U.S. Uses Roof Knocking to Warn of Impending Airstrikes in Iraq

“Roof knocking” is a controversial Israeli military practice used in the Gaza Strip. It works on a simple logic designed to minimize civilian casualties. Occupants of a building are given a warning a few minutes before a military strike. The first warning is generally a phone call. The second is a rocket. The Israeli military has argued that the practice […]

Watch: The Tools U.S. Special Operations Forces are Bringing to the Fight in Syria

In the footage, troops are clearly behind the lines, as they are operating from recently constructed berms. One soldier is likely operating a Leupold Mk.4 spotting scope on a tripod, while the soldier in front of him is pointing an LA-16U handheld laser marker. The spotting scope contains crosshairs that would give the observer the […]

Kerry urges Assad regime to quit bombing contested Aleppo

Secretary of State John Kerry urged Syrian government forces Saturday to stop bombarding the city of Aleppo as it moves in to retake it. Kerry said the priority was “a durable, nationwide cessation.” The UN envoy for Syria and the lead opposition negotiator have urged the U.S. and Russia to step in and take control […]

Watch: Canadian SOF Trains Peshmerga in Fight Against Daesh [ISIS/ISIL]

A swirl of smoke, then the screams. Two men drop to the ground, “blood” squirting from wounds. Orders are barked in Kurdish as Peshmerga soldiers rush to the aid of the fallen. At this military outpost in Northern Iraq, it’s all a drill run by Canadians, a mock mortar attack to test Peshmerga on their […]

Watch: Dead ISIS Fighter’s GoPro Footage Reveals the Fury of Battle in Iraq

Footage found on a GoPro camera which was mounted on the helmet of a dead Daesh [ISIS/ISIL] fighter has revealed an intense first person perspective of a Daesh fighter during a chaotic and battle with Kurdish forces in northern Iraq. Kurdish Peshmerga forces released the footage and said the camera was found after a battle […]

Watch: Coalition Strike Destroys ISIS VBIED factory near Sultan Abdallah, Iraq

Operation Inherent Resolve,  Coalition Strike Destroys Daesh [ISIS/ISIL] VBIED factory near Sultan Abdallah, Iraq. Coalition strike destroys Da’esh vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) factory and weapons storage facility near the town of Sultan Abdallah, Iraq, to disrupt terrorist operations. The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the Daesh […]

Germany says Assad’s forces probably behind attack on Aleppo hospital

An air strike on a hospital in the city of Aleppo that killed dozens of people was probably the work of Syrian government forces, a spokesman for the German government said on Friday. A U.S. official has also said the attack on Wednesday night appeared to be solely the work of the Syrian government. Syria’s […]

U.S. Fears New Missile Race in Syria Would Help ISIS

With an already tenuous ceasefire in Syria on the brink of collapse, U.S. officials are concerned that rebel groups could make a new push to acquire shoulder-fired missiles, which could then fall into the hands of ISIS and threaten U.S. and coalition aircraft. The lightweight missiles, which are easy to use and transport, also could […]

We just got the clearest sign yet that the Assad regime helped make ISIS very, very rich

Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime negotiated deals with the Islamic State’s oil tycoon that at one point contributed up to 72% of the militant group’s profit from natural resources, The Wall Street Journal reported this past weekend. That is according to documents uncovered during a raid on the home of Abu Sayyaf, the Islamic State “oil minister” […]

WATCH: JSOC Operators in Syria, Obama announces 250 more troops to deploy to Rojava

In a scenario eerily reminiscent to US Special Forces deployments to Central America in the 1980’s, Obama announced today that 250 more Special Operations troops would be deployed to Syria to help fight ISIS.  In the 80’s the numbers of Special Forces troops allowed in countries like El Salvador and Nicaragua was capped around 50, […]

Up to 250 military personnel headed to Syria

President Barack Obama will send an additional 250 military personnel to Syria to help local forces fighting the Islamic State group, increasing to 300 the number of U.S. forces battling extremists in the war-torn country, administration officials confirmed Sunday. Obama was expected to announce his decision Monday during a speech in Hannover, Germany, at the […]