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US warned Niger about ties to Russia, Iran before junta revoked accord, Pentagon says

US warned Niger about ties to Russia, Iran before junta revoked accord, Pentagon says

U.S. officials travelled to Niger last week to express concerns about the country's potential development of ties to Russia and Iran before the ruling junta revoked an accord governing the roughly 1,000 U.S. military personnel there, the Pentagon said. The Pentagon added it was seeking clarification about the way ahead. Niger said on Saturday it had revoked "with immediate effect" its military accord with the United States that had allowed Pentagon personnel to operate on its soil. Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said the U.S. government had "direct and frank" conversations in Niger ahead of the junta's announcement, and was continuing…
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Pentagon says it is not seeking war with Iran after Jordan attack

Pentagon says it is not seeking war with Iran after Jordan attack

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin vowed the U.S. would take "all necessary actions" to defend its troops after a deadly drone attack in Jordan by Iran-backed militants, even as President Joe Biden's administration stressed it was not seeking a war with Iran. The attack on Sunday killed three U.S. soldiers and wounded more than 40 troops. It was the first deadly strike against U.S. troops since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in October and marks a major escalation in tensions that have engulfed the Middle East. "Let me start with my outrage and sorrow (for) the deaths of three brave U.S. troops in…
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FBI arrests man for ‘criminal’ US intelligence leaks

FBI arrests man for ‘criminal’ US intelligence leaks

The FBI has arrested an employee of the US Air Force National Guard over the leaks online of classified US documents that embarrassed Washington with allies around the world. US Attorney General Merrick Garland said the FBI arrested the man, Jack Teixeira, "in connection with an investigation into alleged unauthorized removal, retention, and transmission of classified national defence information." The FBI said its agents had made an arrest and were conducting "authorized law enforcement activity at a residence in North Dighton, Massachusetts." Video images played on news channels showed heavily armed officers in Massachusetts accompanying a young man wearing a…
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US-Morroco’s $512-million arms deal

US-Morroco’s $512-million arms deal

THE U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of HIMARS artillery rocket systems and related equipment to Morocco in a deal valued at up to $524 million, the Pentagon said. The State Department has also approved the possible sale of Joint Stand Off Weapons and related equipment to Morocco for an estimated cost of $250 million, the Pentagon said. It said the principal contractors for the HIMARS will be Lockheed Martin; L3Harris; Raytheon; COBHAM; Oshkosh Defense; AAR Corp; and AM General LLC. The principal contractor for the Joint Stand Off Weapons will be Raytheon, the Pentagon said. Thomson Reuters…
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U.S. shoots down unidentified object flying above Alaska

U.S. shoots down unidentified object flying above Alaska

ANDREA SHALAL, STEVE HOLLAND and PHIL STEWART A U.S. F-22 fighter jet shot down an unidentified object flying high over Alaska, U.S. officials said, less than a week after the military brought down a Chinese balloon that had flown across the United States. A Sidewinder missile downed the latest craft, which was about the size of a small car, said U.S. Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, the Pentagon's chief spokesperson. "We don't know who owns this object," said White House spokesperson John Kirby, adding that it was unclear where it began its flight. President Joe Biden ordered the shootdown, which was…
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U.S. fighter jet shoots down suspected Chinese spy balloon

U.S. fighter jet shoots down suspected Chinese spy balloon

RANDALL HILL, PHIL STEWART and JEFF MASON A U.S. military fighter jet shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina, a week after it first entered U.S. airspace and triggered a dramatic -- and public -- spying saga that worsened Sino-U.S. relations. President Joe Biden said he had issued an order on Wednesday to take down the balloon, but the Pentagon had recommended waiting until it could be done over open water to safeguard civilians from debris crashing to Earth from thousands of feet (meters) above commercial air traffic. "They successfully took it down, and…
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Chinese spy balloon flies over the United States: Pentagon

Chinese spy balloon flies over the United States: Pentagon

IDREES ALI and PHIL STEWART A Chinese spy balloon has been flying over the United States for a couple of days, U.S. officials said, in what would be a brazen act just days ahead of a planned trip to Beijing by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Fighter jets were mobilized, but military leaders advised President Joe Biden against shooting the balloon out of the sky for fear debris could pose a safety threat, advice Biden accepted, U.S. officials said. The United States took "custody" of the balloon when it entered U.S. airspace and had observed it with piloted U.S.…
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U.S. military carries out second strike in Somalia

U.S. military carries out second strike in Somalia

THE U.S. military said it carried out an airstrike yesterday against al Shabaab militants in Somalia, in the second such action this week. The Pentagon said the strike took place in the vicinity of Galmudug, Somalia, and emphasized that no U.S. forces were accompanying Somali troops during the operation. It came just three days after a similar U.S. strike targeting the al Qaeda-linked Islamist group, which is seeking to topple the Somali government and impose its strict interpretation of Islamic sharia law. "U.S. forces are authorized to conduct strikes in support of combatant commander designated partner forces under collective self-defense,"…
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U.S. military carries out air strike in Somalia

U.S. military carries out air strike in Somalia

THE  United States yesterday carried out an air strike against al Shabaab militants in Somalia, the first strike in the country since President Joe Biden came into office. Al Qaeda-linked insurgent group al Shabaab is seeking to topple the government and establish its own rule in Somalia based on its own strict interpretation of Islamic sharia law. In a statement, the Pentagon said the strike took place near Galkayo, Somalia. While the United States has frequently carried out air strikes in Somalia against al Shabaab, this was the first since Jan. 20 when Biden took office. The group's campaign of…
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U.S. air strikes target Iranian-backed militia facilities in Syria

U.S. air strikes target Iranian-backed militia facilities in Syria

IDREES ALI and PHIL STEWART PRESIDENT Joe Biden on Thursday directed U.S. military airstrikes in eastern Syria against facilities belonging to what the Pentagon said were Iran-backed militia, in a calibrated response to rocket attacks against U.S. targets in Iraq. The strikes appeared to be limited in scope, potentially lowering the risk of escalation. It was not immediately clear what damage was caused. Syrian state-owned Ekhbariya TV said the strikes had been at dawn against several targets near the Syrian-Iraqi border, and quoted a medical source at a hospital in the area and other unspecified local sources as saying 17…
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