said the dangerous operation took months of planning to prepare the Ukrainian soldiers for the many risks they would face. Stringer/ReutersMuzykant knows there’s still some time and plenty of hard work before Ukrainian forces are able to launch a bigger offensive on Crimea but more – and more daring – raids are on the horizon.

Persons: ”, Muzykant, ” Muzykant, Vladimir Putin, Vasco Cotovio, CNN Muzykant, “, Batallion, It’s, Dmytro Korchynskyi, ” Korchynskyi, Korchynskyi, Atesh, ” Atesh, Stringer, Reuters Muzykant, there’s Organizations: Ukraine CNN, CNN, “, Raptors, Fleet, Storm Shadow, Black, Russia, Planet Labs, Reuters CNN, Federal Security Service, Partisans, Reuters Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, Crimea, Ukrainian, Russia’s, Moscow, Russian, CNN Moscow, ”, Crimean, Sevastopol, Kerch, Russia, Kherson, Melitopol

☆ US decision to send long-range missiles to Kyiv a grave mistake - Russia's envoy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Armoured vehicles move during "Noble Blueprint 2023" military exercise at Novo Selo military grounds, Bulgaria, September 26, 2023. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy also confirmed his forces used the ATACMS after his military reported on Tuesday striking two air bases in Ukrainian territory now controlled by Russia. Ukraine had repeatedly asked the U.S. administration for the ATACMS and pledged not to use inside Russia's territory. The Kremlin has said U.S. supplies of ATACMS missiles and Abrams tanks to Ukraine would not change the situation on the battlefield. Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Lincoln FeastOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Anatoly Antonov, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Antonov, Lidia Kelly, Christopher Cushing Organizations: NATO, Army Tactical Missile Systems, White House, Ukrainian Special Forces, Thomson Locations: Novo Selo, Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Turkey, Albania, U.S, Ukraine, ATACMS, Russia, Luhansk, Ukraine's, Berdiansk, Azov, Washington, United States, Melbourne, Lincoln

☆ U.S. says it thwarted drone attack on its troops in Iraq
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

TEL AVIV, Oct 18 (Reuters) - The U.S. military thwarted an attack targeting its forces in Iraq early on Wednesday, intercepting two drones before they could strike, two U.S. officials said after the first such attack on U.S. forces in Iraq in more than a year. The one-way attack drones were intercepted as they attempted to strike Iraq's al Asad air base, which hosts American troops, the officials said. Last week he threatened to target U.S. interests if Washington intervened to support Israel. Dozens of members of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), the state paramilitary organisation that contains many Iran-backed factions, took to the streets on Tuesday to condemn the hospital attack. Demonstrators chanted anti-U.S. and anti-Israeli slogans and said they wanted to storm the U.S. embassy for its support of Israel.

Persons: Iraq's al Asad, Joe Biden, Israel, Ali al, Hadi Al, Amiri, Washington, Kataib, Phil Stewart, Amina Ismail, Ahmed Rasheed, Ahmed Saad, Clarence Fernandez, Nick Macfie Organizations: U.S, Reuters, American, Hamas, Islamic, Israel, Hezbollah, United, Popular, Forces, ., Thomson Locations: TEL AVIV, Iraq, U.S, Washington, Iran, Israel, Gaza, Al, Ahli, Israeli, United States, Iraqi, Badr, America, Syria, State, Baghdad, Tel Aviv, Erbil

The trip by Army General Michael "Erik" Kurilla, head of U.S. Central Command, is the latest by a senior U.S. official to Israel ahead of an expected ground assault by Israel's military in Gaza. The Pentagon is also rushing weaponry, including air defenses and munitions, to Israel. "I'm here to ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself, particularly focused on avoiding other parties expanding the conflict," Kurilla told Reuters, which is traveling with him, in brief remarks before landing. A U.S. official told Reuters Kurilla was scheduled to hold high-level meetings with Israel's military leadership, ensuring a clear understanding of the close U.S. ally's defense requirements. Clashes this last week have been the deadliest in the Lebanon border area since a 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.

Persons: Michael, Erik, Kurilla, Jehad, Joe Biden, Reuters Kurilla, Biden, Israel, Antony Blinken, Phil Stewart, Stephen Coates Organizations: U.S . Central Command, Jordan, REUTERS, American, Palestinian, Hamas, Army, U.S, Pentagon, Reuters, United, Hezbollah, Thomson Locations: U.S, Jordan, Amman's, TEL AVIV, Israel, Gaza, Iran, Washington, United States, Lebanon, Lebanese

Ukraine’s forces struck two air bases in Russian-held territory on Tuesday with American-supplied long-range missiles that were one of the last major weapons systems that Kyiv had sought from the United States, according to two American officials and a Ukrainian parliamentarian who posted about the attack on social media. They were the first strikes with a weapon known as ATACMS — for advanced, long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems — that President Biden was long reluctant to provide for fear it could escalate the conflict with Russia. But Mr. Biden told President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine during a visit to the White House in September that he had agreed to provide the missiles, albeit a version limited in range, according to officials familiar with the conversation. “ATACMS is already with us,” a Ukrainian lawmaker, Oleksiy Goncharenko, wrote Tuesday on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. He said that an airfield in the Russian-controlled city of Berdiansk “was hit by them.”

Persons: Biden, Volodymyr Zelensky, ATACMS, ”, Oleksiy Goncharenko, Berdiansk “ Organizations: Tactical Missile Systems, White House, Twitter Locations: Russian, United States, Ukrainian, Russia, Ukraine, Berdiansk

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

☆ Inside Biden’s Reversal on Sending Long-Range Missiles to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( David E. Sanger | More About David E. Sanger | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The story of how that happened, as described by several administration officials, is more complex than a caricature circulating in Washington that Mr. Biden is cautious to a fault, and says no until the pressure is insurmountable. In this case, there was plenty of pressure. In July, Mr. Biden’s aides said, they came to see what one called a “clear use case” for ATACMS. It was the one Mr. Crow had identified, using the ATACMS to target supply lines and air bases that Ukraine could not reach. At a July 14 meeting in the office of Jake Sullivan, the president’s national security adviser, he and Jon Finer, his primary deputy, talked with a small group of officials about developing options.

Persons: Biden, Jason Crow, Mr, Crow, Zelensky, Olaf Scholz of, “, Biden’s, Jake Sullivan, Jon Organizations: Colorado Democrat, Army, House, Mr, NATO Locations: Washington, Colorado, Ukraine, Vilnius, Olaf Scholz of Germany

☆ Turkey's drones are a big hit in Ukraine, but they're also showing how they can pose a threat to the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Turkey's Bayraktar TB2 drone has been praised for its performance against Russia in Ukraine. A Bayraktar TB2 drone, purchased in a crowdfunding campaign, displayed at a Lithuanian air base in July 2022. ReutersThe US no doubt supports Turkish drone sales to Ukraine and welcomes the TB2's success against Russian forces. In 2021, the US took issue with Turkey's sale of TB2 armed drones to Ethiopia during the Tigray War. The US government frequently touts its efforts to rally international support for Ukraine, and it undoubtedly welcomes the addition of Turkish TB2s Kyiv's arsenal.

Persons: Turkey's, —, Petras Malukas, TB2, Jodi Eastham, Pat Ryder, Ryder, Lloyd Austin, Austin, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Joe Biden, GABRIEL BOUYS, Donald Trump, Biden, Paul Iddon Organizations: Russia, Service, Russian, Ukraine, Reuters, ISIS, Syrian Democratic Forces, Kurdistan Workers ' Party, US Army, Staff, Pentagon, Turkish Foreign Ministry, US, NATO, Getty, Turkish, Government, Islamic Locations: Ukraine, Turkey, Turkish, Kyiv, Ankara, Washington, Russia, Lithuanian, Syria, TB2s, Azerbaijan, Nagorno, Karabakh, Ethiopia, Tigray, Kurdistan, Hasakah, United States, Madrid, AFP, Government of Turkey, Islamic State, Iraq, today's

☆ Hamas is testing the layers of Israel's sophisticated air-defense network. Here's how it fends off threats.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Israel confirmed using its David's Sling air-defense system to intercept a Hamas rocket on Friday. Iron DomeIsrael's Iron Dome defense missile system is on alert, stationed close to the southern Israeli town of Sderot on October 12, 2023. Iron Dome has a reported intercept success rate of around 90%, but some inbound threats do manage to break through. US Missile Defense AgencyThe upper layer of Israel's air-defense network consists of Arrow systems. The Patriot is a top US air and missile defense system and is capable of engaging ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, aircraft, drones, and loitering munitions.

Persons: Israel, —, Daniel Hagari, Jack Guez, Tamir, Sebastian Scheiner, Brian Kimball Organizations: Service, Hamas, Israel Defense Forces, country's Missile Defense Organization, Getty, IDF, Iron, Pentagon, Sling Air Defense, Hatzor, Base, Sunday, David's, AP, Interceptor, US Missile Defense Agency, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Arrow, Patriot US Army Patriot, US Defense Department, Tech, Patriot Locations: Israel, Gaza, Sderot, AFP, U.S, Iranian, Lebanon, Finland, Washington, Midia, Romania, US, Ukrainian

☆ Some U.S. Military Jets Arrive in Region
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Some of the jet aircraft that the Biden administration ordered to defend Israel and deter further attacks arrived in the region Thursday, the Pentagon said. A squadron of A-10 ground-attack planes based at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona will be stationed at Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates, defense officials said. The U.A.E.’s Defense Ministry said in a statement that the arrival of U.S. aircraft at its base is unrelated to developments in the region and has been taking place for several months according to predetermined timetables. —Omar Abdel-Baqui contributed to this article.

Persons: Biden, Omar Abdel, Baqui Organizations: Pentagon, Davis, Monthan Air Force Base, Al Dhafra, Base, United Arab, Defense Locations: Israel, Arizona, United Arab Emirates, U.S

☆ What the U.S. Has Promised Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

The first plane carrying advanced U.S. weapons landed at an air base in southern Israel, the Israel Defense Forces said Wednesday. They are expected to reach the Mediterranean Sea in roughly two weeks, defense officials said, potentially putting two aircraft carrier strike groups, or about a dozen warships, near Israel for a potential response to the crisis inside Israel. The USS Gerald R. Ford and its accompanying ships arrived near Israel on Tuesday, the Pentagon announced. U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Tuesday there were no current plans to send U.S. ground troops into Israel. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin earlier this week offered Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant planning and intelligence support from special-operations commandos to help Israel deal with a deepening hostage crisis.

Persons: Biden, Dwight D, Eisenhower, Gerald R, Jake Sullivan, Lloyd Austin, Yoav Gallant, Austin, Gallant Organizations: U.S, Israel Defense Forces, Ford, Pentagon, Defense, Israeli Locations: Iran, Israel, U.S, Gaza

☆ Putin to travel to Kyrgyzstan in first known trip abroad since ICC arrest warrant
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Summary Putin to visit KyrgyzstanPutin also to attend CIS summitArmenian PM Pashinyan not to attend CIS summitMOSCOW, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin will visit Kyrgyzstan on Thursday, the presidential office of the Central Asian country said, in what would be the Russian leader's first known trip abroad since the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest. Putin agreed in May during talks with Japarov to visit Kyrgyzstan, but there has been no official confirmation yet from the Kremlin that the Russian president will travel there on Thursday. The Russian leader is also due to travel to China next week for the third Belt and Road Forum in Beijing. Neither Kyrgyzstan nor China are members of the ICC, which was established to prosecute war crimes. Pashinyan said on Tuesday that plans were proceeding for a meeting with the Azeri president to discuss a durable peace accord.

Persons: Putin, Kyrgyzstan Putin, Vladimir Putin, Sadyr, Japarov, Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, Pashinyan, Ilham Aliyev, Lidia Kelly, Guy Faulconbridge Organizations: CIS, MOSCOW, Central, ICC, Kremlin, Russian Federation, Forum, Russian Aerospace Forces, 999th Air Base, Commonwealth, Independent States, Thomson Locations: Kyrgyzstan, Russian, Ukraine, Russia, Kyrgyz Republic, China, Beijing, Moscow, Kant, Armenia, Bishkek, Soviet Union, Azerbaijan, Karabakh, EU, Brussels, Melbourne

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States on Tuesday formally declared the ousting of Niger's democratically-elected president a coup d'etat, more than two months after mutinous soldiers seized power. The coup designation comes with the suspension of counterterrorism assistance and military training as well as the pausing of certain foreign assistance programs worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Under U.S. law, a formal determination of a coup — the unconstitutional overthrow of a democratically elected government — typically results in a suspension of all non-humanitarian assistance, particularly military aid and cooperation, to the country concerned. The bases are a critical part of America’s overall efforts in West Africa and Niger, hosting more than 1,000 troops in the country. While a sizeable footprint remains in the country, those troops are not conducting either partnered training or counterterrorism missions, administration officials said, raising questions as to why they were staying.

Persons: Niger's, it’s, we’ve, they've, ”, Niger Kathleen FitzGibbon, Mohamed Bazoum who’s, Bazoum, —, Biden, Peter Pham, ___ Mednick Organizations: WASHINGTON, National Council for, U.S, Islamic, Atlantic Council Locations: United States, U.S, West African, Ambassador, Niger, Sahel, Burkina Faso, Mali, West Africa, Niamey, Agadez, West Africa’s, Cotonou, Benin

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