CENTCOM Announces Retaliatory Airstrikes Have Begun Against Iran's Revolutionary Guard and Iran-backed Militias in Iraq and Syria

According to a Press Release from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM),on 2 February 2024 at 1600 hrs EST,CENTCOM forces conducted air strikes in Iraq and Syria against Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiated militia groups.U.S. military forces struck more than 85 targets with numerous aircraft,to include strategic bombers flown from the United States.The airstrikes employed more than 125 precision munitions.Thr facilities that were struck included Command and Control operations;intelligence centres;rockets and missiles;unmanned aerial vehicle storage;and munition supply chain facilities of militia groups and their IRGC sponsors who facilitated attacks against U.S. and Coaltion Forces.*The strikes were in retaliation for the deaths of three U.S. Army reservists from Georgia and several other Soldiers who were wounded in a drone attack.This occurred at the Tower 2 Army Base in Northeast Jordan on the Syrian border.Killed in action were:Sgt. William Jerome Rivers,46,of Carollton,Georgia;Specialist Kennedy Ladon Sanders,24,of Waycross,Georgia;and Specialist Breonna Alexsondria Moffet,23,of Savannah,Georgia.Sanders and Moffet were posthumously promoted to Sgt.They were members of 718th Engineer Company,926th Engineer Battalion,926th Engineer Brigade out of Fort Moore,Georgia.They were serving in support of Operation Inherent Resolve,which is directed against terrorists of Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).*The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,a stonghold in times of trouble.And those who know your name put their trust in you,for you,O Lord,have not forgotten those who seek you.Ps.9:9-10,English Standard Version (ESV)

Eager Lion 18 Launched in Jordan - protecting the desert kingdom and US national security

From 15-26 April 2018,some 3600 US Marines and Sailors will join the Jordanian Armed Forces in Exercise Eager Lion 18,one of US CENTCOM's premier drills.The annual,countrywide exercise involves scenarios ranging from strategic bombing missions to maritime security operations,and even a ground forces attack by a fictional adversary.*
The drills seek to improve the troops' collective ability to plan and project presence in a coalition environment.They will increase US-Jordanian security and warfighting skills,allowing them to better address common threats to regional security.For example,in one scenario,Marines of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit will stage an embassy reinforcement and noncombatant evacuation,conducting bilateral sustainment training in a variety of combat skillsets.
According to 26th MEU commanding officer COL Farrell J. Sullivan:
Eager Lion allows us to practice key mission essential tasks that span the range of military operations to resolve conflict and conduct combat operations against an enemy in remote,austere environments that would otherwise be inaccessible.This exercise will allow us to demonstrate how we can project combat power across great distances and sustain those forces from amphibious shipping.When it comes to crisis response,the amphibious ready group/MEU team is the force of choice.When called upon,we will be ready.*
US Navy ships participating include the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) and the dock landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD 51),carrying components of the 26th MEU.The ships and personnel constitute the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group.*
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,led by His Majesty King Abdullah II,is 75% desert,with one small stretch of seacoast in the west of the country.It has long been one of America's closest allies in the Middle East.

Operation Inherent Resolve:Progress in Battle of Beiji;Major Air Strikes

On Friday 22 May,the Pentagon announced in a press release that Iraqi security forces and federal police,enabled by the Operation Inherent Resolve Coalition,have successfully cleared and established a ground route into the Beiji oil refinery.For several months,control of the refinery has been contested by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant militants and Iraqi security forces.Ground forces,supported by coalition air strikes and reconnaissance,advise and assist elements,have cleared through the area,established route security and reclaimed key terrain.
Brigadier General Thomas Weidly,US Marine Corps,chief of staff of Combined Joint Task Force OIR,stated that,in the past 72 hours,we have seen the Iraqi security forces make steady,measured progress in regaining some of the area leading to the Beiji oil refinery despite the significant ISIL resistance in the form of IEDs,suicide vehicle borne IEDs,as well as heavy weapon and rocket fire attacks.In spite of the isolated nature of where the Iraqi security forces have been operating and the constant threat from ISIL,creating a safe route to the refinery will allow supplies and reinforcements to arrive.This will assist security forces in clearing and securing contested areas in and around the refinery.
ISIL has increased the intensity of its assault on the refinery and adjacent areas since they were pushed out of Tikrit,the Pentagon said.*
In the OIR air campaign between 8 am 24 May and 8 am 25 May,a major series of air strikes on ISIL targets in Syria took place near Hasakah.A total of 7 sorties destroyed 4 fighting positions,a checkpoint,an excavator,a vehicle borne IED and a vehicle.No civilian casualties were reported in the raid,which took place in an area where Kurdish forces had reported that a vehicle borne IED had resulted in an undetermined number of civilian injuries.
Near Raqqah,2 sorties destroyed an excavator and a tank.
Near Dayr Az Zawr,a sortie destroyed a multiple rocket launcher vehicle.*
In Iraq over the same time period,there was a heavy series of 25 air strikes on ISIL targets approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense.
Near Baghdadi,5 sorties destroyed 4 structures,2 fighting positions,an armoured excavator,a heavy machine gun and a vehicle borne IED.
Near Beiji,3 sorties destroyed a dump truck,an armoured excavator and a tanker.
Near Fallujah,a sortie destroyed an anti-aircraft artillery piece and a fighting position.
Near Hit,a sortie struck a vehicle borne IED facility.
Near Mosul,a major series of strikes consisting of 9 sorties destroyed 4 heavy machine guns,3 buildings,an armoured vehicle,an excavator and a vehicle borne IED.
Particpants in Syria include the US,Bahrain,Canada,Jordan,Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Participants in Iraq include the US,Australia,Belgium,Canada,Denmark,France,Jordan,the Netherlands and the UK.

Special Report:The Jordan Response-and how the US helped

So far,there have been two retaliatory airstrikes by the US-led coalition on ISIL targets for the burning of Jordanian Royal Air Force Lieutenant Moaz al-Kasasbeh.Two dozen Jordanian F-16 Fighting Falcons have struck ISIL targets including ammunition dumps,weapons,training camps and hideouts.The raids have been focused on the ISIL headquarters in Raqqa,Syria.
Accompanying the Jordanians are US F-18 fighter aircraft,as well as the F-22 Raptor,the most advanced US fighter jet currently in service.They have assisted Jordan with surveillance,reconnaissance,targeting and jamming.US air tankers refueled the Jordanian jets as well.
It is not known whether there will be a ground component.Such a raid would require extensive intelligence gathering,analysis and practice.As always,the Operation Inherent Resolve coalition must take into account collateral damage before executing any attack,and the ISIL militants have significantly dispersed and melted into their surroundings.
In Raqqa,a crowd of ISIL supporters had cheered as they viewed a video of LT al-Kasasbeh's death at the hands of the Islamist jihadists.

Marines Come Under Attack in Iraq;Latest Airstrikes;Training Iraqi Troops

It is fair to say the al-Asad command has come under regular fire,but the fire has been completely ineffective,said Pentagon spokesman COL Steven Warren,US Army.These are purely nuisance attacks.Some 320 Marines are at the al-Asad Air Base in Western Anbar,where they have been training,advising and assisting the Iraqi 7th Division since 20 December.No Marines or their equipment have been hit by the incoming ISIL fire,and the Marines have not returned fire.Mostly they have been mortar attacks,but with some rockets as well.The Iraqi forces have done a very good job of creating a security zone,COL Warren noted.The Marines,members of a Marine Air Ground Task Force(MAGTF)under US Central Command,are among about 2100 US troops currently in Iraq.Around 800 of these are security and force protection troops;the others are on the train,advise and assist mission of Operation Inherent Resolve,the anti-ISIL militant effort.These 1300 are getting the Iraqi and Kurdsh Peshmerga forces ready to go on the offensive against ISIL and reclaim lost territory.Up to 1300 more US troops are on the way later this month,for a total of up to 3400 US troops in Iraq.*
In coalition airstrikes taking place in Iraq and Syria from 5-6 January,the Pentagon reports that 13 ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL building were destroyed near Kobani,Syria;while in Iraq,a strike destroyed an ISIL tactical unit,an ISIL armoured vehicle and another ISIL vehicle near Asad.Nations conducting airstrikes in Iraq include the US,Australia,Belgium,Canada,Denmark,France,the Netherlands and the UK.Those conducting airstrikes in Syria include the US,Bahrain,Jordan,Saudi Arabia and the UAE.*
Besides al-Asad Air Base,another training camp for Iraqi troops has been opened at Taji north of Baghdad,to be followed by a third camp at Besmaya southeast of Baghdad;Kurdish Peshmerga fighters will be trained at a fourth camp in Irbil in the north.

Honors:Afghan War Toll

As of Sunday,634 U.S. personnel had died serving in Operation Enduring Freedom.One of them was a Department of Defense civilian.Among the military deaths recently were two Marines.Lance Cpl.Alberto Francesconi of the Bronx,New York was killed in action on 1 January in Helmand Province.He was 21.On 11 January,Lance Cpl.Daniel R. Bennett of Clifton,Virginia also died in Helmand Province,but of non-combat causes at age 23.Both Marines were members of 3rd Battalion,8th Marine Regiment,2nd Marine Division,2nd Marine Expeditionary Force,out of Camp Lejeune,North Carolina.Besides Afghanistan itself,Operation Enduring Freedom is supported from Ethiopia,Jordan,Yemen and at least 12 other countries,where some of the deaths have occurred.