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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• U.S. Bolstering Force In Persian Gulf, Sends Patriot Missiles To Region With Eye On Iran RFE/RL 11 May 2019 -- Reports from western Yemen say Iranian-backed Huthi rebels have begun withdrawing from two of the three Red Sea port facilities they've vowed to evacuate under a peace deal negotiated in Stockholm in December.
• US May Send Aircraft Carrier Into Strait of Hormuz as Tensions High - Commander Sputnik 11 May 2019 -- The commander's remark comes as the Pentagon deployed more warships and Patriot interceptors to the US Central Command region, a move that followed National Security Adviser John Bolton announcing the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group to the region to contain what Washington sees as a threat from Iran.
• Pentagon shifting $1.5 billion from Afghan forces to border wall construction Press TV 11 May 2019 -- The US Defense Department is shifting $1.5 billion in funds originally targeted for support of the Afghan security forces and other projects to help pay for construction of nearly 80 miles (130 kilometers) of wall at the US-Mexican border.

Defense Policy / Programs

• US, Latvia Sign Five-Year Defence Cooperation Roadmap - Pentagon Sputnik 11 May 2019 -- The United States and Latvia signed a five-year defence cooperation strategic roadmap during Friday's meeting between Acting US Secretary of Defence Patrick Shanahan and Latvian Minister of Defence Artis Pabriks in Washington, Pentagon Spokesperson Charles Summers said in a media readout on Friday.
• US missile systems in Japan pose direct threat to Russia: Russian FM Press TV 11 May 2019 -- Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has blasted persisting US military buildup in Japan, saying Moscow views as a direct "threat" the American missile defense systems deployed to the Asian country.
• China further regulates military expenditure Global Times 11 May 2019 -- The General Office of the Central Military Commission (CMC) has issued a provisional plan to further regulate military expenditure.
• China Launches Two New Missile Destroyers Amid US Show of Force in S China Sea Sputnik 11 May 2019 -- Over the past two weeks, the US and its regional allies demonstratively sailed through the disputed maritime territory, with six vessels including two US guided missile destroyers taking part in 'enhanced interoperatibility' drills last week.
• North Korea's new missiles surprise experts, alarm US Press TV 11 May 2019 -- Western analysts say the short-range missiles tested by North Korea recently showcased their growing capability, including to better evade US missile systems.
• Trump Denies Recent DPRK Missiles Drill Was 'Breach of Trust' Sputnik 11 May 2019 -- US President Donald Trump told Politico on Friday he does not consider North Korea's recent launch of short-range ballistic missiles "a breach of trust".
• Indian Air Force Gets First Apache Attack Helicopter at US Boeing Plant Sputnik 11 May 2019 -- India and the US signed a contract on the delivery of 22 Apache helicopters back in 2015. The first batch is to be delivered by July.
• JASDF F-35 Loss Dubbed 'MYSTERY' as US Halts Search a Month After Jet Vanished Sputnik 11 May 2019 -- Over a month has now passed since a Japanese Air Force F-35A jet, being flown by a highly experienced pilot, disappeared off the coast of northeastern Japan, with pieces of its tail fins and part of its flight data recorder being all that the Japanese and US navies have to managed to recover despite a round-the-clock search effort.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Yemen's Ansarullah urges UN to press ex-govt. to withdraw forces from key ports Press TV 11 May 2019 -- Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement has urged the United Nations and its Security Council to pressure Yemen's Saudi-backed former government to pull out its forces from the city of Hudaydah and two other Red Sea ports after Houthi fighters unilaterally began withdrawing from two of the ports according to a UN-brokered agreement.
• Fresh Saudi airstrikes claim lives of seven Yemenis Press TV 11 May 2019 -- At least seven people, including women and children, have been killed after Saudi-led warplanes carried out airstrikes against an area in Yemen's southwestern province of Dhale.
• Houthis begin unilateral withdrawal from Hudaydah ports Press TV 11 May 2019 -- Yemen's Houthi forces have started unilateral withdrawal from Saleef and Ras Isa ports in Hudaydah province under a United Nations-sponsored peace deal, a news agency says.
• UN says Yemen's Houthis agreed to begin Hudaydah withdrawal Press TV 11 May 2019 -- The United Nations says Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement has agreed to unilaterally pull out its forces from three key ports over the next four days, a necessary step for the implementation of a ceasefire deal the warring sides reached in Sweden in December.
• Iranian-Backed Huthi Rebels Start Withdrawal From Yemeni Port Facilities RFE/RL 11 May 2019 -- Reports from western Yemen say Iranian-backed Huthi rebels have begun withdrawing from two of the three Red Sea port facilities they've vowed to evacuate under a peace deal negotiated in Stockholm in December.
• 200,000 Syrian refugees have returned from Lebanon since 2017 Press TV 11 May 2019 -- Lebanon's General Security Directorate says 200,000 Syrian refugees have returned to their homeland, in full coordination with authorities in Syria, from various areas in Lebanon since 2017.
• Syrian Army Liberates 2 Villages in South of Idlib From Terrorists - Reports Sputnik 11 May 2019 -- The Syrian Army liberated two villages, located at the southern border of the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib, from members of Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group (banned in Russia) on Saturday, al-Watan newspaper reported.
• Iraqi Foreign Fighters Lurk in Syrian Shadows VOA 11 May 2019 -- By late February and early March, it had become a common scene on the far outskirts of the northeastern Syrian town of Baghuz: evacuees from the Islamic State terror group's final scrap of territory huddled on the desert floor, empty water bottles littering the ground as they waited to be vetted and taken to a displaced persons camp.
• Libya's GNA urges Trump to stop foreign support for Haftar Press TV 11 May 2019 -- Libya's internationally-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) has called on US President Donald Trump to stop foreign support for "aspiring military dictator" Khalifa Haftar as his forces continue their all-out offensive to take over the capital Tripoli.
• Pakistan begins fencing border with Iran: Commander Press TV 11 May 2019 -- The Pakistani border force commander ​​​says the country has started fencing its 950-kilometer-long shared border with Iran in an effort to strengthen security in the area.
• Gunmen storm luxury hotel in Pakistan port city of Gwadar Press TV 11 May 2019 -- Three gunmen stormed a luxury hotel in Pakistan's southwestern port city of Gwadar on Saturday, killing at least one guard and battling security forces inside, officials and the army said.
• Nigerian pro-government militia force sets free 900 child recruits Press TV 11 May 2019 -- Nigerian militias battling Daesh-linked Boko Haram terrorist group have freed some 900 child recruits from its ranks, United Nations children's agency UNICEF has announced.
• French Military Frees Foreign Hostages from Burkina Faso VOA 11 May 2019 -- French special forces have rescued four foreign hostages from Burkina Faso but lost two of their elite soldiers in the mission.

News Reports

• Venezuela's Guaido Calls for Contact With US Military VOA 11 May 2019 -- Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido told his supporters Saturday at a rally in Caracas that he had instructed his ambassador to the U.S. to contact the U.S. military to pressure President Nicolas Maduro to step down from his post.
• Venezuela's former intel chief was 'CIA mole' seeking to orchestrate coup: Maduro Press TV 11 May 2019 -- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says his former intelligence chief, who joined opposition figure Juan Guaido during a recent coup attempt, was a "mole" recruited by the CIA to overthrow his government.
• Ex-Venezuela Intel Chief Claims Trump Said 'No' to His Request to Lift Sanctions Sputnik 11 May 2019 -- This comes as Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro claimed on Saturday that the country's former intelligence chief Cristopher Figuera "was captured by the CIA a year ago and was working as a traitor, mole and infiltrator".
• US Contacts With Venezuelan Military Figures Up Dramatically - Report Sputnik 11 May 2019 -- US contacts with Venezuelan military figures have increased significantly since last week's attempted coup d'etat by self-proclaimed Interim President of Venezuela Juan Guaido, a US officials told Reuters Friday, the outlet reports.
• Belarusian President Says Damages From Contaminated Russian Oil 'Enormous' RFE/RL 11 May 2019 -- Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has said that the cost of damages from contaminated oil received via the Russian Druzhba oil pipeline was "enormous" and that Belarus expects compensation from Russia.
• DPRK Foreign Ministry Censures U.S. for Releasing Anti-DPRK Press Statement KCNA 11 May 2019 -- The Policy Research Director of the Institute for American Studies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), gave the following answer to a question put by KCNA on May 11 with regard to the press statement released recently by the U.S. Department of State for the purpose of tarnishing the DPRK's human rights situation on the occasion of so-called "North Korea Freedom Week."
• Trump says DPRK testing not "breach of trust" People's Daily 11 May 2019 -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said Pyongyang's recent weapon tests were "very standard" and not "a breach of trust," U.S. media reported.
• Saving JCPOA requires more than memorial photo by EU leaders IRNA 11 May 2019 -- The EU proclaims to remain committed to Iran nuclear deal and also asks Iran to abide by its commitments while the main reason for the shaky JCPOA after the departure of the US, is the failure of the Europeans to use the opportunities at their disposal.
• Kharrazi urges EU to honor commitments to JCPOA IRNA 11 May 2019 -- Iranian veteran diplomat has urged the European Union to take practical steps to honor its commitments to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in order to keep the nuclear deal alive.
• Iran's Kharrazi warns Europe to avoid death of JCPOA ISNA 11 May 2019 -- Chairman of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, Dr. Kamal Kharrazi who is in Paris to attend Leaders for Peace conference, met with the French Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee Chairwoman, Marielle de Sarnez.
• Rosatom committed to Iranian plant project ISNA 11 May 2019 -- Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom said its project to develop new units at Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant has not been affected by ongoing tensions arising from intensified US sanctions against Iran.
• Germany says talks continue with Iran on INSTEX ISNA 11 May 2019 -- EU's major powers are working intensely to operationalize the alternative payment channel INSTEX to facilitate legitimate trade with Iran, German officials said.
• Iran's Rouhani calls US anti-Iran campaign 'all-out war' Press TV 11 May 2019 -- Iranian president Hassan Rouhani has said that Iran is facing an "all-out war" of economic and political pressures through sanctions imposed on the country.
• Iran not much concerned about fresh US sanctions: Deputy industry min. Press TV 11 May 2019 -- Iran's deputy minister of industry, mining and trade says the country is not much concerned about the United States' recent metal sanctions, noting that Iranian steel, copper and aluminum have already their own customers.
• Top political advisor meets with media representatives across Taiwan Strait People's Daily 11 May 2019 -- Top political advisor Wang Yang Friday met with representatives of media outlets from both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
• Ebola Outbreak Could Spiral Beyond DRC, WHO Warns VOA 11 May 2019 -- Armed attacks, misinformation and a growing funding gap continue to impede the response to the Ebola outbreak in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, with the World Health Organization warning that the situation could spiral out of control.
• Daesh claims setting up branch in Indian Kashmir Press TV 11 May 2019 -- The Daesh Takfiri terrorist group has claimed it has established a new branch in the India-controlled Kashmir region.
• Albanian Opposition Protesters Maintain Pressure On Ruling Socialists RFE/RL 11 May 2019 -- Albanian Opposition Calls For More Protests To Maintain Pressure On Government
• Malaysian Man Involved in 1MDB Case Faces New Charges Over Alleged Obama Funds Sputnik 11 May 2019 -- The businessman is one of the key figures in a money-laundering scandal which also involves a number of Malaysian officials, including former Prime Minister Nijab Razak, who are suspected of embezzling billions of dollars from the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) fund since 2009.
• ANC Set to Remain South Africa's Ruling Party VOA 11 May 2019 -- South Africa's legendary ruling African National Congress (ANC) remains at the country's helm, the electoral commission confirmed Saturday.