Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 12 Jul 2017[PDF]
• Military Strikes Continue Against ISIS Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 12 Jul 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, conducting 19 strikes consisting of 63 engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Air advisors support coalition, Iraqi air ops in Mosul offensive AFNS 12 Jul 2017 -- U.S. Air Force air advisors work hand-in-hand with their Iraqi counterparts at Qayyarah West airfield supporting coalition and Iraqi operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria in Mosul.
• Militants kill seven bus passengers in western Afghanistan Press TV 12 Jul 2017 -- Afghan authorities have recovered the bullet-riddled bodies of seven passengers kidnapped by militants a day earlier in the country's troubled west.
• Afghan Officials Send High-Profile Sexual Assault Case to Court VOA 12 Jul 2017 -- Authorities in Afghanistan confirmed Wednesday that an alleged torture and sexual assault case against the country's first-vice president, Abdul Rashid Dostum, has been sent to court for further action.

Defense Policy / Programs

• U.S. 8th Army headquarters relocates to Pyeongtaek Arirang 12 Jul 2017 -- The U.S. Eighth Army's 64 years at the Yongsan base in Seoul is now part of history. On Tuesday, they began service at the newly built Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek.
• US successfully tests THAAD missile defenses as DPRK tension rises People's Daily 12 Jul 2017 -- The US said on Tuesday its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system successfully intercepted its target during a test run over the Pacific Ocean.
• US THAAD shoots down missile amid tensions with North Korea Press TV 12 Jul 2017 -- The US military says its controversial Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system has successfully shot down an incoming intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) during a test over the Pacific Ocean.
• Readout of Secretary Mattis' Bilateral Meeting with Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Krstičević DoD 12 Jul 2017
• Remarks by Secretary Mattis in an Honor Cordon Welcoming Croatian Defense Minister Damir Krsticevic to the Pentagon DoD 12 Jul 2017 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis; Damir Krsticevic, Minister of Defense of the Republic of Croatia
• Yankee Go Home: American Forces Move to New Korean Base Sputnik 12 Jul 2017 -- The Eighth US Army in South Korea has celebrated the opening of their new headquarters at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi state. This will be the first time the Army group will relocate their headquarters since they settled at Yongsan base outside of Seoul after the Korean War.
• 'Who Shoots First Wins': Russian Submarines Receive Advanced 'Duel' Torpedoes Sputnik 12 Jul 2017 -- Russia's nuclear-powered Borei- and Yasen-class submarines will be capable of hitting a target from any depth, before being detected by the enemy. The submarines will be armed with the UGST modernized thermal torpedo known as Fizik-2.
• Russian Pacific Fleet's Anti-Submarine Aviation Holds Drills in Kamchatka Region Sputnik 12 Jul 2017 -- The Russian Pacific Fleet's anti-submarine aviation held drills in the Russian Far East region of Kamchatka training the search and tracking of maneuver enemy's vessels, a spokesman for the Pacific Fleet Vladimir Matveev said on Wednesday.
• Thailand Approves $257 Million Plan for 8 More South Korean Jets Sputnik 12 Jul 2017 -- Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha said Tuesday that Bangkok has approved a plan to buy eight additional South Korea-made T-50 trainer jets.
• Statement by the North Atlantic Council on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) NATO 12 Jul 2017 -- Press Release (2017) 121
  Issued on 12 Jul. 2017
• NATO Calls for More Pressure on North Korea Over 'Unprecedented' ICBM Launch Sputnik 12 Jul 2017 -- The North Atlantic Council, the decision-making body of NATO, called on Wednesday in a statement for new sanctions on North Korea in connection to its intercontinental ballistic missile launch on July 4.
• Reform to downsize PLA Army, boost navy numbers People's Daily 12 Jul 2017 -- The People's Liberation Army (PLA) will downsize its army to under one million, and evenly proportion the PLA army and other services, the PLA's official media said.
• Beijing to Slash Size of Chinese Army, Largest in the World, in Half Sputnik 12 Jul 2017 -- The ranks of China's People's Liberation Army will shrink from 2.3 million soldiers to less than a million troops, the official newspaper of the Chinese military reported on Wednesday.
• Beijing Explains Why China Needs Its First Overseas Military Base Sputnik 12 Jul 2017 -- The establishment of China's naval logistics center in Djibouti, which is in fact Beijing's first overseas military base, will enhance stability and security in the region and will allow the Asian state to more efficiently contribute to the peace processes of the African region, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Wednesday.
• China's aircraft carrier reportedly sails through the Taiwan Strait People's Daily 12 Jul 2017 -- The mainland's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, sailed north through the Taiwan Strait on July 12, wrapping up a five-day visit to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the haiwainet.cn reported, citing Taiwan media. The transit was greeted with alarm by Taiwanese authorities, who pledged to monitor the vessel and its escorts.
• China's aircraft carrier battle group enters Taiwan's ADIZ CNA 12 Jul 2017 -- A Chinese naval formation led by China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, entered Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) at 2:40 a.m. Wednesday, the Ministry of National Defense said later in the morning.
• PLA base in Djibouti to help China better perform int'l obligations Xinhua 12 Jul 2017 -- China on Wednesday said the establishment of a Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) support base in Djibouti is a decision made by the two countries after friendly negotiations and will be conducive to China's performance of international obligations.
• Armed Forces equipment domestically produced: Minister IRNA 12 Jul 2017 -- Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said all equipment used by Armed Forces have been produced domestically.
• Netanyahu's Lawyer, Ex-Navy Chief Named as Suspects in German Submarine Probe Sputnik 12 Jul 2017 -- Attorney David Shimron, a personal lawyer to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Adm. Eliezer Merom, a former commander of the Israeli Navy, were questioned within the ongoing investigation into government contracts to purchase submarines from the German ThyssenKrupp company, media reported Wednesday.
• US State Dept. approves $3.9bn Patriot missile sale to Romania Press TV 12 Jul 2017 -- The US State Department has approved a $3.9 billion Patriot missile sale to Romania, a deal which is likely to anger neighboring Russia.

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for July 12, 2017

Other Conflicts

• 12 July 2017 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 12 Jul 2017
• Dialogue and consultation over maritime disputes benefits China and the Philippines: FM People's Daily 12 Jul 2017 -- China and the Philippines are now back on track to peacefully solve disputes through dialogue and consultation, and the relationship between the two countries has benefited both peoples and contributed to regional stability since ties normalized last year, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said Wednesday.
• Senior UN officials urge concrete action to end Yemen conflict, ease 'appalling' humanitarian situation UN News 12 Jul 2017 -- As the war in Yemen grinds on, the increasing battles of attrition are extracting a terrible toll on the country's women, men and children, senior United Nations officials told the Security Council, calling for concrete action to end the fighting.
• UN blames perpetrators of Saudi-led war for cholera crisis in Yemen Press TV 12 Jul 2017 -- The United Nations has blamed Yemen's cholera crisis on the perpetrators of the ongoing war against the impoverished country and their foreign supporters.
• Militant mortar attack kills Russian soldier in central Syria Press TV 12 Jul 2017 -- The Russian Defense Ministry says one of its servicemen has lost his life after foreign-sponsored Takfiri militants launched a mortar attack in Syria's western-central province of Hama.
• US Has Evidence of Chemical Weapons Use by Damascus on April 4 - CIA Chief Sputnik 12 Jul 2017 -- The US intelligence community possesses strong evidence that the Syrian army used chemical weapons in the Idlib province on April 4, Mike Pompeo, the director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), said.
• Kurdish Fighters Rescue Dozens of Civilians in Raqqa, Thousands Trapped VOA 12 Jul 2017 -- Kurdish fighters with the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces rescued dozens of civilians trapped in the besieged city of Raqqa as clashes intensified with Islamic State militants.
• Iraqi forces mopping up last pockets of Daesh terrorists in Mosul Press TV 12 Jul 2017 -- Iraqi government forces are fighting to eliminate the last pockets of Daesh terrorists in the Old City of Mosul, more than two days after Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi formally declared victory over the extremists in their former stronghold and the country's second largest city.
• Iraqi military rejects Amnesty report on Mosul 'abuses' as baseless Press TV 12 Jul 2017 -- A senior Iraqi military official has rejected as "baseless" an Amnesty International report accusing government forces of human rights violations during the months-long battle to liberate Mosul from Daesh terrorists.
• MOFA: Sikkim border officially defined by China, India People's Daily 12 Jul 2017 -- The Sikkim section of the China-India border was officially defined by the Convention Between Great Britain and China Relating to Sikkim and Tibet in 1890, and the Indian government has repeatedly confirmed in written forms that there is no objection, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Geng Shuang said at a regular press conference in Beijing on Wednesday.
• Philippine air raid targeting militants kills 2 soldiers Press TV 12 Jul 2017 -- A Philippine airstrike targeting Daesh-affiliated militants in the country's south has missed its target and mistakenly killed two soldiers, the army says.
• Philippine Military Jet Misses Target; Two Soldiers Dead, 11 Wounded SPA 12 Jul 2017 -- Two soldiers were killed and 11 wounded on Wednesday when a Philippine military jet missed its target in an airstrike against militants in Marawi City, a spokesman said.
• Myanmar slammed for refusing visa to UN mission investigating abuse of Rohingya Press TV 12 Jul 2017 -- A Human Rights Watch representative has criticized Myanmar for refusing to give visas to a UN team probing abuse of Rohingya Muslims, saying the refusal amounts to "a slap in the face" of victims.
• Indian forces kill 3 as Kashmir clashes intensify Press TV 12 Jul 2017 -- Indian police have launched a fresh wave of crackdown on people in Kashmir as reports say three more people have been killed in an overnight gunfight that sparked clashes on the streets in the region.
• China to Play Constructive Role in Promoting India-Pakistan Dialogue - Beijing Sputnik 12 Jul 2017 -- China is ready to play a constructive role in the Indian-Pakistan relations' normalization amid the latest aggravation of tensions in Kashmir, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Wednesday.
• Multiple bomb attacks kill 19 in northeastern Nigeria Press TV 12 Jul 2017 -- The Nigerian police say multiple bomb attacks have claimed the lives of at least 19 people and wounded about two dozen others in the country's troubled northeast.
• Background Briefing on Sudan Sanctions US Dept. of State 12 Jul 2017
• Sudan Freezes Talks With US After Delay in Lifting Sanctions VOA 12 Jul 2017 -- Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir is freezing all negotiations with the United States following President Donald Trump's postponing of a final decision on whether to permanently lift economic sanctions against Sudan for another three months, state media reported.
• UN in South Sudan concerned about civilians fleeing Government, rebel fighting in Upper Nile UN News 12 Jul 2017 -- Thousands of South Sudanese civilians are fleeing to neighbouring Ethiopia as Government troops advance on a rebel stronghold in the Upper Nile region, a senior United Nations official today said, expressing grave concern about what is already the world's fastest growing refugee crisis.

News Reports

• Putin preferred Clinton as US president: Trump Press TV 12 Jul 2017 -- US President Donald Trump says his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin would have been more comfortable with his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, as the president.
• Trump In Interview Says He Gets Along 'Very, Very Well' With Putin RFE/RL 12 Jul 2017 -- U.S. President Donald Trump has said in an interview that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin "get along very, very well" and that the two had "an excellent meeting" on the sidelines of last week's Group of 20 meeting in Germany.
• Trump Defends Son, Again Calls Russia Allegations 'Witch Hunt' RFE/RL 12 Jul 2017 -- U.S. President Donald Trump called his son "open, transparent, and innocent" after the release of e-mails indicating the younger man had welcomed an alleged offer from Russia to help his father's 2016 presidential campaign.
• Trump's Son Says Never Told Father About Meeting With Russian Lawyer RFE/RL 12 Jul 2017 -- Donald Trump Jr., U.S. President Donald Trump's eldest son, has said that his meeting with a Russian lawyer did not yield anything useful to his father's presidential campaign and that he never told his father about it.
• Lavrov: US election meddling claims not backed up by facts Press TV 12 Jul 2017 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has once again dismissed allegations of Russia's meddling in the 2016 US presidential election, saying he would like to be shown at least one fact proving this "amazing" claim.
• FBI Nominee Says He Will Support Probe Of Russian Meddling RFE/RL 12 Jul 2017 -- Christopher Wray has told the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee that, if confirmed as the new FBI director, he would fully support the investigation into Russian meddling into the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
• U.S. Government Takes Russia's Kaspersky Lab Off List Of Approved Vendors RFE/RL 12 Jul 2017 -- The Trump administration has removed Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab from two lists of approved vendors used by government agencies to purchase technology equipment, amid concerns the cybersecurity firm's products could be used by the Kremlin to gain entry into U.S. networks.
• Frustrated with US inaction, Russia warns of reprisal on US expulsions, seizures Press TV 12 Jul 2017 -- Russia says the United States should either correct a 2016 decision by former President Barack Obama to expel a number of Russian politicians and "illegally" seize Russian diplomatic compounds in America or wait for Moscow's "measures of reciprocity."
• U.S., Russia To Revive High-Level Talks On Seized Dachas, Other 'Irritants' RFE/RL 12 Jul 2017 -- The United States and Russia are reviving high-level talks aimed at resolving major irritants between the two world powers, the U.S. State Department has said.
• Russia Not Ready to Tolerate Situation With Diplomatic Property in US for Long Sputnik 12 Jul 2017 -- The situation with Russia's diplomatic property in the United States is unprecedented, but the Kremlin expects that its US counterparts will demonstrate political will and correct violations of international law, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday.
• U.S. House Speaker Says Procedural Issue Delaying Move On Russian Sanctions RFE/RL 12 Jul 2017 -- U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan says he wants to move as quickly as possible on a package of tough new sanctions against Russia and Iran but that procedural and policy issues are delaying that action.
• Trump-Russia Probe, Delays Complicate House Sanctions on Russia VOA 12 Jul 2017 -- House Speaker Paul Ryan said a strong sanctions bill against Russia would come up for a vote soon, despite procedural delays and claims of partisan clashes on Capitol Hill.
• Tatar Lawmakers Urge Renewal Of Kazan-Moscow Power-Sharing Agreement RFE/RL 12 Jul 2017 -- Lawmakers from the Russian Republic of Tatarstan have appealed to Moscow to extend a power-sharing treaty between the capital and the region that is set to expire later this month.
• DPRK urges Trump to end "anachronistic" policy toward Pyongyang People's Daily 12 Jul 2017 -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Wednesday called the policy of U.S. President Donald Trump towards it "anachronistic" and advised the latter to make a "switch-over."
• GOP Senators Urge Tillerson Not to Certify Iran's Compliance With Nuclear Deal Sputnik 12 Jul 2017 -- A group of US Republican senators in a letter on Wednesday called on Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to reject certifying that Iran is fulfilling its obligations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action regarding its nuclear program.
• Retired US Generals Challenge Trump's Attitude Toward Iran Nuclear Deal Sputnik 12 Jul 2017 -- The 2015 nuclear deal between the United States, Iran and other world powers has benefited US national security, a group of 38 retired US generals and admirals wrote in an open letter to President Donald Trump on Wednesday.
• Chinese Charm in Southeast Asia Shows Signs of Chafing VOA 12 Jul 2017 -- China's use of economic aid to placate angry neighbors is still seen as effective in allowing it to consolidate its controversial claims in the South China Sea, but it is also showing early signs of wearing thin a year after an international court rejected Beijing's legal basis for maritime claims that have put it at odds with much of Southeast Asia.
• Dutch Senate Passes Tapping Bill Allowing for Large-Scale Info Collecting Sputnik 12 Jul 2017 -- The senate of the Netherlands on Wednesday approved a new surveillance law that will give the country's secret services broad tapping powers, local media reported.
• Tillerson Signs Pact with Qatar to Curb Terrorism Financing VOA 12 Jul 2017 -- U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's effort to resolve a dispute between Qatar and four of its Persian Gulf neighbors shifted Wednesday to Saudi Arabia where he is due to meet with officials from the nations accusing Qatar of supporting terrorism.
• No Breakthrough Reported on Qatar Blockade After Tillerson Talks with Saudi-Led Group VOA 12 Jul 2017 -- U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has not announced a breakthrough or substantial progress after holding talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia with the ministers from four Arab nations that are locked in a stand-off with Qatar. On June 5, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic ties and instituted a land, air and sea blockade of Qatar.
• Lifting emergency rule currently out of question, says Turkish president Press TV 12 Jul 2017 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has ruled out an immediate end to the year-old state of emergency imposed following a failed coup last year.
• Erdogan Says Lifting State of Emergency in Turkey Not Under Discussion Sputnik 12 Jul 2017 -- The removal of Turkish emergency regulations will not be considered for discussion as long as the country's security is being threatened, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday.
• EU Seeks To Assure Balkans At Summit RFE/RL 12 Jul 2017 -- Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni opened an EU-Western Balkans summit on July 12 in the the northern port city of Trieste - the fourth such meeting since 2014.