DefenceTalkThe CIA and US special operations forces are carrying out a secret campaign using armed drones to target and kill Islamic State leaders in Syria, the Washington Post reported Tuesday. The clandestine program is separate from America’s wider military operations against IS fighters, the newspaper reported, citing unnamed US officials. Among those so far killed […]https://www.defencetalk.com/cia-us-special-ops-launch-drone-campaign-in-syria-65243/

DefenceTalkAnkara: Turkish warplanes have for the first time joined raids by the US-led coalition against Islamic State positions in Syria, the foreign ministry said Saturday, after Washington urged Ankara to play a full role in the battle against the jihadists. “Our fighter planes … along with planes from the coalition yesterday (Friday) evening began joint […]https://www.defencetalk.com/turkish-planes-join-anti-is-coalition-in-syria-raid-for-first-time-65207/

DefenceTalkAV-8B Harriers assigned to the “Greyhawks” of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 161 (Reinforced), which launched from the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2), the Essex Amphibious Ready Group’s flag ship, conducted strike missions in Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) Aug. 17. The Harriers executed strike missions to dismantle and ultimately […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-marine-av-8b-harriers-join-anti-isil-air-strikes-65064/

DefenceTalkThe Arab League called for an “urgent” Arab strategy to militarily back Libya’s government against the Islamic State group on Tuesday, but stopped short of endorsing airstrikes against the jihadists. The Cairo-based Arab bloc issued its call after an extraordinary meeting to discuss a request by the internationally recognized Libyan government to adopt measures to […]https://www.defencetalk.com/arab-league-urges-military-support-for-libya-against-is-65041/

DefenceTalkUS warplanes Wednesday carried out their first air strikes on Islamic State (IS) targets in Syria after taking off from a Turkish base, kicking off a key new phase in the campaign against the jihadists. A US drone had last week executed a single lethal air strike against an IS target in Syria but this […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-jets-launch-first-anti-is-syria-strikes-from-turkey-64992/

DefenceTalkThe United States for the first time Sunday deployed half a dozen F-16 warplanes to Turkey to help operations against the Islamic State group, US officials said. The deployment marks the first time since an international coalition began bombing IS targets in Iraq and Syria a year ago that US jets will launch strikes from […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-deploys-f-16s-to-turkey-for-is-fight-64960/

DefenceTalkThe United States launched its first airstrike from Turkey on an Islamic State target in Syria, as Ankara vowed it was ready to step up its own fight against militants. “A US drone today carried out one airstrike in Syria near Raqa,” a Turkish official told AFP, referring to the town in northern Syria that […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-bombs-is-syria-target-from-turkey-for-first-time-64955/

DefenceTalkThe Egyptian affiliate of the Islamic State says it has carried out a missile strike on an Egyptian navy vessel off North Sinai, the SITE intelligence group reports Thursday. Pictures posted online appear to show the frigate being hit by a rocket. The authenticity of the images could not be confirmed. Egyptian officials had said […]https://www.defencetalk.com/is-claims-missile-strike-on-egyptian-navy-vessel-64904/

DefenceTalkWASHINGTON: Anti-Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant forces have made significant gains in northern Syria, which will have positive effects in Iraq as well, a senior U.S. Central Command official said today. During a telephone conference from Southwest Asia with Pentagon reporters, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve Chief of Staff Marine Corps Brig. […]https://www.defencetalk.com/general-significant-gains-made-by-anti-isil-forces-in-northern-syria-64598/

DefenceTalkThe first full exercise of NATO’s new rapid reaction force is taking place in eastern Europe. The Organization’s chief said the alliance was implementing its biggest defense reinforcement since the Cold War. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) created the rapid reaction force to deter Russia from taking any action against its eastern European allies […]https://www.defencetalk.com/nato-implementing-biggest-defense-reinforcement-since-cold-war-64561/