Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Airstrikes Destroy ISIL Infrastructure in Iraq, Syria AFPS 07 May 2015 -- U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Carter: Combat Training Begins for New Syrian Forces AFPS 07 May 2015 -- Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced today that combat training has begun for nearly 90 fighters from the new Syrian forces and that a second group will begin training in the next few weeks.
• Pacific Command Aids Earthquake Recovery Efforts in Nepal AFPS 07 May 2015 -- U.S. Pacific Command is helping Nepal and its people to recover following the April 25 magnitude 7.8 earthquake that claimed more than 7,500 lives and caused at least twice as many injuries, the command's deputy commander said.
• Nepal relief airlift expands with deployment of Yokota aircraft AFNS 07 May 2015 -- As U.S. efforts to support the government of Nepal is recovering from the earthquake that struck the country April 25, the 374th Airlift Wing here sent four C-130 Hercules and accompanying personnel to aid Joint Task Force-505 (JTF) in its mission.
• Chairman: U.S. Stands Ready After Iranian Waterway Actions AFPS 07 May 2015 -- While the Strait of Hormuz appears calm in the aftermath of two reported Iranian acts of aggression toward commercial ships, U.S. military resources can respond quickly, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey said in a press briefing with Defense Secretary Ash Carter here today.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Secretary Ash Carter and General Martin E. Dempsey in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 07 May 2015 -- Presenters: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Martin E. Dempsey
• First female F-35 pilot begins training AFNS 07 May 2015 -- The Department of Defense welcomed its first female F-35 Lightning II pilot here May 5.
• Finland to Join 100 Plane NATO Exercises in Northern Scandinavia Sputnik 07 May 2015 -- Sixteen Finnish fighter jets are set to participate in exercises in northern Scandinavia later this month, Finnish media reported Wednesday.
• Russia's Strategic Missile Forces to get new division with railway-based missile system TASS 07 May 2015 -- The combat strength of Russia's Strategic Missile Forces at the turn of 2019-2020 will be increased to 13 missile divisions by means of creating a joint formation with the Barguzin rail-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile systems, a source in the Russian General Staff told TASS on Thursday.
• Russia, China set up headquarters joint Mediterranean Sea military drills TASS 07 May 2015 -- Russia and China have set up headquarters at Russia's Novorossiysk naval base to exercise command and control over Joint Sea 2015 naval drills, Russian Navy spokesman Captain First Rank Igor Dygalo said on Thursday.
• Getting close to a submarine detachment of the PLA navy People's Daily 07 May 2015 -- According to CCTV reports on April 27, the PLA navy's nuclear submarine completed an escort mission of more than two months in the Gulf of Aden recently and returned to the port of Qingdao. CCTV broadcast footage of the improved type 091 nuclear submarine for the first time, indicating that the submarine's escort missions in the region will become a standard exercise.
• Chinese combat ships to enter Russia's Novorossiysk port for first time on May 8 TASS 07 May 2015 -- A group of China's combat ships will arrive at the Novorossiysk port for the first time on Friday to participate in the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in WWII, a Russian Navy spokesman said on Thursday.
• Military option against Iran just a mockery: IRGC chief Press TV 07 May 2015 -- The commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says the West's repeated threatening of Iran with military option is pure mockery.
• Singapore - F-16 Block 52 Upgrade Program DSCA 07 May 2015 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Singapore for the F-16 Block 52 Upgrade Program and associated equipment, parts and logistical support for an estimated cost of $130 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on May 5, 2015.
• May 7, 2015 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 07 May 2015
• Press Gaggle by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz en route Portland, OR, 5/7/2015 The White House 07 May 2015

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for May 07, 2015
• Russian arms exporter reaches several agreements with Turkey at IDEF-2015 arms fair TASS 07 May 2015 -- Russia's arms exporter Rosoboronexport has reached a number of agreements with the Turkish colleagues at the International Defense Industry Fair IDEF-2015 in Turkey. The work on the agreements will be started in May, the company's delegation head Anatoly Aksyonov told journalists on Thursday.
• Russian arms exporter offers its combat systems to Turkish Navy TASS 07 May 2015 -- Russia's arms exporter Rosoboronexport has offered combat systems of Russian manufacture to the Turkish Navy, the company's chief delegate at the IDEF-2015 weapons show Anatoly Aksyonov has said.

Other Conflicts

• 7 May 2015 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 07 May 2015
• What can we do in 5 days? Aid workers skeptical of Saudi truce IRIN 07 May 2015 -- The announcement by Saudi Arabia of a five-day humanitarian ceasefire in Yemen has been cautiously welcomed by aid agencies, but some are warning it is not long enough to be meaningful.
• US, Saudis Seek 'Pause' in Yemen Fighting VOA 07 May 2015 -- U.S. and Saudi officials have agreed to pursue a humanitarian pause in Yemen, where fighting by Shi'ite Houthi rebels has forced thousands of people to flee the country.
• Saudi Arabia plans 5-day halt to attacks on Yemen Press TV 07 May 2015-- Saudi Arabia has announced plans for a five-day ceasefire in its brutal war on neighboring Yemen with the alleged aim of facilitating humanitarian aid to people in the impoverished Arab state.
• Yemen tribal forces fire 4 rockets on Saudi border city Press TV 07 May 2015 -- Yemeni tribal forces have launched another rocket attack on the Saudi border city of Najran to retaliate Riyadh's deadly airstrikes against the Yemeni people.
• Saudi warplanes target Yemen's cities of Hudaydah, Sa'ada Press TV 07 May 2015 -- Saudi warplanes have attacked residential areas in Yemen's cities of Hudaydah and Sa'ada.
• Al-Qaeda Militants Seize Port in Southeastern Yemen Sputnik 07 May 2015 -- Al-Qaeda seized the southeastern Yemeni port of Ash Shihr Thursday, according to a Sputnik source in local law enforcement.
• Yemen: senior UN relief official urges immediate halt to attacks against civilians and aid workers UN News 07 May 2015 -- The top United Nations relief official for Yemen has voiced grave concern over reports that "scores" of civilians have been killed and injured amid ongoing fighting in the city of Aden, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
• Senior UN official warns of 'widespread and systematic' sexual violence in Syria, Iraq UN News 07 May 2015 -- Sexual violence is being committed strategically, in a widespread and systematic manner, and with a high-degree of sophistication by most parties to the conflict in Syria and Iraq, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Zainab Bangura, said today as she briefed journalists on her "scoping mission" to the region in April.
• Leaders Reaffirm Support of Iraq's Fight Against ISIL AFPS 07 May 2015 -- The Pentagon's senior leaders today reiterated their commitment to help the Iraqi government and other allies in delivering a lasting defeat to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
• Obama seeks to halt House bill proposing to split Iraq: Report Press TV 07 May 2015 -- The Obama administration has launched a campaign on Capitol Hill aimed at scrapping a controversial bill that proposes to split Iraq into three separate states, according to a report.
• 18 ISIL terrorists killed in Iraq's Fallujah Press TV 07 May 2015 -- Iraqi government forces have killed more than a dozen members of the Takfiri ISIL militant group in the troubled western province of Anbar as they continue to battle the terrorists and purge various districts across the country of them.
• UN envoy on Syria meets Saudi minister; stresses need to involve regional actors in consultations UN News 07 May 2015 -- As part of ongoing Geneva consultations on Syria, the United Nations Special Envoy for the country, Staffan de Mistura, met today with Prince Mohammed bin Saud bin Khaled Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Information and Technology Affairs.
• Syrian army gains control of city in Qalamoun Press TV 07 May 2015 -- The Syrian army has gained control over strategic city in the southern Syrian region of al-Qalamoun near the capital, Damascus, reports say.
• Turkey troops to intervene in Syria crisis soon: Opposition Press TV 07 May 2015 -- Turkey's main opposition party says the Turkish government is set to send ground forces to Syria in the upcoming days to militarily intervene in its neighboring country.
• US Defense Department Begins Training of Syrian Rebels Sputnik 07 May 2015 -- Pentagon sources reveal that they are putting in place arrangements for their program to train and equip Syrian rebels, and will begin as early as this week.
• U.S. Ambassador To Ukraine Says 'Russia Has To Change Its Approach' RFE/RL 07 May 2015 -- The U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt, says Russia has to change its approach to the situation in Ukraine's east to make peace in the region possible.
• France opens formal judicial inquiry into CAR rape accusations Press TV 07 May 2015 -- France has opened a formal judicial investigation into the reports that its army soldiers raped children during their peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (CAR).
• South Sudan: UN confirms new influx of displaced persons seeking refuge at Mission base UN News 07 May 2015 -- The number of internally displaced persons seeking refuge with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has grown to 53,000 following the latest bout of fighting in the African country, a spokesperson for the Organization has confirmed.
• 'Gruelling' lean season ahead for areas of Sahel impacted by Boko Haram violence - UN agency UN News 07 May 2015 -- Thousands of women and children in regions where Boko Haram violence has spilled into Cameroon, Niger and Chad, face a gruelling lean season and worsening malnutrition, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned today.

News Reports

• Iran releases Marshall Islands-flagged cargo ship Press TV 07 May 2015 -- Iran has released a Marshall Islands-flagged cargo ship recently impounded in the Persian Gulf by Iranian forces, Press TV reports.
• Netanyahu Announces New Israeli Coalition Government VOA 07 May 2015 -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced a new right-wing coalition government and is poised to begin an unprecedented fourth term as head of government.
• US Appeals Court Finds NSA Phone Record Gathering 'Excessive' VOA 07 May 2015 -- A U.S. appeals court in New York ruled Thursday that the clandestine National Security Agency's massive collection of phone records of Americans is illegal, far exceeding the scope of what Congress authorized.
• Appeals court rules NSA bulk data collection illegal Press TV 07 May 2015 -- A federal appeals court ruled the National Security Agency's controversial mass collection of Americans' phone records is illegal.
• FBI's secret air force used in Baltimore protests: Police Press TV 07 May 2015 -- The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) used its secret air force to gather intelligence during the recent anti-police protests in Baltimore, Maryland.
• For Victory Day, Post-Soviets Show Their Colors -- Just Not Orange And Black RFE/RL 07 May 2015 -- As the countries of the former Soviet Union prepare, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, to mark Victory Day, many are making a conscious effort to distance themselves from the orange-and-black St. George ribbon that many now associate with Russian military aggression, separatism, and war.
• Nepal: UN agency calls for ramped-up efforts to boost health services in quake-hit country UN News 07 May 2015 -- Amid continuing relief efforts throughout Nepal, the threat of disease increasingly hangs over the earthquake-stricken nation as the country's water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure struggles to recover from the 7.8 magnitude tremor, an official with the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.
• Burundi Violence Kills 3 Amid Tensions Over President VOA 07 May 2015 -- Fresh political violence in Burundi has left three people dead and at least 13 others wounded, as demonstrations against President Pierre Nkurunziza's decision to run for a third term continued.
• British Exit Polls Give Tories Strong Lead VOA 07 May 2015 -- A key exit poll shows British Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservatives fared well in Thursday's parliamentary polls, falling just short of an outright majority in the 650-member House of Commons.
• Kim Jong Un Provides Field Guidance to February 11 Plant of Ryongsong Machine Complex KCNA 07 May 2015 -- Kim Jong Un, first secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, first chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK and supreme commander of the Korean People's Army, provided field guidance to the February 11 Plant of the Ryongsong Machine Complex.