DefenceTalkEnabled by accelerated successes following the liberation of Mosul, the coalition will shift its focus in Iraq from enabling combat operations to sustaining military gains against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials announced yesterday. “The coalition will tailor our forces in consultation with our Iraqi partners […]https://www.defencetalk.com/coalition-forces-announce-shift-as-campaign-against-isis-progresses-in-iraq-syria-71429/

DefenceTalkThe US delivered another two Black Hawk helicopters to Jordan on Sunday to help protect the kingdom’s borders and counter the threat from militants. The helicopters were handed over at the King Abdullah II Air Base in northeast Jordan. They were the last batch of 12 Black Hawks delivered to Jordan since March 2017. An […]https://www.defencetalk.com/jordan-gets-more-us-black-hawks-to-bolster-defenses-71366/

DefenceTalkAs Turkey continues its attack on Kurdish forces along the Syrian border town of Afrin, the Defense Department says the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria is the common threat in the region, chief Pentagon spokesperson Dana W. White told reporters today. Published reports say Turkey launched the Afrin military operation Jan. 20. “[We] are […]https://www.defencetalk.com/turkeys-assault-on-kurdish-fighters-concerns-united-states-71165/

DefenceTalkDeputy foreign minister Faisal Mekdad warned on Thursday that Syria’s air force could destroy any Turkish warplanes used in a threatened assault on the war-torn country. “We warn that the Syrian Air Force is ready to destroy Turkish air targets in the skies of Syria,” Mekdad told reporters, according to Syria’s official SANA news agency. […]https://www.defencetalk.com/syria-threatens-to-destroy-turkish-warplanes-71092/

DefenceTalkDamascus: Syria on Monday denounced the US-led coalition’s plan to create a 30,000-strong border force in the country’s northeast, saying it would consider its members “traitors.” The alliance fighting the Daesh group announced on Sunday that it was working with Arab and Kurdish fighters to establish a Border Security Force (BSF). The BSF would be […]https://www.defencetalk.com/syria-denounces-us-led-coalition-border-force-plan-71074/

DefenceTalkThe 74th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron is wrapping up a deployment that saw heavy involvement in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Upon arrival, their efforts were focused on Raqqa for approximately three months. During that time A-10 Thunderbolt IIs participated in an urban close air support role. Pilots focused on protecting […]https://www.defencetalk.com/a-10s-bring-thunder-lightning-during-fight-against-isis-71043/

DefenceTalkDamascus: The Israeli army carried out air strikes and fired rockets at targets in Syria overnight, causing damage near a military position, the Syrian army said Tuesday. Israel’s military has carried out several attacks on the Syrian army and its ally Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah since the start of the conflict in Syria in 2011. […]https://www.defencetalk.com/israeli-air-strikes-rockets-hit-syria-syrian-army-71027/

DefenceTalkThe military operation that left four US commandos dead in Niger was actually a mission to capture or kill a militant leader, not a routine reconnaissance patrol as asserted by the Pentagon, ABC News reported Thursday. The target of the October 3-4 overnight operation was a militant leader — known locally as Dandou — linked […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-mission-in-niger-not-what-us-commanders-say-it-was-report-70731/

DefenceTalkRussia said Tuesday its submarine deployed in the Mediterranean fired three ballistic missiles to destroy a command post of the Islamic State group in Syria’s eastern Deir Ezzor province. “A missile strike with three Kalibr missiles destroyed a command post with large numbers of militants and armed vehicles and also a large weapons and ammunition […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russia-says-its-submarine-fired-missiles-at-is-base-in-syria-70715/

DefenceTalkMoscow on Tuesday accused the United States of reducing its air strikes on the Islamic State group in Iraq to allow militants to enter Syria and fight the Russian-backed Syrian army. Military spokesman Igor Konashenkov said the Syrian regime was attempting to push the militants out of eastern Deir Ezzor province, but that arrivals from […]https://www.defencetalk.com/moscow-says-us-pretending-to-fight-is-in-iraq-70649/