According to Axios, in August of last year Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky showed U.S. President Donald J. Trump a presentation detailing the effectiveness of Ukrainian counter-drone technology and offered it to the U.S. in the event of a war in the Middle East, warning that the Iranians were improving the effectiveness of their drones. U.S. officials did not entertain the offer at the time.
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Moody Air Force Base near Valdosta, Georgia, the home of the 23rd Wing, was placed on Lockdown earlier this morning for roughly an hour due to a possible security incident, which has since been labeled a โsimple miscommunication,โ with base authorities thanking personnel for their vigilance and advocating for programs like โSee Something, Say Something.โ
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U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright claimed this morning, in a now deleted post, that the U.S. Navy had successfully escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz, with the post being removed only minutes later and officials denying to Fox News that the Navy had carried out any such operation through the Strait near Iran.
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The U.S. Department of Defense has begun relocating air-defense systems, including MIM-104 โPatriotโ Surface-to-Air Missile and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Batteries with the U.S. Army, from Osan Air Base and other sites in South Korea to the Middle East, amidst the ongoing conflict with Iran, despite protests from the Korean Government and President Lee Jae Myung.
According to Yonhap, a senior defense official claimed that U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) remain focused on ensuring a โcombat-credibleโ force posture in South Korea, despite reports suggesting that a large number of air-defense systems are being withdrawn from the country, with nearly all components of THAAD Batteries assigned to USFK having been redeployed to the Middle East, in addition to several โPatriotโ Batteries and MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS).
According to Yonhap, a senior defense official claimed that U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) remain focused on ensuring a โcombat-credibleโ force posture in South Korea, despite reports suggesting that a large number of air-defense systems are being withdrawn from the country, with nearly all components of THAAD Batteries assigned to USFK having been redeployed to the Middle East, in addition to several โPatriotโ Batteries and MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS).
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As many as 150 U.S. Servicemembers have sustained injuries so far during Operation Epic Fury, two sources familiar with the matter tell Reuters.
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One of three B-1B โLancerโ Long-Range Heavy Bombers assigned the U.S. Air Forceโs 28th Bomb Wing seen taking off this morning from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England, for their first strike mission against Iran from bases in the United Kingdom.
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The Trump Administration asked Israel beginning Monday not to carry out additional strikes on energy facilities in Iran, particularly oil facilities, following Israelโs wide-spread bombing of oil depots this past weekend in Tehran, according to three sources familiar with the matter who spoke to Axiosโ Barak Ravid.
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U.S. intelligence assets have begun to see indications Iran is taking steps to deploy some of its 2,000 to 6,000 naval mines of Iranian, Chinese and Russian-origin into shipping lanes across the Strait of Hormuz, utilizing smaller crafts that can carry 2 to 3 mines each, officials tell CBS News.
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According to a statement provided earlier by Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell: โSince the start of Operation Epic Fury, approximately 140 U.S. servicemembers have been wounded over 10 days of sustained attacks. The vast majority of these injuries have been minor, and 108 service members have already returned to duty. Eight servicemembers remain listed as severely injured and are receiving the highest level of medical care.โ
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U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff spoke this morning on CNBC about Russiaโs involvement in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East with Iran:
Reporter: โDo we think that the Russians have shared intelligence about the location of U.S. military assets? And if they have, why would we be giving waivers on Russian oil sanctions?โ
Witkoff: โWell, I'm not an intel officer, so I can't tell you. I can tell you that yesterday on the call with the President, the Russians said that they have not been sharing. That's what they said. So, you know, we can take them at their word, but they did say that. And yesterday morning, independently, Jared and I had a call with Ushakov, who reiterated the same. So... I, you know, that's a better question for the intel people, but let's hope that they're not sharing.โ
Reporter: โDo we think that the Russians have shared intelligence about the location of U.S. military assets? And if they have, why would we be giving waivers on Russian oil sanctions?โ
Witkoff: โWell, I'm not an intel officer, so I can't tell you. I can tell you that yesterday on the call with the President, the Russians said that they have not been sharing. That's what they said. So, you know, we can take them at their word, but they did say that. And yesterday morning, independently, Jared and I had a call with Ushakov, who reiterated the same. So... I, you know, that's a better question for the intel people, but let's hope that they're not sharing.โ
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Iran has begun laying naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, the worldโs most important energy chokepoint that carries about one-fifth of all crude oil, according to two people familiar with U.S. intelligence who spoke to CNN. Only a few dozen having been laid in recent days, the sources said, but Iran has the capability to deploy hundreds if not thousands more, retaining upward of 80% to 90% of its small boats and mine layers operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
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U.S. President Donald J. Trump claims that they have no reports that Iran has deployed any naval mines within the Strait of Hormuz, but states that if they have, they want them removed, โIMMEDIATELY!โ Trump states that if they are not removed, โthe Military consequences to Iran will be at a level never seen before.โ And if they are removed, โit will be a giant step in the right direction!โ
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New footage released by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) shows strikes on IRGC naval craft, including a Shahid Soleimani-class catamaran. Notably, following reports that Iran is now using small craft to launch dozens of mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a number of small craft can be seen targeted in the strike footage released by CENTCOM.
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U.S. Army Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Systems seen intercepting Iranian ballistic missiles launched at targets across the Middle East, in the first such footage published by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
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White House Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair privately urged House Republicans on Tuesday to stop publicly emphasizing โmass deportationsโ and instead focus their messaging on removing violent criminals, during a policy listening session at their annual retreat in Doral, Florida, according to sources in the closed-door briefing who spoke to Axios.
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The Saudi Ministry of Defense reports that six ballistic missiles were launched tonight by Iran at Prince Sultan Air Base to the south of Riyadh, with all six being intercepted by air-defenses of the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces.
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Following President Trumpโs announcement in regard to the targeting of several inactive mine-laying vessels operated by the Iranian Navy and IRGCN, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has published footage showing strikes against nine small vessels that could be used by Iran for laying naval mines within the Strait of Hormuz.
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Multiple plane spotters filmed and photographed a KC-135 Stratotanker and several other aircraft supporting a test refueling flight by a B-21 Raider today over Eastern California. The flight lasted roughly five hours, as testing accelerates for the B-21, with the next-generation long-range stealth strategic bomber expected to enter service next year with the U.S. Air Force.
Photo credit: @minor_triad
Photo credit: @minor_triad
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