“Israeli Missile Strike” Hits Damascus Airport in Syria

The Syrian city of Damascus was hit by missile strikes at dawn on Thursday morning and according to the official news source SANA, warehouses and a fuel tank were damaged. The Israelis reported conducted the missile attack at the Damascus airport. But according to Syrian rebel forces, the missiles struck an arms depot used by […]

Trump gives Pentagon power to reset Iraq, Syria troop limits

President Donald Trump has given the military the authority to reset a confusing system of troop limits in Iraq and Syria that critics said allowed the White House to micro-manage battlefield decisions and ultimately obscured the real number of U.S. forces. The Pentagon, which confirmed the move on Wednesday, said no change has yet been […]

Under Trump, Use of Contractors in War Zone Diminishing

Despite the wars in the Middle East showing no signs of slowing down, what is beginning to wane is the US government’s reliance on contractors to help. The Defense Department is using thousands of fewer military contractors in the early days of the Trump administration than at the end of the Obama presidency. With the […]

Turkish jets strike Kurdish fighters in Syria, Iraq’s Sinjar

Turkish planes bombed Kurdish fighters in Iraq’s Sinjar region and northeast Syria on Tuesday, killing at least 20 in a widening campaign against groups linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party. A Turkish military statement said around 70 militants were killed in the operations inside the two neighboring states. The air strikes in Syria targeted […]

Al Qaeda looking to co-opt jihadist movement in Syria through influence, mergers

Al Qaeda commander Ayman al-Zawahiri issued an audio message on Sunday telling his supporters to prepare for a guerilla campaign in Syria against Assad, the West, and Iran, Reuters reports. In the undated message, Zawahiri advises his fighters to remain patient and focus on a protracted conflict in Iraq and Syria. The message comes as […]

U.S. sanctions hundreds of employees of Syrian research center

The United States on Monday blacklisted 271 employees of a Syrian government agency it said was responsible for developing chemical weapons, weeks after a poison gas attack killed scores of people in a rebel-held province in Syria. The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned 271 employees of Syria’s Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC), an agency that […]

USSOCOM Elects Seven New Operators to their Hall of Honor

USSOCOM recently honored seven special operators by inducting them into the USSOCOM Hall of Honor located at MacDill, AFB on April 18th. They all received medals from U.S. Army Gen. Raymond A. Thomas III, USSOCOM commander, and Sgt. Maj. Patrick McCauley, USSOCOM command sergeant major. Their respective names may not ring a bell for anyone […]

U.S. defense secretary says Syria dispersed warplanes, retains chemical weapons

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Friday that Syria had dispersed its warplanes in recent days and that it retained chemical weapons, an issue he said would have to be taken up diplomatically. The United States launched dozens of missiles earlier this month against a Syrian air base in response to a chemical attack […]

Israel says Assad’s forces still have several tonnes of chemical weapons

Israel’s military said on Wednesday it believes Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces still possess several tonnes of chemical weapons, issuing the assessment two weeks after a chemical attack that killed nearly 90 people in Syria. Israel, along with many countries, blames the strike on Assad’s military. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said French intelligence services […]

Trump aide McMaster: Time for tough talks with Russia

White House national security adviser H. R. McMaster said on Sunday it was time for tough talks with Russia over its support for Syria’s government and its “subversive” actions in Europe. Speaking on ABC News’ “This Week” program, McMaster said Russia’s backing of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government has perpetuated a civil war and created a […]

USSOCOM Turns 30, Command’s Impact Continues to Grow

Thirty years ago, a small headquarters opened its doors for the first time. The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) was originally formed out of the debacle of the failed Iranian hostage rescue mission, Operation Eagle Claw in 1980. From small beginnings in April 1987 at MacDill AFB, FL the Special Operations Command now encompasses […]