Tag: Pentagon

New US forces for Middle East may aid evacuation, if needed

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The new U.S. deployment of a small number of troops to the Middle East announced earlier this week could help the U.S. military prepare for scenarios including an evacuation of Americans from Lebanon, two U.S. officials told Reuters. Officials say the move is precautionary and comes as President Joe Biden warns of the risk of all-out war and as Israel openly talks about a possible ground incursion into southern Lebanon. While Washington […]

Chinese nuclear-powered submarine sank earlier this year, US official says

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -China’s newest nuclear-powered attack submarine sank earlier this year, a senior U.S. defense official said on Thursday, a potential embarrassment for Beijing as it seeks to expand its military capabilities. China already has the largest navy in the world, with over 370 ships, and it has embarked on production of a new generation of nuclear-armed submarines. A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said China’s new first-in-class nuclear-powered attack submarine […]

Tanker ship off India hit by attack drone ‘fired from Iran’: Pentagon

WASHINGTON, Dec 24, 2023 (AFP) – A Japanese-owned chemical tanker struck Saturday off the coast of India was targeted by a drone “fired from Iran,” the Pentagon said, a sign of expanding risks to commercial shipping beyond the Red Sea. It was the first time the Pentagon has openly accused Iran of directly targeting ships since the start of Israel’s war on the militant group Hamas, which is backed by Tehran. The attack came amid […]

US rejects Poland offer of jets for Ukraine as not ‘tenable’

WASHINGTON, D.C., United States (AFP) – The United States on Tuesday rejected a Polish offer to send MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine via a US air base, saying the proposal raised “serious concerns” for the entire NATO alliance. Warsaw caught US officials off guard with the offer to deliver the Soviet-era planes to the US base in Ramstein, Germany. Under the proposed scheme, those jets could then be deployed to Ukraine, while the Polish air […]

Pentagon plans stronger US posture toward China, Russia

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US military will re-inforce deployments and bases directed at China and Russia, while maintaining forces in the Middle East adequate to deter Iran and jihadist groups, the Pentagon said Monday, referencing results of a review. The US Defense Department will be upgrading and expanding military facilities in Guam and Australia, underscoring its focus on China as the country’s leading defense rival, officials said. The details of the “global posture […]

Chinese hypersonic test included pathbreaking 2nd missile launch: reports

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — China’s test of a globe-circling hypersonic weapon in July included the unprecedented launch of a separate missile from the ultra-high-speed vehicle, according to the Financial Times and Wall Street Journal. The test showed China’s development of its strategic, nuclear-capable weapons as more advanced than any had thought, surprising Pentagon officials, the two newspapers said. Neither the United States nor Russia has demonstrated the same ability, which requires launching a […]

NKorea missile test poses ‘threats’ to neighbors: Pentagon

The United States military said Sunday missile tests conducted by North Korea over the weekend posed ‘threats’ to the country’s neighbors and beyond. “This activity highlights DPRK’s continuing focus on developing its military program and the threats that poses to its neighbors and the international community,” the US Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement, using the North’s official name. North Korean state media reported on Monday morning local time the country had test-fired a new […]

Pentagon investigating Afghan airport deaths

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US Air Force said Tuesday it was investigating how civilians were killed as they tried to cling to an aircraft departing Kabul’s airport amid chaotic scenes sparked by the imminent seizure of the Afghan capital by the Taliban. Investigators are reviewing footage of what appears to be at least two Afghans plummeting from an airborne C-17 transport Monday as well as videos and social media posts related to […]

US ship fires warning shots at Iranian boats in Strait of Hormuz: Pentagon

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — A US vessel fired warning shots at more than a dozen Iranian fast attack boats which buzzed close to a US Navy submarine and escort ships in the narrow Strait of Hormuz on Monday, the Pentagon said. In the second such incident in two weeks, 13 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy boats approached the seven US vessels at high speeds, closing within 150 yards (140 meters) before one of the […]

Pentagon chief sees Asia ties as deterrent against China

  HONOLULU, United States (AFP) — US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Saturday he was traveling to Asia to boost military cooperation with American allies and foster “credible deterrence” against China. Austin kicked off via Hawaii, seat of the American military command for the Indo-Pacific region, his first foreign visits as Pentagon chief. “This is all about alliances and partnerships,” he told reporters on the trip that is to include meetings with key allies […]

Pentagon chief receives Covid-19 vaccine

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Pentagon chief Christopher Miller was one of the first Americans to receive the Covid-19 vaccine Monday, on camera to encourage the rest of the country to follow suit. The acting defense secretary received the jab at Walter Reed military hospital near Washington, according to a video published by the Pentagon. “That’s all?! Oh come on! That did not hurt at all!” Miller joked while receiving the vaccine, a symbol […]

After White House, Covid-19 breaches Pentagon

  by Sylvie LANTEAUME Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US commander-in-chief has Covid-19 and the top military brass are isolating as the coronavirus pandemic takes a toll on the national security establishment of the most powerful nation in the world. As Covid-19 breached the walls of the Pentagon, the Defense Department was quick to stress on Tuesday that there had been “no change to the operational readiness or mission capability of […]