News
US Commander Overseeing Fatal Strikes Against Alleged Drug Boats Off Venezuela Will Retire
The commander of U.S. military operations in the region where forces have been attacking alleged drug boats says he will retire in December.
US completes withdrawal from al-Asad airbase, Iraq says
The United States has quietly completed its withdrawal from al-Asad air base in Iraq’s Anbar Province, the Iraq Defense Ministry said Saturday, bringing to a close more than two decades of American military presence in the western part of the country. Iraqi Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah oversaw the transfer of responsibilities at the base, according to the Defense Ministr...[Read More]
US confirms first combat use of LUCAS one-way attack drone in Iran strikes
U.S. Central Command officials have confirmed that airstrikes launched on Iran on Saturday involved the first combat use of the U.S. military’s new autonomous kamikaze drone. The Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System, or LUCAS drone, was launched as part of Operation Epic Fury, which targeted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missi...[Read More]
US court blocks Pentagon from removing transgender troops, for now
A U.S. appeals court on Monday said President Donald Trump’s administration could, for now, bar transgender people from enlisting in the military, but blocked the expulsion of current service members while a lawsuit plays out. A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in a 2-1 ruling said the 2025 policy was unlawfully motivated “by the bare desire to harm a politic...[Read More]
US creates task force to prosecute leaks to news media, Hegseth says
The U.S. Department of Justice and the Pentagon have created a joint task force to identify and prosecute what Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described as unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information to news media. “I have delegated tasking authority to the War Department’s Office of General Counsel, empowering OGC to request and receive all information, records, and support across the departm...[Read More]
US denies Iranian reports of strike on warship, says ships transit Hormuz
Editor’s note: This is a developing story. Two U.S.-flagged merchant ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Central Command said on Monday as Iranian media circulated claims that the country had struck an American warship. CENTCOM quickly denied reports, stating that no U.S. naval vessels had been struck. The command did not say when the ships passed through the strait. Tehran earlie...[Read More]
US deploys uncrewed drone boats in conflict with Iran
NEW YORK — The United States has deployed uncrewed drone speedboats for patrols as part of its operations against Iran, the Pentagon said, the first time Washington has confirmed using such vessels in an active conflict. The deployment of the vessels — which can be used for surveillance or kamikaze strikes — has not been previously reported. It comes despite a series of setbacks in the U.S. Navy’s...[Read More]
US destroyer practices at-sea drone refueling
The Navy is honing its methods for at-sea drone refueling. The USS Chafee on Sept. 11 refueled the Unmanned Surface Vessel Seahawk, Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel, according to Navy photos released on Monday. The refueling of the uncrewed vessel, which requires onboarding personnel to the Seahawk, was the second time a U.S. Navy ship attempted an at-sea sustainment this year. The astern refueling ...[Read More]
US destroys 16 Iranian mine-laying boats, CENTCOM claims
The United States military announced Tuesday that its forces had struck and destroyed 16 of Iran’s minelayers near the Strait of Hormuz. The claim was made amid mounting concern that the Islamic Republic was preparing to deploy mines in the crucial waterway. The figure of 16 vessels comes from U.S. Central Command, which posted an accompanying 34-second video clip showing some of the strikes. Pres...[Read More]
US destroys six Iranian small boats, shoots down missiles, drones, admiral says
The U.S. military said on Monday it destroyed six Iranian small boats and intercepted Iranian cruise missiles and drones fired by Tehran as the U.S. launched an operation to free up shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of Central Command, declined to comment on whether he thought a ceasefire begun on April 8 remained in effect. But he acknowledged ongoing Islam...[Read More]
US F-15E fighter jet shot down over Iran
This is a developing story. A United States F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet has been shot down by enemy fire over Iran, U.S. officials confirmed. One of the aircraft’s two crew members has been rescued, Israeli media first reported. U.S. officials confirmed the reports in statements to CBS News and Axios. A search for the second crew member is ongoing. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt t...[Read More]
US F-35 forced to make emergency landing after Iran combat mission
A U.S. F-35 fighter jet was forced to make an emergency landing after flying a combat mission over Iran, U.S. Central Command confirmed on Thursday. The pilot, who was able to guide the aircraft to a U.S. air base in the region, is in stable condition, a command spokesperson said. CNN first reported the incident, with sources telling the outlet the aircraft was struck by an Iranian munition. “We a...[Read More]