Transportation Command News Archive | TRANSCOM Or USTRANSCOM Alerts

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May 31st, 2023 - Biden Administration Announces Additional Security Assistance for Ukraine. This authorization is the Biden Administration's thirty-ninth drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021. Read more

May 30, 2023 - Video shows what Indo-Pacific Command says is an "unnecessarily aggressive move" by a Chinese Shenyang J-16 multi-role strike aircraft. Read more

May 29th, 2023 - After South Korea notified Japan of an upcoming satellite launch, South Korea “strongly” warned against the launch, while Japan said that the country would shoot down any projectiles that threaten its territory. Read more

May 23rd, 2023 - The Russian Ministry of Defense has claimed that it intercepted two United States B-1B strategic bombers flying over the Baltic Sea approaching the Russian border. Read more

May 17th, 2023 - The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected and tracked a Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). Read more

May 15th, 2023 - The Russian Ministry of Defense claims that it detected and intercepted two aircraft approaching the Russian border over the Baltic Sea and turned the military aircraft "away to its home airfield". Read more

May 14th, 2023 - The Alaskan Region of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected, tracked, positively identified and intercepted six Russian aircraft operating in and near the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on May 11, 2023. Read more

May 9, 2023 - Sudanese Armed Forces statement: "A summary of today's situation: The operational situation is stable in all states of the country, except for some clashes with rebel militia groups in some parts of the capital. Read more

May 9, 2023 - Israel Defense Forces (IDF): "IDF warplanes attacked and thwarted a number of senior members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization". Read more

April 28, 2023 - The attack reported by Britain's Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) on position 1531.838N 05213.688 18 nautical miles south of Nishtun, Yemen has been downgraded from "attack" to "incident" Read more

April 28, 2023 - Britain's Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has reported that a vessel has come under attack 18 nautical miles south of Nishtun, Yemen. Read more

April 10, 2023 - Chinese government officials claimed that the PLA Southern Theater Command tracked a United States Navy destroyer USS Milius, saying that it "illegally trespassed" into waters near Meiji Reef (Mischief Reef). Read more

April 10, 2023 - 70 Chinese military aircraft and 11 PLA Navy (PLAN) vessels were spotted on April 9-10th, 2023 according to Taiwan's Ministry of Defense. Four of the aircraft were J-15 carrier based fighter jets. Read more

April 9, 2023 - 71 Chinese military aircraft and 9 PLA Navy (PLAN) vessels were spotted around the island of Taiwan between April 8th and April 9th, 2023 according to Taiwan's Ministry of Defense. Read more

April 2nd, 2023 - A statement by the Iranian Navy said that it warned a U.S. Navy Lockheed EP-3E land-based Multi-Intelligence reconnaissance aircraft away from its airspace. Read more

April 2nd, 2023 - IDF fighter jets and helicopters were launched after an aircraft entered Israeli airspace from Syria. The aircraft was shot down by Israeli aircraft, according to the Israeli military. Read more

March 17, 2023 - The International Criminal Court (ICC) released a statement on Friday that it has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes, including the abduction of children from Ukraine during Russia's war on the country. Read more

March 16, 2023 - Kermadec Islands - A tsunami warning has been declared after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit near the Kermadec Islands. Read more

March 7, 2023 - The Governor of Tamaulipas, Mexico Américo Villarreal was cited by Reuters as saying two of the four Americans that were kidnapped in Mexico while on their way to receive cheap cosmetic surgery are dead, and two are still alive, but also said that one is injured. Read more

March 7, 2023 - The four American victims that were kidnapped at gunpoint in Mexico have been identified, with further details on the incident, along with a video of the kidnapping in progress. Read more

March 6, 2023 - Four United States citizens were kidnapped in Matamoros city, Mexico on Friday shortly after arriving in Mexico, as they were traveling in a White minivan with license plates from North Carolina. Read more

February 15, 2023 - The U.S. military had been tracking the first balloon that it shot down for about a week as it left China on a heading toward Guam and Hawaii, before making a sharp turn north towards Alaska. Read more

February 13, 2023 - Statement by the Department of Defense on the "successful" shoot down of an "airborne object" flying at about 20,000 feet in altitude in U.S. airspace over Lake Huron in the state of Michigan. Read more

February 13, 2023 - WASHINGTON - The latest "object" that was shot down on Sunday over Lake Huron, which is located close to the Canadian border was "octagonal shape" with "no discernable payload". Read more

February 13, 2023 - The Michigan state representative Jack Bergman released a statement saying that he has been in contact with the Department of Defense, and that the U.S. military has "decommissioned" another "object" over Lake Huron. Read more

February 12, 2023 - NORAD And NORTHCOM Statement: "With the cooperation of the Federal Aviation Administration, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) implemented a temporary flight restriction airspace in central Montana on Feb. 11, 2023, to ensure the safety of air traffic in the area during NORAD operations. Read more

February 12, 2023 - NORAD: “NORAD detected a radar anomaly and sent fighter aircraft to investigate. Those aircraft did not identify any object to correlate to the radar hits. NORAD will continue to monitor the situation.” Read more

February 12, 2023 - Representative Matt Rosendale statement: "Airspace is reopened – I will remain in contact with defense officials and share more information as it becomes available. Montanans deserve answers". Read more

February 12, 2023 - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a NOTAM over Havre, Montana, near the Canadian border, and declared the region “National Defense Airspace”. Read more

February 12, 2023 - NORAD shoots down an unidentified object violating Canadian airspace over the Yukon with an F-22. Read more

February 12, 2023 - NORAD Statement on Alaskan high-altitude airborne object Shootdown: "February 11, 2023 U.S. Northern Command Update on Recovery Operations At the direction of the President of the United States, fighter aircraft assigned to U.S. Norther Command successfully took down a high altitude airborne object off the northern coast of Alaska. Read more

February 12, 2023 - NORAD is monitoring "what appear to be" one or two objects that "appear to be spy balloons" over Canada according to a report by the Canadian Global Television Network. Read more

February 11, 2023 - Department of Defense Press Secretary brigadier general Pat Ryder releases a statement regarding the object shot down over Alaska. Read more

February 11, 2023 - The U.S. just shot down an object that was flying around Alaska around one hour ago, according to John Kirby. Read more

February 05, 2023 - After the United States Air Force carried out the operation to shoot down the Chinese surveillance balloon, efforts are underway to study and scrutinize both the balloon and its payload. Read more

February 05, 2023 - Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement regarding the "US claim" that it shot down a Chinese unmanned airship. Read more

February 04, 2023 - DoD: "An F-22 Raptor fighter from the 1st Fighter Wing at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, fired one AIM-9X Sidewinder missile at the balloon.The balloon fell approximately six miles off the coast in about 47 feet of water. No one was hurt". Read more

February 04, 2023 - Department of Defense: A U.S. fighter aircraft assigned to U.S. Northern Command successfully brought down the Chinese high altitude surveillance balloon over the water off the coast of South Carolina in U.S. airspace. Read more

February 04, 2023 - Statement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry regarding the balloon spotted above mainland United States. Read more

February 04, 2023 - A specialist in surveillance balloons says that balloons are difficult to shoot down and that the one over the United States flying over U.S. military sites looks to have been equipped with an advanced AI guidance system. Read more

February 04, 2023 - EDITS (1) An explosion has been reported over Billings, Montana. The city of Billings, Montana says PD fire and airport have not been called to any incidents". Read more

February 04, 2023 - The Chinese "spy balloon" has altered its flight path and is now moving east at about 60,000 feet over the "central" United States, which demonstrates its ability to maneuver, according to a statement by the U.S. military Friday. Read more

February 03, 2023 - Canadian Ministry of Defense: "A high-altitude surveillance balloon was detected and its movements are being actively tracked by NORAD. Canadians are safe and Canada is taking steps to ensure the security of its airspace, including the monitoring of a potential second incident". Read more

February 03, 2023 - DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE transcript of a background briefing regarding the high-altitude surveillance balloon spotted hovering over mainland United States, having come from Alaska, through Canada and into the northern United States from Canada. Read more

February 03, 2023 - NORAD: "NORAD and U.S. Northern Command statement on the high-altitude surveillance balloon. The United States government has detected and is tracking a high altitude surveillance balloon that is over the continental United States right now. Read more

February 03, 2023 - UPDATED (1) DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE: "The United States Government has detected and is tracking a high altitude surveillance balloon that is over the continental United States right now". Read more

February 02, 2023 - The U.S. government is currently tracking a balloon that has been in northern U.S. airspace for a few days now, and U.S. officials say they are confident it is a Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon. Read more

February 01, 2023 - The United States is preparing a $2.2 billion package worth of military aid to Ukraine, and is expected to contain longer-range rockets than the United States has previously been willing to give to Ukraine, as well as other weapons and ammunition. Read more

January 27, 2023 - Russian Foreign Minister has put out a warning and sent a note to members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) that any shipments that contain military equipment will become a legitimate target for Russian Aerospace Forces. Read more

January 27, 2023 - Russia’s Ambassador to Germany Sergei Nechayev released a statement after the United States and Germany announced sending tanks to Ukraine that called the decision an "extremely dangerous decision" that "takes the conflict to a new level of confrontation". Read more

January 27, 2023 - The delivery of Western-made uranium shells to Ukraine will be regarded by Russia as "the use of dirty nuclear bombs" and said that the depleted uranium shells used for the Leopard 2 tanks lead to "contamination of the area" and outbreaks of cancer. Read more

January 27, 2023 - RUSSIAN MINISTRY OF DEFENSE: "The crew of Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Gorshkov's frigate, operating in areas of the western part of the Atlantic Ocean, conducted computer simulation exercises with hypersonic missile weapons. Read more

January 23, 2023 - U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE Michael Carpenter said that he expects broad support in the United States to for the Netherlands to transfer allied F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, in an interview with Lithuanian news agency Delfi.  Read more

January 11, 2023 - UK MINISTRY OF DEFENSE - "HMS Portland is monitoring the Russian guided missile frigate Admiral Gorshkov and accompanying tanker Kama as they sail in international waters close to the UK.  Read more

January 11, 2023 - The British postal service company Royal mail says that it's facing a major disruption in international export services after a "cyber incident" occurred.  Read more

January 11, 2023 - Normal air traffic operations are resuming gradually across the United States following an overnight outage to the FAA’s Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system that provides safety information to flight crews. The ground stop has been lifted. Read more

January 11, 2023 - *Updates (2)* - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released an alert saying that it's working to restore its Notice to Air Missions System after it failed and caused an outage. Read more

December 27, 2022 - Two B-52 Stratofortress bombers from Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, arrived at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Dec. 18, 2022 in support of a three day bomber task force (BTF) mission to the USINDOPACOM area of responsibility before returning home to Barksdale AFB. Read more

December 12, 2022 - Belarusian army says that they have deployed tactical battalion groups on the borders between Belarus and the countries where NATO had deployed forces. Skies above Belarus Empty. Read more

December 06, 2022 - USCENTCOM - TAMPA, Fla. – "An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy patrol boat interacted in an unsafe and unprofessional manner as U.S. Navy ships transited the Strait of Hormuz, the evening of Dec. 5. Read more

December 05, 2022 - RAYTHEON - The United States is currently working with countries in the Middle East to move some of the U.S. air defense systems to Ukraine. Read more

November 30, 2022 - Five vehicles that were rented by U.S. President Joe Biden's Secret Service detail went up in flames while in a parking lot on Monday a day after the President went on vacation in Nantucket, Massachusetts for Thanksgiving. Read more

November 14, 2022 - 11 countries have been placed on the travel advisory page in the last 30 days, including Trinidad and Tobago, Tonga, Ecuador, Moldova, Nigeria, China, Taiwan, Samoa, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. Read more

October 16, 2022 - The following countries have urged their citizens to leave Ukraine immediately: China, Egypt, Kazakhstan. There are alerts for other countries embassy's floating around social media, but many of those look to be older, previously issued embassy alerts. Read more

October 12, 2022 - The United States has begun restricting visas from being issued to both current, and former members of the Taliban, as well as others over the repression of women and girls in Afghanistan, according to a statement by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday." Read more

September 28, 2022 - Hurricane Ian view via null school wind surface map. Hurricane is expected to make landfall in Florida as a category 4 storm with a current wind speed of 140mph. Read more

September 08, 2022 - The Pentagon has suspended deliveries of new Lockheed Martin's F-35 aircraft to the army after finding that a component of the jet uses an alloy made in China, which, according to a CNN report, and Interfax, violates federal defense procurement policies. Read more

August 31, 2022 - The crude oil tanker "Affinity V", which is 826 feet long, and 147 feet wide ran aground in the Suez Canal, backing up Maritime traffic, according to local media and analysis of the ship's location in vessel tracking software. It has been released and is now back on course. Read more

August 30, 2022 - A rare supertyphoon named Hinnamnor has formed over the northern part of the Pacific ocean. This tropical cyclone is currently located east of Okinawa and is presently heading southwest at a speed of around 20 miles per hour. Read more

August 29, 2022 - A security alert has been released by the U.S. Embassy in Montenegro, which is located near Kosovo. Event: A persistent and ongoing cyber-attack is in process in Montenegro. Read more

August 27, 2022 - After completing an international patrol mission on August 26th, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter, Oliver Henry, was denied clearance for a pre-scheduled resupply port call from the Solomon Islands, a country that has been strengthening ties in the Pacific with China. Read more

August 22, 2022 - The US Embassy in North Macedonia put out a message saying, "Look up! Today at 2:30 pm there will be a low-altitude flyover of two B-52s in Skopje". Read more

August 21, 2022 - On August 18th US military B-52 nuclear-capable bombers returned to the 'RAF' Fairford US Air Force base in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom from the Minot Air Base in North Dakota. Read more

August 20, 2022 - Security Alert for the United States embassy in Mogadishu, Somalia in Africa. The U.S. Embassy in Somalia reminds U.S. citizens that terrorists continue to plot kidnappings, bombings, and other attacks in Somalia. Read more

August 20, 2022 - On August 18th, 2022 the Department of Defense released a statement on Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen Hicks visit U.S. to Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois; and Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Read more

August 19, 2022 - During a press briefing in Singapore, the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet stated that the amount of unsafe interceptions by Chinese aircraft has increased over the last few months. The United States had carried out wargames simulating an attack by China in 2021, but failed miserably. Read more

August 15, 2022 - 30 Chinese military aircraft and 5 PLAN vessels were spotted on the "east part of the median line" of the Taiwan Strait August 15th, 2022. Read more

August 14, 2022 - A five-member delegation, led by Senator Ed Markey (D) of Massachusetts, meeting in Taiwan to discuss security, economical, and trade topics, according to the American Institute in Taiwan. Read more

August 07, 2022 - 66 Chinese military aircraft and 14 vessels were detected around Taiwan on August 7th, 2022. 22 of the aircraft had flown on the east part of the median line of the Taiwan Strait and the southwest ADIZ according to Taiwan's MOD. Read more

August 07, 2022 - 20 Chinese military aircraft and 14 Chinese vessels conducted an air-sea operation on the surrounding area of Taiwan on August 6th, 2022. Chinese state-run television also says that China will be carrying out regular drills from now on. Read more

August 04, 2022 - Chinese state-affiliated media announced live fire exercises in the Taiwan Strait. The Japanese Ministry of Defense reported that five Chinese missiles are 'presumed' to have landed in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Read more

August 04, 2022 - The U.S. Department of State has put out a worldwide travel alert, advising against traveling abroad after Sunday's drone strike where two R9X Hellfire missiles killed al-Qaeda leader, and Osama bin Laden successor, Ayman al-Zawahri. Read more

August 02, 2022 - U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was confirmed to have been on the aircraft heading toward the Island of Taiwan and has now landed safely. The U.S. air force had been authorized to open fire in case there was any interference from the Chinese on the plane that carried Pelosi. Read more

August 02, 2022 - There have been many reports, and sightings of Chinese military vehicles, equipment and tanks in the Chinese city of Xiamen and the province of Fujian, which sits straight across from the island of Taiwan. Read more

August 02, 2022 - According to Taiwan's official state news The Central News Agency (CNA) and the Xiamen Airlines website, China's Fujian region has announced August 2nd that airspace flow control will be implemented, and a "large number of flights have been canceled". Read more

August 02, 2022 - US Speaker Nancy Pelosi is set to travel to Taipei on Tuesday. Chinese military vessels and aircraft have been spotted carrying out tactical moves by touching the median line in the Taiwan Strait. Read more

August 02, 2022 - The first shipment of grain left Odessa, Ukraine on Monday, August 1st, at 5:30 GMT, according to the Turkish Defense Ministry. Read more

July 31, 2022 - U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has put out a statement outlining her trip to the Indo-Pacific region. The outline indicates that the Speaker will be visiting Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan, but does not mention visiting Taiwan. Read more

July 30, 2022 - The Chinese Navy will be holding live fire military exercises "in waters west of the Qiongzhou Strait" in the South China Sea on Friday and Saturday. Read more

July 30, 2022 - In response to the latest blasts from the east regarding Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, the United States military has decided to send the largest ship in the fleet, the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, along with its battle group to the South China Sea. Read more

July 28, 2022 - The U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) has announced that they have offloaded 2,700 pieces of U.S. Army equipment at the port Antwep-Bruges, Belgium, for onward movement by rail, commercial line-haul and barge in "response to Russia's aggression" in Ukraine. Read more

July 24, 2022 - Four Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on July 24th, 2022. The aircraft included a reconnaissance plane and flew through the Taiwan Strait, as well as the northwestern part of the Philippine Sea. Read more

July 22, 2022 - Pelosi would not confirm whether or not she will be following through with her plans to travel to the island of Taiwan in August, but did say that she believes that the military may be afraid her plane would be shot down by Chinese forces as they neared Taiwanese airspace. Read more

July 22, 2022 - Chinese state media says that China might try to impose a no-fly zone over the island of Taiwan ahead of Nancy Pelosi's visit in order to prevent the U.S. speaker of the House from being successful. Read more

July 20, 2022 - TAIWAN STRAIT - A US guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold sailed through the Taiwan Strait on July 19th, 2022 with the Chinese military following and monitoring its transit; after which China claims the United States 'hyped' the transit up publicly and slammed the US as a 'maker of security risks'. Read more

July 19, 2022 - The New York National Guard are deploying to train Ukrainian soldiers. 140 troops Syracuse-situated 27th Infantry Brigade Combat squad deployed to Germany on Friday to assist Ukrainian military members. Read more

July 17, 2022 - A Ukrainian owned, soviet made Antonov-12 (An-12Bk) plane carrying 8 crew members is reported to have crashed in Kavala, Northern Greece while flying from Serbia to Jordan, carrying 12 tons of dangerous material. Read more

July 16, 2022 - Saudi Arabia on Friday made an announcement that it is lifting restrictions on all [Israeli] carriers, allowing them to use airspace over the country after a decades-long ban. Read more

July 04, 2022 - Russian and Syrian vessels have been turning off their transponders and have been accused of deceptive shipping practices in order to sell crude oil and stolen Ukrainian grain while evading the heavy sanctions placed on Russia due to its war on Ukraine. Read more

June 29, 2022 - China has claimed that two U.S. military aircraft flew through the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday, Jun 28th, according to the SCS Probing Initiative (SCSPI). Read more

June 18, 2022 - U.S. Satellite images have spotted Russian-flagged vessels carrying grain from Ukraine to Syria, according to the satellite imagery company Maxar. Read more

June 16, 2022 - China has notified the United States that the Taiwan Strait is a part of their maritime exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and not international waters, opposing the U.S. view that the strait is part of international waters. They have also given a warning to the U.S. to stay out of the Strait saying that they have sovereign rights over it. Read more

June 14, 2022 - According to the Iranian state's shipping company, Iran has commenced its first shipment of Russian goods to India using a new trade route that uses Iran to link Russia to Asian export markets. Read more

June 8, 2022 - A Marine Corps Aircraft has crashed, leaving four people dead and one missing in California. Contrary to initial media reports, the Naval Air Facility El Centro stated that there was no nuclear material aboard the aircraft involved in the crash. Read more

June 5, 2022 - The current baby formula shortage may be on the way to recovery as Abbott Laboratories opens back up for business, after their large manufacturing plant was closed down in February due to safety concerns due to contamination. Read more

June 4, 2022 - A U.S. Navy jet pilot has been killed after crashing a an F/A-18E Super Hornet jet in a desert in Southern California, near Trona. The jet was based at the Naval Air Station Lemoore and crashed at about 2:30 p.m in Bernardino County, according to a statement by the Navy. Read more

May 27, 2022 - A food insecurity expert has told the United Nations Security Council that the world only has a 10-week supply of wheat left stored, and that global food insecurity has now reached levels that hasn't been seen since the 2008 financial crisis. Read more

May 23, 2022 - An Air Force C-17 plane delivered 78,000 pounds of baby formula to the Indianapolis International Airport in Indianapolis on Sunday, May 22nd 2022 amidst a recent shortage. Read more

May 18, 2022 - The USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier strike group, along with other United States naval vessels have come under NATO command once again for Neptune Shield Drills in the Baltic, Adriatic, and Mediterranean Seas. Read more

February 11, 2022 - The United States has deployed B-52 Stratofortress nuclear bombers belonging to the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota to the United Kingdom. Read more

February 10, 2022 - The U.S. Embassy in Russia has put out a travel advisory for Russia saying that the advisory level is at: Level 4: Do Not Travel, for reasons including 'harassment against U.S. citizens, harassment by Russian government security officials as well as the 'arbitrary enforcement of local law' and 'increased tensions along the border of Ukraine'. Read more

February 8, 2022 - A new report by the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations released an exhaustive report in February, 2022 about the evacuation from Afghanistan on August 31st, 2021 indicates that 9,000 of Americans were left behind in Afghanistan, as opposed to the estimate of 100 to 150 that had been released to the public. Read more

February 5, 2022 - United States and NATO fighter jets, which included British and Norwegian aircraft intercepted Russian planes over the North Atlantic on Thursday according to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Read more

February 3, 2022 - The Pentagon has confirmed troops from the 82nd Airborne Division are being sent to Poland in the next few days while others are on high alert for deployment to Germany and Romania. Read more

December 18, 2021 - The US Marine Corps have permanently banned all amphibious vehicles from the water, including deploying or training in water after an amphibious vehicle sank in San Diego last year. The decision was made even though the Marine Corps has stated that they believe such vehicles are still 'safe and effective'. Read more

August 30, 2021 - USTRANSCOM: Since August 14th there have been about 116,700 people evacuated from Afghanistan. Since the end of July we have re-located about 122,300 people. Read more

August 24, 2021 - The Biden administration has confirmed that there is a risk of an ISIS-K terrorist attack in Afghanistan who may attempt to exploit the situation and target troops or civilians as U.S. troops continue to evacuate Americans and Afghans from the country. Read more

Biden Administration Announces Additional Security Assistance for Ukraine - This authorization is the Biden Administration's thirty-ninth drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021. Subscribe To Full Alert

Department of Defense: “Today, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced additional security assistance to meet Ukraine's critical security and defense needs.

This authorization is the Biden Administration's thirty-ninth drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021.

It includes key capabilities to support Ukraine's air defenders as they bravely protect Ukraine's soldiers, civilians, and critical infrastructure amid Russia's continuing air strikes killing civilians across Ukraine.

This security assistance package also contains artillery, anti-armor capabilities, and ammunition, including tens of millions of rounds of small arms ammunition, valued at up to $300 million to help Ukraine continue to defend its sovereign territory.

The United States will continue to work with its Allies and partners to provide Ukraine with capabilities to meet its immediate battlefield needs and longer-term security assistance requirements.”

USINDOPACOM Statement on Unprofessional Intercept of U.S. Aircraft over South China Sea - Video shows what Indo-Pacific Command says is an "unnecessarily aggressive move" by a Chinese Shenyang J-16 multi-role strike aircraft. Read On Patreon | Read On Defcon Alerts.

Indo-Pacific Command: "SOUTH CHINA SEA –A People's Republic of China J-16 fighter pilot performed an unnecessarily aggressive maneuver during the intercept of a U.S. Air Force RC-135 aircraft, May 26, 2023.

The PRC pilot flew directly in front of the nose of the RC-135, forcing the U.S. aircraft to fly through its wake turbulence. The RC-135 was conducting safe and routine operations over the South China Sea in international airspace, in accordance with international law.

The United States will continue to fly, sail, and operate – safely and responsibly – wherever international law allows, and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Joint Force will continue to fly in international airspace with due regard for the safety of all vessels and aircraft under international law. We expect all countries in the Indo-Pacific region to use international airspace safely and in accordance with international law".

North Korea Notifies Japan Of Satellite Launch, South Korea "Strongly Warns" Against It - PYONGYANG - After South Korea notified Japan of an upcoming satellite launch, South Korea “strongly” warned against the launch, while Japan said that the country would shoot down any projectiles that threaten its territory. Read On SJ (News) | Read On Patreon (Intel/Alerts).

Japan warns it will shoot down any projectiles that threaten its territory, says that it recognizes there is a possibility it could pass through Japanese airspace.

Russia: Two US B-1B Strategic Bombers Intercepted Over Black Sea Approaching Border - MOSCOW - The Russian Ministry of Defense has claimed that it intercepted two United States B-1B strategic bombers flying over the Baltic Sea approaching the Russian border. Sign Up For All Alerts And Intel

A statement released by the Russian Ministry of Defense said that Russia intercepted the bombers with Su-27 fighter jets in order to "prevent the violation of the Russian border".

Russian Ministry of Defense Statement

"On May 23, 2023, Russian airspace control measures detected two air targets approaching the state border of the Russian Federation over the Baltic Sea.

Su-27 fighter jet of the Baltic Fleet air defence forces on duty was taken into the air to prevent the violation of the Russian border.

The crew of the Russian fighter classified the aerial targets as two B-1B strategic bombers of the US Air Force and occupied the designated airborne duty zone.

After the removal of the foreign combat aircraft from the state border of the Russian Federation, the Russian fighter returned to the airfield of departure.

The flight of the Russian fighter was carried out in strict compliance with international airspace regulations.

There was no violation of the Russian Federation state border.

The National Defence Management Center".

NORAD detects Russian aircraft operating in Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone - Northern American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD): "COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected and tracked a Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on May 15, 2023. (Intel delayed, governments don't always release information to public right away). Sign Up For All Alerts

The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace.

This flight occurred as several planned large-scale military training exercises are ongoing in and around Alaska. This Russian activity in the Alaska ADIZ occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat.

An ADIZ begins where sovereign airspace ends and is a defined stretch of international airspace that requires the ready identification, location and control of all aircraft in the interest of national security.

NORAD employs a layered defense network of satellites, ground-based and airborne radars and fighter aircraft to track and identify aircraft and inform appropriate actions.

NORAD remains ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America."

Russia Claims It Intercepted German And French Aircraft Approaching Its Border - MOSCOW - The Russian Ministry of Defense claims that it detected and intercepted two aircraft approaching the Russian border over the Baltic Sea and turned the military aircraft "away to its home airfield". See All Alerts

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that one of the aircraft was German and one French.

Russian Ministry of Defense statement: "On 15 May 2023, Russian airspace control systems detected two aerial targets approaching the State border of the Russian Federation over the Baltic Sea. The crew of the Russian fighter jet identified the aerial targets as an R-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft of the German Navy and an Atlantique-2 maritime patrol aircraft of the French Navy".

Russian Ministry of Defense: National Center for State Defense Control of the Russian Federation: "On 15 May 2023, Russian airspace control systems detected two aerial targets approaching the State border of the Russian Federation over the Baltic Sea.

A Su-27 fighter jet of the Baltic Fleet scrambled to identify the aerial targets and prevent violations of the State border of the Russian Federation.

The crew of the Russian fighter jet identified the aerial targets as an R-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft of the German Navy and an Atlantique-2 maritime patrol aircraft of the French Navy.

After turning the foreign military aircraft away from the State Border of the Russian Federation, the Russian fighter returned safely to its home airfield. There was no violation of the state border of the Russian Federation.

The flight of the Russian fighter aircraft was carried out in strict compliance with the international rules for the use of airspace over international waters without crossing any air routes or coming dangerously close to an aircraft of a foreign State."

NORAD Intercepts Six Russian Aircraft In And Near Alaska's ADIZ - NORTH AMERICAN AEROSPACE DEFENSE COMMAND - COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Alaskan Region of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected, tracked, positively identified and intercepted six Russian aircraft operating in and near the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on May 11, 2023. See All Alerts

Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace. These flights occurred as several planned large-scale U.S. military training exercises are ongoing within Alaska.

The Russian aircraft were TU-95 bombers, IL-78 tankers and SU-35 fighter aircraft. NORAD aircraft, including F-16 fighters, F-22 fighters, KC-135 Stratotankers, and E-3 AWACS, conducted the mission.

This Russian activity in the North American ADIZ occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat. NORAD tracks and positively identifies all military aircraft that enter the ADIZ, routinely monitors aircraft movements and as necessary, escorts them from the ADIZ.

Since Russia resumed out of area Long Range Aviation activity in 2007, NORAD has seen a yearly average of approximately six to seven intercepts of Russian military aircraft in the ADIZ.

These numbers have varied each year from as high as 15 to as low as zero. NORAD employs a layered defense network of satellites, ground-based radars, airborne radar and fighter aircraft to track and identify aircraft and inform appropriate actions.

We remain ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America and Arctic sovereignty.

Sudanese Armed Forces: Operational Situation "Stable" In All States Of Country Except Some Clashes With Rebel Militia Groups In "Some Parts Of The Capital" - Sudanese Armed Forces statement: "A summary of today's situation: The operational situation is stable in all states of the country, except for some clashes with rebel militia groups in some parts of the capital. Read More Alerts

Our forces clashed with a group of rebel militias in a maritime area and destroyed four armed vehicles and the enemy fled.

The rebel militia is still going on looting banks and shops, and stealing citizens' property in their headquarters amid residential neighborhoods in the capital.

Rebels today stormed a container customs station in Supa and looted a large number of its contents. Also the UNICEF warehouses were looted

Your armed forces are monitoring movements of rebel militia groups and our forces are fully prepared to deal with whatever plans the insurgents intend to make.

We urge our citizens to stay away from clash areas and avoid approaching any unknown metal objects until technical teams arrive to deal with them.

Armed forces affirms its bound by conflict rules and international humanitarian law and condemns continued violations by rebel militias.

The armed forces renew the call of rebel militia members to stop prolonging in the failed rebellion plot, to benefit from the pardon of the Commander-in-Chief and to inform the nearest military unit, and points to readiness to facilitate the deportation of foreign mercenaries to their countries in case of extradition.

- Office of the Spokesman of the Armed Forces"

IDF: Warplanes Attacked, Thwarted Islamic Jihad Terrorist Organization, Continues To Attack Targets In Gaza Strip - Israel Defense Forces (IDF): "IDF warplanes attacked and thwarted a number of senior members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization". Read More

The Israel Defense Forces continue to attack more Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization targets in the Gaza Strip.

IDF spokesperson: "The IDF is currently attacking additional terrorist targets of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip".

Israeli Home Front Command: Due to the security situation, the Home Front Command established the following guidelines

Israeli Home Front Command: "Due to the security situation, the Home Front Command established the following guidelines effective tuesday, May 9, 2023, at 02:30, until wednesday, May 10, 2023, at 18:00:Gaza Envelope, Western Lachish, Western Negev, and some of the towns in Lachish - Limited Activity

Educational Activities - do not hold educational activities. Gatherings and Services - can be held with a limit of up to 10 people outdoors and up to 100 people indoors.

The beaches are closed to the public. Workplaces - it is possible to carry out an activity in a place from which a standard protected space can be reached within the time available to reach shelter. The rest of the country - Full Activity

There are no restrictions on holding educational activities, activities at workplaces and gatherings and services.Each and every one of us must make sure that we are prepared and know how to act to protect our lives and the lives of our loved ones.

Upon receiving an alert, you must enter the protected space and stay there for 10 minutes. You must continue to follow the guidelines published by the Home Front Command in the official distribution channels."

Israeli IDF: The IDF and Shin Bet thwarted three senior members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization - Israel Defense Forces (IDF): IDF warplanes attacked and thwarted a senior member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization, Khalil Bahitini, who is responsible for the rocket fire into the area surrounding Gaza in the last month. Read More

IDF warplanes attacked and thwarted a number of senior members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization - Khalil Bahitini, Tarek Ezz Al-Din and Jihad A'nam.

In a joint operation by the IDF and the Shin Bet, the commander of the northern Gaza Strip was foiled by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization responsible for the rocket fire into Otef last month

Khalil Bahitini is the senior operational commander of the organization and the commander of the northern Gaza Strip region. In addition, Bahitini was responsible for approving and carrying out All of the terrorist activities from the area of ​​the northern Gaza Strip. Behitini was engaged in directing and planning attacks in the rear of the State of Israel and planned to shoot at Israeli territory in the near future.

Bhaitini, 44 years old, a resident of Gaza City, began his activities in the GAP organization in the late 1990s and over the years was involved in many terrorist acts against Israel - including promoting suicide attacks, explosives, rocket fire and directing terrorist activity in Israel.

After the defeat of Taysir Jabari in August 2022 as part of the 'Dawn' operation, Behitini stepped in as his replacement. Bahitini is a member of the GAP military council in the Gaza Strip and has direct and active contact with senior officials in the GAP political bureau.

Its failure is added to the attack on the heads of the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization in recent years - Baha'i Abu-Alata, Taysir Jabri and Khaled Mansour, this as part of an attack on the GAP organization in the Gaza Strip.

The IDF and Shin Bet will continue to act in order to preserve the insurance of the residents of the State of Israel

Israel: IDF Striking Islamic Jihad Targets In Gaza - Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released a statement: "The IDF is now attacking targets of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip". Read More

IDF spokesperson (image/statement translated): "In accordance with the assessment of the situation, the Home Front Command instructs the residents of the surrounding settlements of the Gaza Strip to stay near a protected area.

Special instructions on the home front within a range of 40 km from the Gaza Strip are published on the national emergency portal, the instructions are valid from Tuesday, 05.09.2023 at 02:30 until Wednesday, 05.10.2023 at 18:00".

Additional statement: "Following a situational assessment, the Home Front Command is instructing civilians in the area surrounding Gaza to remain in the vicinity of a designated shelter until Wednesday."

Israeli IDF: Changes in the traffic arrangements on the roads encircling Gaza

IDF spokesperson: "Defense Minister Yoav Galant confirmed a special situation on the home front; In light of the assessment of the situation - changes in the traffic arrangements on the roads surrounding Gaza

In light of the assessment of the situation, it was decided to close roads and sites, and to switch to traveling on alternative roads in the areas near the perimeter fence in the Gaza Strip".

Changes in the traffic arrangements on the roads encircling Gaza (translated)

IDF: "In light of the assessment of the situation, it was decided to close roads and sites, and to switch to traveling on alternative roads in the areas near the perimeter fence in the Gaza Strip.

The areas that will be blocked are all the agricultural access roads west of road 232. In addition, the following branches will also be closed: Road number 4 - from the Zikim junction to Netiv Hatara. Road number 34 - from the Yad Mordechai intersection to the Nir Am intersection. Road number 232 - in sections from Melslim to Saad and Menir Yitzhak to Kerem Shalom.

will also be closed - Mbari road to the south until the connection with road 232, road 25 Mased to the west, road number 2428 Monir Oz to road 2410 and road 242 to the Gama junction and to the Hisufim junction.

Access to Kibbutz Zikim will be possible on the road south of road 3411, access to Moshav Nativ Hathara will be possible on the road from road 3411 to road 4, access to Kibbutz Yad Mordechai will be possible on the road from road 3411 heading south to near Mordechai, access to Kibbutz Nahal Oz will be possible on a bypass road from road 25, access to kibbutz Nir Oz will be possible via a bypass road leaving from Highway 2410, access to Kibbutz Kerem Shalom will be possible via the eastern road to Highway 232 from Nir Yitzhak to Kerem Shalom, access to Kibbutz Sofa and Kibbutz Hulit will be possible via the western road to Highway 232 from Nir Yitzhak.

Also, entry to Givat "Kobi" ("The Four Monuments") in Sderot, to the "Black Arrow" monument, to Givat Ha'Pemoni in the name of the late Asaf Siboni, to Givat Nazmit and to Givat "The Lonely Horseman" will be prohibited.

In addition, it was decided to close Zikim Beach to visitors and to stop train traffic between Ashkelon and Sderot.

It will be emphasized that the space will be closed to traffic in order to maintain the safety of the residents."

Updated Report On Vessel Reported Under Fire Off Nishtun, Yemen - YEMEN - The attack reported by Britain's Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) on position 1531.838N 05213.688 18 nautical miles south of Nishtun, Yemen has been downgraded from "attack" to "incident", with the situation "ongoing". Read More Alerts

A report by AP news said that authorities reported that a yacht opened fire on the Yemeni Coast Guard on Friday after mistaking them for pirates, which led to a gun battle.

British Maritime Trade Operations Reports Vessel Has Come Under Fire - Britain's Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has reported that a vessel has come under attack at the location 1531.838N 05213.688 (18 nautical miles south of Nishtun, Yemen) and that shots were fired at the vessel. Read More Alerts

The statement added that there were three boats with 3 to 4 people on board each vessel (POB) but did not indicate who was responsible for the attack taking place.

White House Says No Plans To Evacuate Americans In Sudan - Although the Pentagon has deployed forces and is reported to be coming up with options to assist in an evacuation of U.S. citizens located in the African country of Sudan, the White House said on Friday that it has no plans for a country-wide pullout of Americans from the country at this time Read More Alerts

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that the troop movement by the United States military in the region are "to ensure that we provide as many options as possible, if we are called on to do something. We haven’t been called on to do anything yet".

A report by Military.com says that there are around 16,000 U.S. citizens registered with the United States Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, but the State Department says that the number is likely not accurate due to the fact that there is not any requirement for citizens to become registered, or to notify the U.S. Embassy in the country when they decide to leave.

White House National Security Spokesman John Kirby said while in Washington that "It’s absolutely imperative that U.S. citizens in Sudan make their own arrangements to stay safe in these difficult circumstances".

He added that, "Americans should have no expectation of a U.S. government coordinated evacuation at this time. And we expect that that’s going to remain the case".

The report says that a small number of American troops have entered into the country of Djibouti in order to position forces and equipment to aid in a potential evacuation, citing an official who said that the Army is tapping soldiers for the task.

It also said that American troops are being transported to Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti. Planning for an evacuation began after a U.S. convoy was attacked in Khartoum by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group, as reported by the U.S. State Department.

On Friday, the White House said that no decision had yet been made to carry out any evacuation from the country.

State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel spoke to reporters and said, “A decision has not been made, but I would push back on the notion that we are acting too late,”

“We have been clear-eyed about how American citizens should not travel to Sudan for months now,” Patel said, and indicated that the State Department had released a Level 4: “Do Not Travel” advisory for Sudan.

"We have not parsed our words or been ignorant or naive about the delicate and fragile security situation in Sudan," he added.

Sudanese Army Facilitates International Evacuation Efforts

SUDAN - The Sudanese military has agreed to both facilitate and secure an evacuation for citizens from the United States, United Kingdom, China, and France "in the coming hours," according to a statement by the Sudanese military as the Sudanese army continues to battle the paramilitary faction Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The statement by the Sudanese military said that nationals from Britain, the United States, France, and China, which include diplomats will be evacuated by air on board military transport aircraft from Sudan's capital Khartoum.

Saudi Arabia has released a statement saying it had evacuated 150 people from Sudan on Saturday, which included diplomats and international officials who were evacuated to the Saudi Arabian port city of Jeddah.

91 of those evacuated by Saudi Arabia were Saudi Arabian citizens, and 66 others were from other countries, such as Pakistan, Qatar, Canada, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

In addition, the government of the United Kingdom says that they are preparing for a "number of contingencies" and said that they were "doing everything possible to support British nationals and diplomatic staff in Khartoum".

Saudi Foreign Ministry On Evacuation Of Its Citizens From Sudan

Saudi Arabian Foreign Ministry: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announces the start of the arrangement for the evacuation of Saudi citizens and several nationals of brotherly and friendly countries from the Republic of Sudan to the Kingdom".

"In the implementation of the directives of the Kingdom's Leadership, we are pleased to announce the safe arrival of the evacuated citizens of the Kingdom from Sudan and several nationals of brotherly & friendly countries, including diplomats & international officials".

China Tracks US Navy Destroyer Near Mischief Reef, Claims It "Illegally Trespassed" - BEIJING - Chinese government officials claimed that the PLA Southern Theater Command tracked a United States Navy destroyer USS Milius, saying that it "illegally trespassed" into waters near Meiji Reef (Mischief Reef) in the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea on Monday. Mischief Reef is disputed territory claimed by China, Vietnam and Taiwan. See All Alerts

A statement by Chinese government offiicial Zhang Meifang said, "PLA Southern Theater Command organized naval and air forces to track and monitor the US Navy destroyer USS Milius when it illegally trespassed into waters near China's Meiji Reef in the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea on Monday: spokesperson".

The U.S. 7th Fleet also released a statement that said, "On April 10, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Milius (DDG 69) asserted navigational rights and freedoms in the South China Sea near the Spratly Islands, consistent with international law".

It continued by saying, "At the conclusion of the operation, USS Milius exited the excessive claim area and continued operations in the South China Sea. This freedom of navigation operation (“FONOP”) upheld the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea. USS Milius demonstrated that Mischief Reef, a low-tide elevation in it its natural state, is not entitled to a territorial sea under international law".

70 Chinese Military Aircraft, 11 PLAN Vessels Spotted April 9-10th, 2023 - 70 Chinese military aircraft and 11 PLA Navy (PLAN) vessels were spotted on April 9-10th, 2023 according to Taiwan's Ministry of Defense. Four of the aircraft were J-15 carrier based fighter jets. See All Alerts

Of the military aircraft spotted, eight were SU-30 multirole aircraft, eight were J-16 fighter jets, six were J-10 fighter jets, four were J-15 carrier based fighter jets, one TB-001 reconnaissance (RECCE) UCAV drone, one was a Y-9 electronic warfare (EW) aircraft, one was a Y-8 antisubmarine warfare (ASW) aircraft, one was a CH-4 reconnaissance (RECCE) UCAV drone, and one was a KJ-500 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft.

35 of the detected aircraft (35 of the detected aircraft(SU-30*8, J-11*4, J-10*6, J-16*8, TB-001 UCAV, Y-9EW, Y-8 ASW, J-15*4, CH-4 UCAV, KJ-500 AEW&C) crossed over the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered into Taiwan's southwest and southeast Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

Taiwan tasked CAP aircraft, Navy vessels and land based missile systems in order to respond to the Chinese activities around the island.

The statement by Taiwan's Ministry of Defense read, "70 PLA aircraft and 11 PLAN vessels around Taiwan were detected by 6 a.m.(UTC+8) today. R.O.C. Armed Forces have monitored the situation and tasked CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond these activities".

A second statement by the MOD said, "35 of the detected aircraft(SU-30*8, J-11*4, J-10*6, J-16*8, TB-001 UCAV, Y-9EW, Y-8 ASW, J-15*4, CH-4 UCAV, KJ-500 AEW&C) had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s southwest and southeast ADIZ, flight paths as illustrated".

71 Chinese Military Aircraft, 9 PLAN Vessels Spotted Around Taiwan April 8-9th, 2023 - 71 Chinese military aircraft and 9 PLA Navy (PLAN) vessels were spotted around the island of Taiwan between April 8th and April 9th, 2023 according to Taiwan's Ministry of Defense. See All Alerts

Of the military aircraft spotted, 16 were J-10 fighter jets, 10 were J-16 fighter jets, 8 were SU-30 multirole aircraft, 4 were J-11 fighter jets, 2 were H-6K Strategic Bombers, one was a Y-9 electronic warfare (EW) aircraft, one was a TB-001 reconnaissance (RECCE) UCAV drone, one was a Y-8 antisubmarine warfare (ASW) aircraft, one was a Y-20 Aerial Refueling aircraft, and one was a KJ-500 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft.

45 of the military aircraft that was spotted (SU-30*8, J-11*4, J-10*16, J-16*10, TB-001 UCAV, Y-9EW, Y-8 ASW, H-6K*2, Y-20, KJ-500) crossed over the median line of the Taiwan Strait and enterd into Taiwan's southwest air defense identification zone (ADIZ).

Taiwan tasked CAP aircraft, Navy vessels and land based missile systems in order to respond to the Chinese activities around the island.

Taiwan's Ministry of Defense released a statement that said, "71 PLA aircraft and 9 PLAN vessels around Taiwan were detected by 6 a.m.(UTC+8) today. R.O.C. Armed Forces have monitored the situation and tasked CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond these activities".

A second statement by the MOD said, "45 of the detected aircraft(SU-30*8, J-11*4, J-10*16, J-16*10, TB-001 UCAV, Y-9EW, Y-8 ASW, H-6K*2, Y-20, KJ-500) had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s southwest ADIZ, flight paths as illustrated".

Iran Claims It Warned Off US Navy Aircraft Near Gulf Of Oman - DUBAI - A statement by the Iranian Navy said that it warned a U.S. Navy Lockheed EP-3E land-based Multi-Intelligence reconnaissance aircraft away from its airspace. Read More Alerts

The statement given by the Iranian Navy said, "After the warning, the plane was prevented from entering the country's skies without authorization".

A report by Tasnim, the semi-official news agency in Iran said that Iranian naval forces detected the aircraft over the Sea of Oman and "forced it to avoid the country's airspace after issuing a warning," citing the Iranian Navy.

Tasnim said that the U.S. reconnaissance aircraft "heeded the warning" and stayed away from the Iranian Aerial border, returning to the "international routes".

A report by Reuters said that the opening line of the Tasnim report said that the aircraft "crossed into Iranian airspace" but then contradicted itself later in the report by saying it had not entered Iranian skies after the warning.

I reviewed the Tasnim report and there is no such line in the current report regarding the incident, which could mean that Tasnim altered their report after Reuters had reviewed it.

IDF Helicopters, Fighter Jets Shoot Down Aircraft Entering Its Airspace From Syria - JERUSALEM - Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) fighter jets and helicopters were launched after an aircraft entered Israeli airspace from Syria. The aircraft was shot down by Israeli aircraft, according to the Israeli military. Read More Alerts

The aircraft was shot down after being tracked by the IDF fighter jets and helicopters, according to the statement. The statement by the Israeli Defense Forces was as follows (translated):

IDF Statement: "IDF helicopters and fighter jets were launched following an unidentified aircraft that apparently entered Israeli territory from the direction of Syria. The vehicle was under surveillance by the Air Force's control unit, was shot down in an open area and did not pose a danger at any stage. No warning was activated according to policy. The details of the incident are under investigation".

International Criminal Court Issues Arrest Warrant For Vladimir Putin And Maria Lvova-Belova - ICC - The International Criminal Court (ICC) released a statement on Friday that it has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes, including the abduction of children from Ukraine during Russia's war on the country. See More Alerts

The statement by Prosecutor Karim A. A. Khan KC said that the ICC issued arrested warrants for both Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, and Maria Lvova-Belova, Commissioner for Children's Rights "in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation".

The statement said the arrest warrants were issued "on the basis of evidence and analyzed by my Office pursuant to its independent investigations".

It went on to say that "the Pre-Trial Chamber has confirmed that there are reasonable grounds to believe that President Putin and Ms Lvova-Belova bear criminal responsibility for the unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation, contrary to article 8(2)(a)(vii) and article 8(2)(b)(viii) of the Rome Statute".

In response to the announcements of the arrest warrants, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia does not recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and considers any decisions that the court makes null and void.

AP news cited Adil Ahmad Haque, who is "an expert" with international law as saying, "So Putin might go to China, Syria, Iran, his ... few allies, but he just won’t travel to the rest of the world and won’t travel to ICC member states who he believes would ... arrest him".

Tsunami Warning Declared After 7.1 Magnitude Earthquake Near Kermadec Islands - Kermadec Islands - A tsunami warning has been declared after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit near the Kermadec Islands. See All Alerts

Time 2023-03-16 08:56:02 (UTC+08:00), Location 30.115°S 176.112°W, Depth 22.1 km (13 miles)

Two Of The Four Kidnapped Americans In Mexico Found Dead, Two Found Alive - MEXICO - The Governor of Tamaulipas, Mexico Américo Villarreal was cited by Reuters as saying two of the four Americans that were kidnapped in Mexico while on their way to receive cheap cosmetic surgery are dead, and two are still alive, but also said that one is injured. More Alerts And Information

Villarreal said that, "two of them are dead, one person is injured and the other is alive".

The FBI are still trying to return the abducted Americans after they were reportedly caught in a crossfire between rival Mexican cartels and taken by gunpoint.

In the video captured of the incident it shows a man clad in body armor dragging a person across the ground and pushing a woman into a white truck. Two other men who appeared to be injured were also seen being dragged and thrown into the back of the truck.

The North Carolina license plates on a white minivan were shown in photos to be full of bullet holes.

A woman who said she saw the incident unfold told the Associated Press that the white van hit another vehicle, and then she heard gunfire and armed men approaching the white vehicle.

"All of a sudden they (the gunmen) were in front of us. I entered a state of shock, nobody honked their horn, nobody moved. Everybody must have been thinking the same thing, ‘If we move they will see us, or they might shoot us.’" the woman reportedly said.

She also said that she saw the men shove a woman who was able to walk into the truck bed, and a man who was able to move his head around was also loaded in.

"The other two they dragged across the pavement, we don't know if they were alive or dead," the woman stated.

4 American Kidnapping Victims In Mexico Identified - MEXICO - The four American victims that were kidnapped at gunpoint in Mexico have been identified, with further details on the incident, along with a video of the kidnapping in progress.More Alerts And Information

A CBS report states that the President of Mexico said the victims went to Mexico in order to purchase cheaper medicine than they could get in the United States and reported that "hundreds of thousands" of Americans cross the border to Mexico each year to buy cheaper medicine.

The report says that they "could have been mistakenly targeted"

A report by ABC news says that the victim's names are: Latavia "Tay" McGee, Shaeed Woodard, Zindell Brown, and Eric James Williams, and one of the victim's mothers said that McGee and her cousin Woodard were with two friends: Zindell Brown and Eric Williams.

A driver's license issued to Williams in North Carolina was found at the scene of the kidnapping, according to the report, citing sources close to the investigation being carried out in Mexico.

Although both reports cite the Mexican President as saying they went into Mexico to purchase medication, the ABC report cites Barbara Burgess, McGee's mother as saying that her daughter had traveled to Mexico from South Carolina in order to undergo a cosmetic medical procedure, and warned her not to make the trip.

On Friday, the ABC report states, her daughter had called to tell her mother that she was 15 minutes away from the doctor's office, but then began going to voicemail.

The report says that the Americans were kidnapped after getting "caught in the middle of a confrontation between groups", citing Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who also said that they "crossed the border to buy medicines in Mexico".

López Obrador added that "The entire" Mexican government "is there working on this".

Both the US State Department and Homeland Security are working with Mexican authorities on the case, the White House said.

White House Press Secretary Jean-Pierre said, "We are closely following the assault and kidnapping of four U.S. citizens in Matamoros, Mexico".

She added that "These sorts of attacks are unacceptable. "Our thoughts are with the families of these individuals, and we stand ready to provide all appropriate consular assistance."

"We will continue to coordinate with Mexico and push them to bring those responsible to justice."

The U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price also released a statement saying, "The FBI is working very closely with other federal partners and Mexican law enforcement agencies to investigate this".

He added, "We're standing ready to provide all appropriate consular assistance. We do also remind Americans about the existing travel guidance when it comes to this particular part of Mexico."

Four U.S. Citizens Kidnapped In Mexico After Gunfire On Their Vehicle - MEXICO - Four United States citizens were kidnapped in Matamoros city, Mexico on Friday shortly after arriving in Mexico, as they were traveling in a White minivan with license plates from North Carolina. More Alerts And Information

The minivan came under fire upon entering the country, according to a statement by the FBI, which said that the unidentified gunmen fired upon the passengers in the vehicle, and that all four Americans were then placed inside a vehicle and taken away from the scene.

"On March 03, 2023, four Americans crossed into Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico driving a white minivan with North Carolina license plates. Shortly after crossing into Mexico, unidentified gunmen fired upon the passengers in the vehicle. All four Americans were placed in a vehicle and taken from the scene by armed men," the FBI statement said.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 "for the return of the victims and the arrest of those involved".

US Military Tracked Balloon As It Left China, Before It Entered US Mainland - The U.S. military had been tracking the first balloon that it shot down for about a week as it left China on a heading toward Guam and Hawaii, before making a sharp turn north towards Alaska. Read Full Article

Live Pentagon Update On Latest Objects Shot Down Over United States - Watch Live Pentagon update on the latest objects shot down over North America by the United States Air Force. Watch Now.

DoD Statement On Shoot-Down Of Airborne Object Over Lake Huron, Michigan - The following is a statement by the Department of Defense on the "successful" shoot down of an "airborne object" flying at about 20,000 feet in altitude in U.S. airspace over Lake Huron in the state of Michigan.

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE: "Today at 2:42 p.m., at the direction of President Biden, and based on the recommendations of Secretary Austin and military leadership, an F-16 fired an AIM9x to successfully shoot down an airborne object flying at approximately 20,000 feet altitude in U.S. airspace over Lake Huron in the State of Michigan. Its path and altitude raised concerns, including that it could be a hazard to civil aviation.

The location chosen for this shoot down afforded us the opportunity to avoid impact to people on the ground while improving chances for debris recovery. There are no indications of any civilians hurt or otherwise affected.

North American Aerospace Defense Command detected the object Sunday morning and has maintained visual and radar tracking of it. Based on its flight path and data we can reasonably connect this object to the radar signal picked up over Montana, which flew in proximity to sensitive DOD sites.

We did not assess it to be a kinetic military threat to anything on the ground, but assess it was a safety flight hazard and a threat due to its potential surveillance capabilities. Our team will now work to recover the object in an effort to learn more."

Latest Object Shot Down Was "Octagonal" In Shape - WASHINGTON - The latest "object" that was shot down on Sunday over Lake Huron, which is located close to the Canadian border was "octagonal shape" with "no discernable payload".

The report also said that the United States had "no indication" that the object shot down over Lake Huron posed a military threat, or that it had any surveillance capabilities to speak of.

Although some reports say three objects have been shot down over North America, Reuters reports that four objects have actually been downed in total.

U.S. Military Decommissioned Another "Object" Over Lake Huron - LAKE HURON - The Michigan state representative Jack Bergman released a statement saying that he has been in contact with the Department of Defense, and that the U.S. military has "decommissioned" another "object" over Lake Huron. Read Full Article

Michigan Representative Jack Bergman: "I’ve been in contact with DOD regarding operations across the Great Lakes region today. The US military has decommissioned another “object” over Lake Huron. I appreciate the decisive action by our fighter pilots. The American people deserve far more answers than we have."

FAA - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has reopened airspace over Lake Michigan after declaring "potential contact" with an unidentified object over the region, which NORAD declared a "radar anomaly" and deployed fighter jets to investigate.

The FAA reported that it had closed the airspace over Lake Michigan so that they could examine the "potential contact" and later determined that it posed no threat.

The FAA announced on Sunday, "Pilots who do not adhere to the following [procedure] may be intercepted, detained and interview by law enforcement or security personnel".

In another statement to Fox News Digital, the FAA said, "The FAA briefly closed some airspace over Lake Michigan to support Department of Defense activities. The airspace has been reopened".

Montana Representative Matt Rosendale released a statement that said, "I am in constant communication with NORCOM and they have just advised me that they have confidence there IS an object and it WAS NOT an anomaly. I am waiting now to receive visual confirmation. Our nation’s security is my priority".

NOTAM Activated Over Canada Due To "Active Air Defense Operation - CANADA - A NOTAM has been activated over Toronto, Canada to to an "active air defense operation".

Official NORAD Statement: About Temporary Flight Restriction In Montana - NORAD And NORTHCOM Statement: "With the cooperation of the Federal Aviation Administration, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) implemented a temporary flight restriction airspace in central Montana on Feb. 11, 2023, to ensure the safety of air traffic in the area during NORAD operations.

The restriction has been lifted. NORAD detected a radar anomaly and sent fighter aircraft to investigate.

Those aircraft did not identify any object to correlate to the radar hits. NORAD will continue to monitor the situation."

NORAD: Detected Radar Anomaly, Sent Fighter Aircraft To Investigate - National Security Reporter Natasha Bertrand: "This appears to have been a false alarm: New NORAD statement says “NORAD detected a radar anomaly and sent fighter aircraft to investigate. Those aircraft did not identify any object to correlate to the radar hits. NORAD will continue to monitor the situation.”

Representative Rosendale: Airspace Above Montana Reopened- Representative Matt Rosendale statement: "Airspace is reopened – I will remain in contact with defense officials and share more information as it becomes available. Montanans deserve answers". FAA Notice And Map

FAA Issues NOTAM over Havre, Montana Near Canadian Border - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a NOTAM over Havre, Montana, near the Canadian border, and declared the region “National Defense Airspace”. FAA Notice And Map

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NORAD shoots down an unidentified object violating Canadian airspace over the Yukon with an F-22. - NORAD shoots down an unidentified object violating Canadian airspace over the Yukon with an F-22. Tweet 2

NORAD Statement on Alaskan high-altitude airborne object Shootdown: - NORAD: "February 11, 2023 U.S. Northern Command Update on Recovery Operations At the direction of the President of the United States, fighter aircraft assigned to U.S. Norther Command successfully took down a high altitude airborne object off the northern coast of Alaska at 1:45 pm Eastern Standard Time Feb. 10 within U.S. sovereign airspace over U.S. territorial water. Tweet 2

Recovery operations continue today near Deadhorse, Alaska. U.S. Northern Command's Alaska Command and the Alaska National Guard, in close coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local law enforcement, are conducting search and recovery activities.

Arctic weather conditions, including wind chill, snow, and limited daylight, are a factor in this operation, and personnel will adjust recovery operations to maintain safety. Recovery activities are occurring on sea ice.

We have no further details at this time about the object, including its capabilities, purpose, or origin.

U.S. Northern Command also continues to conduct recovery operations off the coast of South Carolina following the takedown of the high-altitude surveillance balloon on Feb. 4. U.S. Northern Command's U.S. Navy component continues to conduct survey and recovery activities, and the U.S. Coast Guard continues to support site security.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation continues to assist recovery on site and take custody of debris arriving at on-shore locations. Sea states Feb. 10 permitted dive and underwater unmanned vehicle (UUV) activities and the retrieval of additional debris from the sea floor.

The public may see U.S. Navy vessels moving to and from the site as they conduct offload and resupply activities. Operations will continue as weather permits."

Norad Tracks One Or Two More High-Altitude Objects Over Northern Canada - North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is monitoring "what appear to be" one or two objects over Canada according to a report by the Canadian Global Television Network. National security reporter Natasha Bertrand reported a high-altitude airborne object over Northern Canada. Tweet 1 | Tweet 2

Global News reported that "three security sources" told them of one or two more potential spy balloons exist, but the news agency said that they have no information on where the objects are located, or whether any decision has been made whether or not to shoot them down.

The "high-altitude" object that was taken down on Friday over the Atlantic Ocean in Alaska by the U.S. Air Force did not enter Canadian airspace, the country's Defense Minister Anita Anand said Friday in a statement.

Global News journalist Mercedes Stephenson posted a statement that said, "exclusive reporting that they have spotted another potential spy balloon. This time over Canada. The command says NORAD aircraft are in the area. “we have positively identified a high-altitude airborne object over Northern Canada”#BREAKING NORAD confirms@globalnews".

DoD Releases Statement About Object Shot Down Over Alaska - Department of Defense Press Secretary brigadier general Pat Ryder released a statement regarding the object shot down over Alaska, as well as further details about the balloon shot down on February 4th.

He said that the object was the size of a "small car" and not similar in "size or shape to the high-altitude surveillance balloon that was taken down off the coast of South Carolina on February 4th".

"Debris that's been recovered so far is being loaded on to vessels taken ashore, cataloged, and then moved onwards to labs for subsequent analysis. And while I won't go into specifics due to classification reasons, I can say that we have located a significant amount of debris so far that will prove helpful to our further understanding of this balloon and its surveillance capabilities," Ryder said

"We have no further details about the object at this time, including any description of its capabilities, purpose or origin," Ryder added.

Statement By DoD Press Secretary

"At the direction of the President of the United States fighter aircraft assigned to the U.S. Northern Command successfully took down a high-altitude airborne object off the northern coast of Alaska at 1:45pm Eastern Standard Time today within U.S. sovereign airspace over U.S. territorial water.

On February 9th, North American Aerospace Command detected an object on ground radar and further investigated and identified the object using fighter aircraft.

The object was flying at an altitude of 40,000 feet and posed a reasonable threat to the safety of civilian flight. U.S. Northern command is beginning recovery operations now.

U.S. Northern Command's Alaska Command coordinated the operation with assistance from the Alaska international guard, Federal Aviation Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

We have no further details about the object at this time, including any description of its capabilities, purpose or origin.

The object was about the size of a small car so not similar in size or shape to the high-altitude surveillance balloon that was taken down off the coast of South Carolina on February 4th".

Another Object Posing A "Reasonable Threat" Shot Out Of The Sky Over Alaska - WHITE HOUSE - The U.S. just shot down an object that was flying around Alaska around one hour ago, according to John Kirby. White House Video Statement

Kirby said, "a high altitude object over Alaska air space...within the last hour" that we had been tracking for "the last 24 hours," and stated, "the object posed a reasonable threat".

"I can confirm that the Department of Defense was tracking a high altitude object over Alaska airspace in the last 24 hours out. The object was flying at an altitude of 40,000 feet and posed a reasonable threat to the safety of civilian flight. Out of an abundance of caution and the recommendation of the Pentagon, President Biden ordered the military to down the object. And they did. And it came in inside our territorial waters," Kirby stated.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Issues Statement Regarding "US Claim" It Shot Down Chinese Unmanned Airship - Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "China expresses its strong dissatisfaction and protest against the US's use of force to attack civilian unmanned airships".

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on the US claim that it shot down the Chinese unmanned airship

"China expresses its strong dissatisfaction and protest against the US's use of force to attack civilian unmanned airships.

The Chinese side has repeatedly informed the US side after verification that the airship is for civilian use and entered the US due to force majeure, which was completely accidental. China clearly requires the US to handle it properly in a calm, professional and restrained manner.

A spokesman for the US Department of Defense also stated that the balloon will not pose a military or personal threat to ground personnel. Under such circumstances, the U.S. insists on using force, obviously overreacting and seriously violating international practice.

China will resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of relevant companies, while reserving the right to make further necessary reactions."

DoD F-22 Safely Shoots Down Chinese Spy Balloon Off South Carolina Coast - DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE: "A U.S. Air Force fighter safely shot down a Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon today, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said in a written statement.

President Joe Biden ordered the action on Wednesday, but it was delayed until the balloon was over water off the coast of South Carolina to ensure no Americans on the ground were harmed.

"The balloon, which was being used by the PRC in an attempt to surveil strategic sites in the continental United States, was brought down above U.S. territorial waters," Austin said.

The action was taken in coordination and support of the Canadian government. "We thank Canada for its contribution to tracking and analysis of the balloon through [North American Aerospace Defense Command] as it transited North America," Austin said.

"Today's deliberate and lawful action demonstrates that President Biden and his national security team will always put the safety and security of the American people first while responding effectively to the PRC's unacceptable violation of our sovereignty," Austin said referring to the Peoples Republic of China.

U.S. officials first detected the balloon and its payload on January 28 when it entered U.S. airspace near the Aleutian Islands. The balloon traversed Alaska, Canada and re-entered U.S. airspace over Idaho.

"President Biden asked the military to present options and on Wednesday President Biden gave his authorization to take down the Chinese surveillance balloon as soon as the mission could be accomplished without undue risk to us civilians under the balloon's path," said a senior defense official speaking on background.

"Military commanders determined that there was undue risk of debris causing harm to civilians while the balloon was overland."

An F-22 Raptor fighter from the 1st Fighter Wing at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, fired one AIM-9X Sidewinder missile at the balloon.The balloon fell approximately six miles off the coast in about 47 feet of water. No one was hurt.

Long before the shoot down, U.S. officials took steps to protect against the balloon's collection of sensitive information, mitigating its intelligence value to the Chinese. The senior defense official said the recovery of the balloon will enable U.S. analysts to examine sensitive Chinese equipment.

"I would also note that while we took all necessary steps to protect against the PRC surveillance balloon's collection of sensitive information, the surveillance balloon's overflight of U.S. territory was of intelligence value to us," the official said.

"I can't go into more detail, but we were able to study and scrutinize the balloon and its equipment, which has been valuable."

The balloon did not pose a military or physical threat. Still its intrusion into American airspace over several days was an unacceptable violation of U.S. sovereignty. The official said Chinese balloons briefly transited the continental United States at least three times during the prior administration.

While Chinese officials admitted that the balloon was theirs, they said it was a runaway weather balloon. "The PRC has claimed publicly that the high-altitude balloon operating above the United States is a weather balloon that was blown off course.

This is false," the official said. "This was a PRC surveillance balloon. This surveillance balloon purposely traversed the United States and Canada, and we are confident it was seeking to monitor sensitive military sites."

The mission now transitions to one of recovery. There are a number of U.S. Navy and Coast Guard vessels establishing a security perimeter around the area where the balloon came to Earth. They are searching for debris, said a senior military official also speaking on background.

There is no estimate for how long the recovery mission will take, the military official said, but the fact that it came down in such a shallow area should make recovery "fairly easy".

The military official gave some detail of the engagement. The F-22 fired the Sidewinder at the balloon from an altitude of 58,000 feet. The balloon at the time was between 60,000 and 65,000 feet.

F-15 Eagles flying from Barnes Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts, supported the F-22, as did tankers from multiple states including Oregon, Montana, South Carolina and North Carolina. Canadian forces also helped track the overflight of the balloon.

The Navy has deployed the destroyer USS Oscar Austin, the cruiser USS Philippine Sea and the USS Carter Hall, an amphibious landing ship in support of the effort."

DoD Statement: Chinese High Altitude Surveillance Balloon Successfully Shot Down - DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE: "This afternoon, at the direction of President Biden, U.S. fighter aircraft assigned to U.S. Northern Command successfully brought down the high altitude surveillance balloon launched by and belonging to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) over the water off the coast of South Carolina in U.S. airspace.

The balloon, which was being used by the PRC in an attempt to surveil strategic sites in the continental United States, was brought down above U.S. territorial waters.

On Wednesday, President Biden gave his authorization to take down the surveillance balloon as soon as the mission could be accomplished without undue risk to American lives under the balloon’s path.

After careful analysis, U.S. military commanders had determined downing the balloon while over land posed an undue risk to people across a wide area due to the size and altitude of the balloon and its surveillance payload.

In accordance with the President’s direction, the Department of Defense developed options to take down the balloon safely over our territorial waters, while closely monitoring its path and intelligence collection activities. This action was taken in coordination, and with the full support, of the Canadian government.

And we thank Canada for its contribution to tracking and analysis of the balloon through NORAD as it transited North America.

Today’s deliberate and lawful action demonstrates that President Biden and his national security team will always put the safety and security of the American people first while responding effectively to the PRC’s unacceptable violation of our sovereignty."

Chinese Foreign Ministry Statement On Balloon Over United States - Below is a statement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry regarding the balloon spotted above mainland United States.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Statement

"Q: On February 3, senior US State Department officials said at a briefing via teleconference that due to the entry of a Chinese unmanned airship into US airspace, US Secretary of State Blinken has decided to postpone his planned trip to China. Do you have any comment?

A: Regarding the unintended entry of a Chinese unmanned airship into US airspace due to force majeure, the Chinese side has verified it and communicated it to the US side. It is a civilian airship used for research, mainly meteorological, purposes.

Affected by the Westerlies and with limited self-steering capability, the airship deviated far from its planned course. This is entirely an unexpected situation caused by force majeure and the facts are very clear.

China always acts in strict accordance with international law and respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries.

We have no intention to violate and has never violated the territory or airspace of any sovereign country. Some politicians and media in the US have hyped it up to attack and smear China. The Chinese side is firmly opposed to that.

Maintaining contact and communication at all levels is an important common understanding reached by the Chinese and US presidents at their meeting in Bali.

One of the tasks of the diplomatic teams on both sides is to properly manage bilateral relations, particularly to manage some unexpected situations in a cool-headed and prudent manner. In fact, neither side has ever announced that there would be a visit.

It is a matter for the US to make its latest announcement, and we respect that."

Surveillance Balloon May Be Guided By Artificial Intelligence - A specialist in surveillance balloons says that balloons are difficult to shoot down and that the one over the United States flying over U.S. military sites looks to have been equipped with an advanced AI guidance system. Read Full Article

Explosion Reported Over Billings Montana - An explosion has been reported over Billings, Montana. The governor says that they are "monitoring the situation". The city of Billings, Montana says PD fire and airport have not been called to any incidents, and there have not been any plane crashes picked up on radar. View Tweet.

A Second Chinese "Spy Balloon" Hovering Over Latin America - WASHINGTON - The Chinese "spy balloon" has altered its flight path and is now moving east at about 60,000 feet over the "central" United States, which demonstrates its ability to maneuver, according to a statement by the U.S. military Friday.

A second balloon has also been spotted hovering over Latin America, according to the Pentagon.

China claimed that the balloon was merely a civilian airship that accidentally got blown off course into U.S. airspace.

Pentagon spokesperson: "we are seeing reports of a balloon transiting Latin America. We now assess it is another Chinese surveillance balloon.”

Air Force Brigadier General Patrick Ryder spoke at a news briefing and said, ""We know this is a Chinese (surveillance) balloon and that it has the ability to maneuver".

Ryder said that he expects that the balloon will continue on its path over U.S. airspace for a few more days.

He also refused to say where exactly the balloon is located currently, and when asked "Doesn't the public not have a right to know if the balloon is over their state?" he stated, "The public certainly has the ability to look up in the sky and see where the balloon is".

Ryder also said that the balloon "does not pose a physical threat to people on the ground".

Kansas Senator Roger Marshall said that the balloon is hovering over the northeastern portion of his own state, and said "I condemn any attempts the Chinese make to spy on Americans. President Biden must protect the sovereignty of the U.S.".

Ryder said, "We are seeing reports of a balloon transiting Latin America. We now assess it is another Chinese surveillance balloon".

Canadian Ministry of Defense Statement on High Altitude Surveillance Balloon - "February 2, 2023 – Ottawa, Ontario – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces: "A high-altitude surveillance balloon was detected and its movements are being actively tracked by NORAD. Canadians are safe and Canada is taking steps to ensure the security of its airspace, including the monitoring of a potential second incident.

NORAD, the Canadian Armed Forces, the Department of National Defence, and other partners have been assessing the situation and working in close coordination.

Canada’s intelligence agencies are working with American partners and continue to take all necessary measures to safeguard Canada’s sensitive information from foreign intelligence threats.

We remain in frequent contact with our American allies as the situation develops."

Senior Defense Official Holds a Background Briefing on High-Altitude Surveillance Balloon - DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE transcript of a background briefing regarding the high-altitude surveillance balloon spotted hovering over mainland United States, having come from Alaska, through Canada and into the northern United States from Canada.

DoD: "BRIGADIER GENERAL PAT RYDER: Good evening, everyone. Brigadier General Pat Ryder here, the Pentagon press secretary. So thank you very much for joining us a little bit later in the day. I'm going to go over a couple of ground rules first. I'll provide you then with an on-the-record statement. And then I'll turn it over our senior defense official.

So first, I'm going to read you an on-the-record statement. This is from Brigadier General Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary.

"The United States government has detected and is tracking a high-altitude surveillance balloon that is over the continental United States right now. The U.S. government, to include NORAD, continues to track and monitor it closely. The balloon is currently traveling at an altitude well above commercial air traffic, and does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground. Instances of this kind of balloon activity have been observed previously over the past several years. Once the balloon was detected, the U.S. government acted immediately to protect against the collection of sensitive information."

STAFF: And with that, we'll go ahead now and revert to on-background. And you can attribute this to a senior defense official.

SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Thanks, Pat.

Hey, everybody. Thanks for joining us late. So a couple of things up top, and then happy to take a few questions. I'll let Pat moderate on that. But so a few things.

First, we are confident that this high-altitude surveillance balloon belongs to the PRC. As was said at the top, instances of this activity have been observed over the past several years, including prior to this administration. In this instance, President Biden was briefed and asked for military options.

Secretary Austin convened senior DoD leadership yesterday, even as he was on the road in the Philippines. It was the strong recommendation by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Milley, and the commander of NORTHCOM, General VanHerck, not to take kinetic action due to the risk to safety and security of people on the ground from the possible debris field.

Currently we assess that this balloon has limited additive value from an intelligence collection perspective. But we are taking steps, nevertheless, to protect against foreign intelligence collection of sensitive information.

We are also tracking what abilities it could have in gaining insights, and continue to monitor the balloon as it is over the continental United States.

And so with that, let me pause and I'll take your questions.

Pat, you want to run the show?

STAFF: Yes, sir. Thank you.

All right, first we'll go to Tara Copp, Associated Press.

Q: Hey, thanks for doing this. A couple of questions about the balloon itself. Can you give us a sense of how big is it? Is it as big as a car? Big as a bus? Did that factor into the decision not to shoot it down? And, I guess, third on the balloon, when did you first start tracking it? Was it before it crossed into the continental United States?

SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Yes, good questions. So how big? You know, I'm not going to go into the exact dimensions. We did assess that it was large enough to cause damage from the debris field if we downed it over an area. We had been looking at whether there was an option yesterday over some sparsely populated areas in Montana. But we just couldn't buy down the risk enough to feel comfortable recommending shooting it down yesterday.

So, beyond that, though, I can't really go into the dimensions. But there have been reports of pilots seeing this thing, even though it's pretty high up in the sky. So, you know, it's sizeable.

In terms -- and so whether it factored into the decision, it did in the sense that we had to assess what the possible debris field would look like falling from that height. We wanted to, you know, take care that somebody didn't get hurt or property wasn't destroyed.

And, I'm sorry, how long have we been tracking it. I'm not going to go into all the details because I don't want to reveal sensitive information. But I will say we have been tracking it for some time. And we have had custody of it the entire time it has been over U.S. airspace, entered the continental United States airspace a couple of days ago.

Q: And just one last, you know, Montana's one of the three homes for our siloed nuclear weapons. Was there any concern that the balloon was trying to collect intelligence on those silo fields?

SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Yes, so clearly the intent of this balloon is for surveillance. And so the current flight path does carry it over a number of sensitive sites. I'd just say a couple of things.

First, our best assessment at the moment is that whatever the surveillance payload is on this balloon, it does not create significant value added over and above what the PRC is likely able to collect through things like satellites in Low Earth Orbit.

But out of an abundance of caution, we have taken additional mitigation steps. I'm not going to go into what those are. But we know exactly where this balloon is, exactly what it is passing over. And we are taking steps to be extra vigilant so that we can mitigate any foreign intelligence risk.

STAFF: Thank you.

Let's go to Jen Griffin, FOX.

Q: Thank you very much. What do you think the target of this balloon was? And has this ever happened before that you've seen either a Chinese surveillance balloon or another country's surveillance balloon over the United States, or is this the first time?

SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Yes, so, I mean, it is a surveillance balloon. And not to be -- I'm not trying to be a wiseguy. But the goal is surveillance. And clearly they're trying to fly this -- this balloon over sensitive sites, one of which was just mentioned, to collect information. As I said, we do not judge that it provides significant value added over and above what they can currently collect in other means. But nevertheless, it's something we're watching closely.

Is it the first time. It is not the first time that you had a balloon of this nature cross over the continental United States. It has happened a handful of other times over the past few years, to include before this administration.

It is appearing to hang out for a long period of time this time around, more persistent than in previous instances. So that would be one distinguishing factor. Over.

STAFF: Let's go to Jeff Schogol, Task & Purpose.

Q: All right, thank you. What makes you believe this is a Chinese spy balloon? And then just for arguments sake, why not blow it up and just take the risk that it hits something on the ground?

SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Right. No, I'm not going to go into all the ways in which we know that it's a PRC balloon. I will just say we have very high confidence that this is a PRC balloon. Very high confidence.

So we do not doubt that this is a PRC balloon. And that is an assessment shared across our intelligence and analytic community. Why not shoot it down? We have to do the risk-reward here. So the first question is does it pose a threat -- physical kinetic threat to individuals in the United States or the U.S. Homeland. Our assessment is it does not.

Does it pose a threat to civilian aviation? Our assessment is it does not. Does it pose a significantly enhanced threat on the intelligence side? Our best assessment right now is that it does not. And so given that risk, that profile, we assess that the risk of downing it, even if the probability was low in a sparsely populated area of the debris falling and hurting somebody or damaging property that it wasn't worth it and that was the recommendation of our military commanders.

That is what we recommended to the White House yesterday.

STAFF: Let's go to Idrees Ali, Reuters.

Q: Hey, just two quick questions. Firstly, have you directly brought this up with Chinese officials and what has their response been? And in terms of altitude, is this over U.S. airspace or is it sort of in the stratosphere? What's sort of the height of this right now?

SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Yes, both good questions. Good to hear your voice, Idrees. We have engaged PRC officials with urgency through multiple channels. They've been engaged both through their embassy here in Washington and through our embassy in Beijing.

We have communicated to them the seriousness with which we take this issue. But beyond that I'm not going to go into the content of the -- of the message. But we have made clear we will do whatever is necessary to protect our people and our homeland. And so if the risk profile that I described earlier, if that changes we will have options to deal with this balloon.

In terms of the altitude, I'm not going to go into the exact altitude. What I will say is that it is significantly above where civilian air traffic is active, which is why we do not assess that it's a threat to civilian aviation. It -- but it is in the atmosphere and it is over U.S. airspace. It is not in outer space.

STAFF: OK. Let's go to Heather Mongilio, USNI.

Q: Thank you so much. You mentioned this is not the first time. Can you say when the last time a similar situation happened?

SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: I -- I'm not going to go into the details of that. It's happened a few times in recent years to include before this administration. But beyond that I'm not going to go into the details.

STAFF: Got time for just a few more. We'll go to Dan Lamothe, Washington Post.

Q: Yes, thank you. And can you walk us through how you observed it? NBC News reported that system F-22s were sent up -- I don't if scrambled would be the right terminology there but at least sent up to get a closer look. Thank you.

SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Yes, so we've been -- we've been observing it through multiple means, including manned aircraft. You did see reports yesterday of a ground stop at billings airport and the mobilization of a number of assets including F-22s.

The context for that was it would put some things on station in the event that a decision was made to bring this down while it was over Montana. So we wanted to make sure we were coordinating with civil authorities to empty out the air space around that potential area. But even with those protective measures taken it was the judgment of our military commanders that we didn't drive the risk down low enough, so we didn't take the shot.

But that's why you saw the reports that you saw, Dan.

STAFF: And Nancy Youssef, Wall Street Journal.

Q: Thank you. (Inaudible) you mentioned earlier that the balloon stayed for a longer period of time than in the past and that it wasn't offering any significant intelligence relative to other means of ISR that the Chinese have. My question is, is there any reason to believe that the Chinese wanted this to be spotted. Is there -- is that your conclusion?

SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: You know, I can't speculate. It's probably a question better to direct to the Chinese embassy. I don't know why they did what they did. I will say that the past number of times it did not loiter over the continental United States for an extended period of time. It's different.

And precisely why they made the decision to make this different I think really is a question for them.

STAFF: And last question, Brandi Vincent, DefenseScoop.

Q: Thank you so much for doing this. Does the balloon appear to have technology that is different or more advanced than any technology that the U.S. has? Does the U.S. have a policy for dealing with balloons like this? I can't help but think of the 163 balloons that were made sense of in the UAP report. So is this something that you're developing policy on or does policy exist about how to handle these sort of sightings?

SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Yes, you know I'm not going to go into the exact nature of the technology. I don't think that the -- that the pay load on this is -- I wouldn't characterize it as revolutionary. I think the thing that is different is the altitude and of course the willingness to put it over the continental United States for an extended period of time.

I think that's the -- that's the biggest difference here. As it relates to do we have a policy, the answer is yes, we do and most importantly we also have sufficient authority given to us to take action under Title 10 against unmanned aerial systems of which this balloon would be a part. So we think we have all the authorities we need to do anything that we need to do to protect the American people and we'll continue to do that.

Q: Thank you.

STAFF: Thank you very much ladies and gentlemen, that's all the time we have. Just as a reminder the comments are as a senior defense official on background. My comment at the top is on the record and we will post a transcript on defense.gov when it's available. Thank you for joining us.

NORAD And Northern Command Statement On Surveillance Balloon Over US - NORAD: "NORAD and U.S. Northern Command statement on the high-altitude surveillance balloon. The United States government has detected and is tracking a high altitude surveillance balloon that is over the continental United States right now.

The North Americacn Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) continues to track and monitor it closely.

The NORAD Commander, General Glen VanHerck assesses the balloon does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground at this time.

The balloon is currently traveling at an altitude well above commercial air traffic."

U.S. Tracking High-Altitude Surveillance Balloon - DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE: "An intelligence-gathering balloon, most certainly launched by the People's Republic of China, is currently floating above the United States, the Defense Department announced Thursday evening.

"The United States government has detected and is tracking a high-altitude surveillance balloon that is over the continental United States right now," Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said during an impromptu briefing Thursday evening. "The U.S. government, to include NORAD, continues to track and monitor it closely."

Ryder said the balloon is well above commercial air traffic and doesn't pose a threat to civil aviation. He also said this isn't the first time such a balloon has been seen over the United States.

After the balloon was detected, Ryder said, the U.S. government "acted immediately" to protect against the collection of sensitive information, though he didn't detail what measures were taken.

A senior defense official who participated in the briefing on background only said the U.S. intelligence community has "very high confidence" the balloon belongs to the People's Republic of China, and that the United States has engaged with Chinese officials "with urgency, through multiple channels" regarding the presence of the balloon.

"We have communicated to them the seriousness with which we take this issue," the official said. "We have made clear we will do whatever is necessary to protect our people and our homeland."

Right now, the official said, following recommendations of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Mark A. Milley and Air Force Gen. Glen D. VanHerck, commander of U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, the U.S. position is to allow the balloon to continue to float above the United States, rather than attempt to shoot is down.

The official said the risk of using kinetic force to take the balloon out of the sky might put civilian communities at risk, and that the threat the balloon poses now to both safety and U.S. intelligence doesn't justify such an action.

"Currently, we assess that this balloon has limited additive value from an intelligence collective collection perspective," the official said. "But we are taking steps, nevertheless, to protect against foreign intelligence collection of sensitive information."

The official said this is not the first time such a balloon has been seen above the United States, but did say this time the balloon appears to be acting differently than what has been seen in the past.

"It's happened a handful of other times over the past few years, to include before this administration," the official said. "It is appearing to hang out for a longer period of time, this time around, more persistent than in previous instances. That would be one distinguishing factor."

While the senior defense official would not say how large the balloon is, the official did say its size did figure into the calculation to not use kinetic force to take it out of the sky.

"We did assess that it was large enough to cause damage from the debris field if we downed it over an area," the official said. "I can't really go into the dimension — but there have been reports of pilots seeing this thing, even though it's pretty high up in the sky. So ... it's sizable."

As early as yesterday, the official said, the balloon was seen over Montana."

DoD Statement on High-Altitude Surveillance Balloon - DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE: "The United States Government has detected and is tracking a high altitude surveillance balloon that is over the continental United States right now.

The U.S. government, to include NORAD, continues to track and monitor it closely. The balloon is currently traveling at an altitude well above commercial air traffic and does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground. Instances of this kind of balloon activity have been observed previously over the past several years. Once the balloon was detected, the U.S. government acted immediately to protect against the collection of sensitive information."

U.S. Government Tracking Suspected Chinese "Spy" Balloon Hovering Over Northern United States - UNITED STATES - The U.S. government is currently tracking a balloon that has been in northern U.S. airspace for a few days now, and U.S. officials say they are confident it is a Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon.

Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder spoke to NBC news and said, “The United States government has detected and is tracking a high-altitude surveillance balloon that is over the continental United States right now".

Once the balloon was detected, the U.S. government acted immediately to protect against the collection of sensitive information,” he added.

It was detected hovering over Billings, Montana Wednesday, flying in from the Alaskan Aleutian Islands, and entering the United States through Canada.

Defense officials have been discussing shooting it down, two U.S. officials and a senior defense official told NBC.

The senior defense official said, "Currently we assess that this balloon has limited additive value from an intelligence collection perspective over and above what the PRC can do through other means".

“Nevertheless we are taking all necessary steps to protect against foreign intelligence collection of sensitive information,” he added.

Due to the altitude of the balloon is at, the official told NBC that it does not currently pose a threat to civilian aircraft.

He also said that while the balloon was hovering over Montana on Wednesday, they could have shot it out of the sky. NORAD did send aircraft, which included F-22 Raptors from the Nellis Air Force Base, but NBC says the official wouldn't speak on whether their options included taking the balloon out.

U.S. officials have contacted the Chinese government "through multiple channels both here in D.C. and in Beijing," the official reportedly told NBC.

Another $2.2 Billion In Aid To Ukraine Expected To Be Announced "Very Soon" - WASHINGTON - The United States is preparing a $2.2 billion package worth of military aid to Ukraine, and is expected to contain longer-range rockets than the United States has previously been willing to give to Ukraine, as well as other weapons and ammunition.

White House spokesperson Olivia Dalton said that the United States will be announcing additional security assistance to Ukraine "very soon".

"I expect we're going to have more security assistance to announce soon," Dalton told reporters.

From the start of Russia's war on Ukraine on February 24th, 2022 to January 19th, 2023 the total dollar amount of military equipment given to Ukraine adds up to $26.7 billion.

Part of the $2.2 billion would be allocated to purchase the Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), which is manufactured by Boeing Co, according to a report by Reuters.

The Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb has a range of about 94 miles, which is longer-ranged than other weapons given by the United States thus far, but does not reach as far as the longer-ranged guided missile system (ATACMS) requested by Ukraine, but rejected by the United States capable of a range o 185 miles. Read More

Russia Says Tanks Being Sent to Ukraine By NATO Allies A "New Level Of Confrontation" - MOSCOW - Russia’s Ambassador to Germany Sergei Nechayev released a statement after the United States and Germany announced sending tanks to Ukraine that called the decision an "extremely dangerous decision" that "takes the conflict to a new level of confrontation".

While addressing Germany's decision to allow their Leopard 2 tanks to be sent to Ukraine, the ambassador said the following:

"On January 25, 2023, the German government approved the delivery of Leopard 2 heavy battle tanks to the Kyiv regime. Other countries that are armed with such equipment are allowed to re-export it to Ukraine.

This extremely dangerous decision takes the conflict to a new level of confrontation and contradicts the statements of German politicians about the unwillingness of the FRG to get involved in it. Unfortunately, this happens over and over again. Once again, we are convinced that Germany, like its closest allies, is not interested in a diplomatic solution to the Ukrainian crisis, it is set up for its permanent escalation and unlimited pumping of the Kyiv regime with more and more deadly weapons. "Red lines" are a thing of the past.

The choice of Berlin means the final refusal of the Federal Republic of Germany to recognize the historical responsibility to our people for the terrible, timeless crimes of Nazism during the Great Patriotic War, the consignment to the oblivion of the difficult path of post-war reconciliation between Russians and Germans. With the approval of the leadership of the FRG, battle tanks with German crosses will again be sent to the "eastern front", which will inevitably lead to the death of not only Russian soldiers, but also the civilian population.

Berlin adopted this decision on the 80th anniversary of the breaking of the blockade of Leningrad, in which hundreds of thousands of Soviet citizens died. It destroys the remnants of mutual trust, causes irreparable damage to the already deplorable state of Russian-German relations, and casts doubt on the possibility of their normalization in the foreseeable future."

British Challenger 2 Tanks To Be Delivered To Ukraine

British Challenger 2 tanks are also to be delivered to Ukraine by the end of March, according to British Deputy Defense Minister Alex Chuck.

“Our intention is that it will be at the end of March,” Chuck said (cited by TASS). Training of the Ukrainian military to manage and maintain British tanks should start on Monday, January 30," Chuck stated.

Russia: Shipments Will Be A Legitimate Target For Russian Aerospace Forces

Russian Foreign Minister has put out a warning and sent a note to members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) that any shipments that contain military equipment will become a legitimate target for Russian Aerospace Forces.

Biden Announces Abrams Tanks to be Delivered to Ukraine - DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE: "President Joe Biden announced today that the United States will provide Ukraine with 31 M1 Abrams tanks. That is the required number to equip an entire Ukraine tank battalion. View Fact Sheet

These tanks are needed, Biden said, because Ukrainian forces are working to defend the territory they hold and will be better prepared for additional counter-offenses.

"They need to be able to counter Russia's evolving tactics and strategy on the battlefield in the very near term. They need to improve their ability to maneuver in open terrain. And, they need an enduring capability to deter and defend against Russian aggression over the long term," the president said.

The Abrams tanks are the most capable tanks in the world. And, they're also extremely complex to operate and maintain. Along with the tanks, the U.S. will be giving Ukraine the parts and equipment necessary to effectively repair and maintain these tanks on the battlefield, he said.

Ukrainian troops will be given training on logistics and maintenance as soon as possible, as actual delivery of these tanks will take some time, he said.

This morning, Biden said he had a long conversation with NATO allies, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni regarding continued close coordination and support of Ukraine.

Biden mentioned strong allied support for Ukraine, which will include German Leopard 2 tanks, a German Patriot missile battery, Challenger 2 tanks from the United Kingdom, and AMX-10 armored fighting vehicles from France.

"This is about helping Ukraine defend and protect Ukrainian land. It is not an offensive threat to Russia," he said.

"The expectation on the part of Russia is we're going to break up, we're not going to stay united. But we are fully thoroughly totally united," Biden said, speaking of the 50 nations that are part of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group.

Senior administration officials said earlier today that these Abrams tanks will be procured through Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative funding.

Unlike the presidential drawdown authority, USAI is an authority under which the United States procures capabilities from industry rather than delivering equipment that is drawn down from DOD stocks.

The officials also noted that eight M88 recovery vehicles will also be shipped to Ukraine, to accompany the 31 tanks.

Washington: $400 Million In Additional Security Assistance for Ukraine, Including Abrams Tanks - DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE: "The Department of Defense (DoD) announces the procurement of Abrams tanks for Ukraine via the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), to support Ukraine's defense against Russian aggression. View Fact Sheet

This USAI package underscores the continued U.S. commitment to building the capacity of Ukraine's Armed Forces, now and into the future. Unlike Presidential Drawdown authority (PDA), which DoD has continued to leverage to deliver equipment to Ukraine from DoD stocks at a historic pace, USAI is an authority under which the United States procures new capabilities. This $400 million USAI package represents the beginning of a contracting process to provide additional capabilities to Ukraine.

The capabilities in this package include: 31 Abrams tanks with 120mm rounds and other ammunition; Eight Tactical Vehicles to recover equipment; Support vehicles and equipment; Funding for training, maintenance, and sustainment.

Alongside the battalion of Abrams tanks provided by the United States, a European consortium is committing to provide two battalions of Leopard tanks to Ukraine in the near term. The United States will continue to work with our Allies and partners to meet Ukraine's battlefield needs to counter Russian aggression and ensure the continued freedom and independence of the Ukrainian people.

In total, the United States has now committed more than $27.8 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration. Since 2014, the United States has committed more than $29.9 billion in security assistance to Ukraine and more than $27.1 billion since the beginning of Russia's unprovoked and brutal invasion on February 24, 2022."

US And Germany Both Agree To Send Tanks To Ukraine - WASHINGTON/BERLIN - Both the United States and Germany have agreed to send tanks to Ukraine after Germany had said it wouldn't be allowing its Leopard 2 tanks to be sent to Ukraine by NATO allies unless the United States also agreed to send tanks of its own to the country.

U.S. President Joe Biden made a statement that said, "today I'm announcing the United States will be sending 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, the equivalent of 1 Ukrainian battalion".

"Secretary Austin has recommended this step because it will enhance Ukraine's capacity to defend its territory and achieve its strategic objective".

The German government also confirmed that it will be sending 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine from the stocks of the German Armed Forces, and will, in addition, be allowing allies to send the German-made Leopard 2 tanks.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz released a statement that said, "Ladies and gentlemen, that is the right principle. We are dealing with very effective weapons systems, and it is the right thing for us to never provide these weapons systems on their own, but always in close cooperation".

According to the German Defense Ministry, the German-made tanks could be delivered to Ukraine within the next three months.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius spoke on air on the Die Welt TV channel and said "This (deliveries of tanks - TASS note) will not happen earlier than in three or four months".

German Spokesman Steffen Hebestrait said, "The federal government has decided to provide the Ukrainian armed forces with Leopard 2A6 battle tanks. This is the result of intensive meetings that Germany has held with European and international partners".

"Germany will issue permits to partner countries that want to send Leopard 2A6 to Ukraine from their own stocks".

Russia's Response To The Announcements

Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov replied to the announcement of Abrams tanks being supplied to Ukraine by saying that it was "quite a failure" for "technological reasons," according to Russian state news agency TASS.

“I am convinced that many experts understand the absurdity of this idea too. It’s just that such a plan is quite a failure in terms of technological aspects, and most importantly, this is a clear overestimation of the potential that this will add to the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” he said to reporters Wednesday.

He added that "so far there are a lot of mutually exclusive statements, media reports, leaks and so on from Germany and the United States." and said that "It is clear that not everything is going smoothly there, and in the [North Atlantic] alliance itself, not everything is so smooth, and not everything is going smoothly with the presence of tanks".

A report by TASS estimated that Ukraine can receive around 100 modern Western tanks, and had already received 350 to 400 Soviet-made tanks, which were mainly T-72s.

Allied Tanks Ukraine Will Be Receiving'

The following countries either are sending, or are considering sending tanks to Ukraine: Germany, Poland Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Britain, Denmark, and France.

Biden Announces Shipment Of 31 Abrams Tanks To Ukraine - WASHINGTON - U.S President Joe Biden has announced that the United States will be sending 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine.

During a speech, Biden said "and today, today I'm announcing the the United States will be sending 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, the equivalent of 1 Ukrainian battalion".

"Secretary Austin has recommended this step because it will enhance Ukraine's capacity to defend its territory and achieve its strategic objective".

He added, "The Abrams tanks are the most capable tanks in the world. They are also extremely complex to operate and maintain. So we're also giving Ukraine the parts and equipment necessary to effectively sustain these tanks on the battlefield".

Russian Frigate Admiral Gorshkov conducted hypersonic missile exercises in Atlantic - RUSSIAN MINISTRY OF DEFENSE: "The crew of Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Gorshkov's frigate, operating in areas of the western part of the Atlantic Ocean, conducted computer simulation exercises with hypersonic missile weapons.

In accordance with the training situation, the frigate practiced arranging of Tsitkon hypersonic missile strike against a maritime target at a distance over 900 kilometers away.

A series of joint exercises with the South African Navy and the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy is planned for February 2023 off the coast of the Republic of South Africa.

The Admiral Gorshkov frigate is a modern multi-purpose ship, equipped with guided missiles, and designed for operating in distant maritime and oceanic areas. Fitted with Tsirkon, the ship is capable of launching pinpoint and powerful strikes at any offshore and onshore targets. The feature of Tsirkon missiles is their ability to overcome any kinds of modern and promising air or missile defense systems."

US Expecting To Support Netherlands In Transferring F-16 Jets To Ukraine - EUROPE - U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE Michael Carpenter said that he expects broad support in the United States to for the Netherlands to transfer allied F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, in an interview with Lithuanian news agency Delfi.

In an interview with Delfi, Carpenter was asked if Washington is ready to allow the Netherlands to give F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. He said , “We have long been of the opinion that what our allies supply is their business".

"And we support the countless contributions (to defense - delfi) that our allies have made for Ukraine. And this has been true from the very beginning of the war, when we discussed legacy Soviet systems, to the present period, when we discuss main battle tanks and more sophisticated air and missile defense capabilities and systems." he continued.

"And so I expect there will be broad support in the United States for our allies to continue to increase their contributions".

Netherlands news agency RTL reported that "like other Western countries", the Netherlands had "previously contributed" to "dozens" of old Soviet tanks that the Czech Republic has given over to Ukraine to help defend the country against Russia's ongoing invasion.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos,Switzerland defense minister Kajsa Ollongren spoke to Bloomberg and said "That is certainly something we are willing to do".

The Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands Wopke Hoekstra also said that there are "no taboos" in supplying Ukraine "regular equipment", RTL reported.

The German-Made Leopard Tanks Cannot Be Given Without Germany's Permission

Regarding Leopard 2 tanks, Ollongren said that it must take place within a coalition within Europe or NATO, as the Netherlands to not currently possess Leopard 2 tanks, they are renting 18 of them from Germany.

As Leopard-2 tanks are German made, authorization must be given by Germany before any NATO country will be allowed to supply them to Ukraine.

"We are waiting for Germany's position on this, but I am in favor of trying to find a solution and sending tanks to Ukraine," Ollongren said to Bloomberg at Davos.

The Foreign Ministers of Estonia, Lithuania, and Lavia have all posted the following statement on social media: "We, [Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania] Foreign Ministers, call on Germany to provide Leopard tanks to Ukraine now. This is needed to stop Russian aggression, help Ukraine and restore peace in Europe quickly. Germany as the leading European power has special responsibility in this regard".

Royal Navy frigate tracking the movements of a Russian warship in the North Sea Reportedly Carrying Zircon Hypersonic Missiles. - UK MINISTRY OF DEFENSE - "HMS Portland is monitoring the Russian guided missile frigate Admiral Gorshkov and accompanying tanker Kama as they sail in international waters close to the UK.

The Type 23 frigate joined the Norwegian Coast Guard vessel Bergen, as the Russian ships transited south through the Norwegian Sea.

Portland with her specialist Merlin helicopter embarked – both equipped with cutting-edge sonars, sensors and torpedoes for specialist operations – is tracking and reporting on the movements of the Russian ships through the North Sea.

Portland’s Commanding Officer Commander Ed Moss-Ward said: “Escorting warships in UK territorial waters and the adjacent sea areas is routine activity for the Royal Navy.

“By maintaining a visible and persistent presence, the Royal Navy ensures compliance with maritime law and deters malign activity to protect our nation’s interests.

“Escorting the Russian task group alongside forces from our NATO allies has demonstrated the UK’s commitment to the alliance and to maintaining maritime security.”

HMS Portland departed her home port of Plymouth on Saturday on her latest patrol. The frigate – which underwent a major refit in 2021 – is adept at surface warfare operations as well as hunting submarines.

HMS Portland spent much of last year patrolling waters close to the UK, with visits to Norway and Sweden, and operating with NATO allies on the alliance’s submarine hunting exercise – Dynamic Mongoose – in the North Atlantic."

British Royal Mail Has "Cyber Incident" Disrupting Services - BRITAIN - The British postal service company Royal mail says that it's facing a major disruption in international export services after a "cyber incident" occurred.  

"We are temporarily unable to despatch items to overseas destinations. "Some customers may experience delay or disruption to items already shipped for export," Royal Mail stated. 

It added, "Our import operations continue to perform a full service with some minor delays."

The "cyber incident" has occurred around the same time that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States released an alert saying that the Notice to Air Missions System (NOTAM) failed and caused an outage resulting in grounded flights. 

It is not yet clear if that incident was related to a cyberattack. 

Federal Aviation Administration: FAA NOTAMS Statement - Normal air traffic operations are resuming gradually across the United States following an overnight outage to the FAA’s Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system that provides safety information to flight crews. The ground stop has been lifted. 

The agency continues to look into the cause of the initial problem.

FAA STATEMENT 0815 EST

The FAA is making progress in restoring its Notice to Air Missions system following an overnight outage.

Departures are resuming at Newark Liberty (EWR) and Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL) airports due to air traffic congestion in those areas.

We expect departures to resume at other airports at 9 a.m. Eastern Time.

FAA STATEMENT 0715 EST

The FAA is still working to fully restore the Notice to Air Missions system following an outage.

The FAA has ordered airlines to pause all domestic departures until 9 a.m. Eastern Time to allow the agency to validate the integrity of flight and safety information.

FAA Releases Alert Reporting System Glitch That Caused Failure - UNITED STATES - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released an alert saying that it's working to restore its Notice to Air Missions System after it failed and caused an outage. *This message will be updated with further information as its released*. 

Messages by the FAA: "The United States NOTAM system failed at 2028Z. Since then no new NOTAMS or amendments have been processed. Technicians are currently working to restore the system and there is no estimate for restoration of service at this time. There is currently a hotline in effect which has NAIMES/FAA facilities/stakeholders in attendence. This hotline information is contained within ADVZY 004. This ADVZY will be updated as necessary."

FAA Message 2: "The FAA is working to restore its Notice to Air Missions System. We are performing final validation checks and reloading the system now. Operations across the National Airspace System are affected. We will provide frequent updates as we make progress."

FAA Message 3: "The FAA is still working to fully restore the Notice to Air Missions system following an outage. While some functions are beginning to come back on line, National Airspace System operations remain limited."

FAA Message 4: "Update 3: The FAA is still working to fully restore the Notice to Air Missions system following an outage. The FAA has ordered airlines to pause all domestic departures until 9 a.m. Eastern Time to allow the agency to validate the integrity of flight and safety information."

Flight Radar 24: "Flights to US airports have been groundstopped by the FAA until at least 09:30 ET (1430 UTC). This means any flight not in the air already will not be allowed to depart. Image: flights over US now compared to same time last week. About 700 fewer flights airborne now."

FAA Releases Alert Reporting System Glitch That Caused Failure - UNITED STATES - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released an alert saying that it's working to restore its Notice to Air Missions System after it failed and caused an outage. *This message will be updated with further information as its released*. 

Messages by the FAA: "The United States NOTAM system failed at 2028Z. Since then no new NOTAMS or amendments have been processed. Technicians are currently working to restore the system and there is no estimate for restoration of service at this time. There is currently a hotline in effect which has NAIMES/FAA facilities/stakeholders in attendence. This hotline information is contained within ADVZY 004. This ADVZY will be updated as necessary."

FAA Message 2: "The FAA is working to restore its Notice to Air Missions System. We are performing final validation checks and reloading the system now. Operations across the National Airspace System are affected. We will provide frequent updates as we make progress."

FAA Message 3: "The FAA is still working to fully restore the Notice to Air Missions system following an outage. While some functions are beginning to come back on line, National Airspace System operations remain limited."

FAA Message 4: "Update 3: The FAA is still working to fully restore the Notice to Air Missions system following an outage. The FAA has ordered airlines to pause all domestic departures until 9 a.m. Eastern Time to allow the agency to validate the integrity of flight and safety information."

Flight Radar 24: "Flights to US airports have been groundstopped by the FAA until at least 09:30 ET (1430 UTC). This means any flight not in the air already will not be allowed to depart. Image: flights over US now compared to same time last week. About 700 fewer flights airborne now."

U.S. President Joe Biden commented on the outage and said that “They don’t know what the cause is,” and said “I told them to report directly to me when they find out. Aircraft can still land safely, just not take off right now. They don’t know what the cause of it is, they expect in a couple of hours they’ll have a good sense of what caused it and will respond at that time.”

The White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, “there is no evidence of a cyberattack at this point, but the President directed DOT to conduct a full investigation into the causes.”

B-52 Conus to Conus Mission Displays Global Reach, Long Range Precision Strike Capabilities - STRATCOM: HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii - "Two B-52 Stratofortress bombers from Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, arrived at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Dec. 18, 2022 in support of a three day bomber task force (BTF) mission to the USINDOPACOM area of responsibility before returning home to Barksdale AFB.

The mission highlights the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Strategic Command’s ability to strengthen extended deterrence capabilities throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

Pacific Air Forces and supporting units embrace the unique challenge of ever evolving BTF missions, as they demonstrate the credibility of U.S. forces to address a complex and uncertain security environment.

B-52 aircrews integrated with U.S. Air Force F-22s rotationally based in the region, as well as U.S. Air Force mobility aircraft including KC-46 tankers from McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, and a C-17 Globemaster III from Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina.

The B-52 integrated with Allies in the region. The B-52s signified the United States’ ability to project nuclear-capable bombers across the globe to integrate with Allies and partners and provide extended deterrence options against aggression in the region.

This was also first integrated, long endurance flight as part of a Bomber Task Force mission for the Air Mobility Command’s newly fielded KC-46A Pegasus aircraft, which flew over 42 total hours in support of this mission.

The Pacific Air Forces, Air Mobility Command and Air Force Global Strike Command routinely partner together to conduct operations in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command are of responsibility. This mission is representative of not only our capability to integrate various capabilities across the U.S. Air Force but the U.S. commitment to our partners to maintain regional security and stability while enabling units to become familiar with operations in different regions."

Belarus Deploys Tactical Battalion Groups At Borders Where NATO Is Deployed - Belarusian army says that they have deployed tactical battalion groups on the borders between Belarus and the countries where NATO had deployed forces. Skies above Belarus Empty. Read Ongoing Report

Rising Tensions Between Serbia And Kosovo, Military Activity Spotted - Shots were fired, and explosions were heard on the border between Serbia and Kosovo after a stun grenade was thrown. Serbia has asked NATO to deploy the Serbian army and police force. Read Ongoing Report

Unsafe and Unprofessional Action by IRGCN Vessel in the Strait of Hormuz - USCENTCOM - TAMPA, Fla. – "An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy patrol boat interacted in an unsafe and unprofessional manner as U.S. Navy ships transited the Strait of Hormuz, the evening of Dec. 5.

Expeditionary sea base platform ship USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB 3) and guided-missile destroyer USS The Sullivans (DDG 68) were conducting a routine transit in international waters when the patrol boat approached.

The Iranian vessel attempted to blind the bridge by shining a spotlight and crossed within 150 yards of the U.S. ships – dangerously close, particularly at night.

The U.S. ships safely deescalated the situation through the employment of audible warnings and non-lethal lasers. U.S. Navy ships continued their transit without further incident.

The IRGCN’s actions violated international standards of professional and safe maritime behavior, increasing the risk of miscalculation and collision.

“This dangerous action in international waters is indicative of Iran’s destabilizing activity across the Middle East,” said Col. Joe Buccino, CENTCOM spokesman."

U.S. Moving Air Defense Systems From Middle East To Ukraine - RAYTHEON - The United States is currently working with countries in the Middle East to move some of the U.S. air defense systems to Ukraine, according to a Report by POLITICO. 

Raytheon Technologies CEO Greg Hayes said in an interview that the goal is to move National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems to Ukraine within three to six months from now, and then backfill the air defense systems with new NASAMS in the Middle East over the next 24 months time. 

“There are NASAMS deployed across the Middle East, and some of our NATO allies and we [the U.S.] are actually working with a couple of Middle Eastern countries that currently employ NASAMS and trying to direct those back up to Ukraine,” he was cited by POLITICO as saying. 

He said that moving them from the Middle East instead of building the systems in the United States is much faster, "“Just because it takes 24 months to build, it doesn’t mean it’s going to take 24 months to get in [the] country."

The newspaper said that it takes two years to build NASAMS due to the time it takes to purchase the components and motors for the rockets. 

5 Vehicles Rented By Biden's Secret Service Catch Fire - NANTUCKET - Five vehicles that were rented by U.S. President Joe Biden's Secret Service detail went up in flames while in a parking lot on Monday a day after the President went on vacation in Nantucket, Massachusetts for Thanksgiving.

The Secret Service had rented five vehicles for Biden and his family last week, and all five were consumed in the fire.

The vehicles included a Ford Explorer, Chevy Suburban, Infinity QX80, Jeep Gladiator, and a Ford Expedition.

The Nantucket airport put out a statement that said, "At approximately 5:22 am Airport shift staff observed an active fire in the rental car overflow area through the Airport's Closed Circuit Television System."

"Staff activated the Alert system and responded to the fire in Airport-3, where they were met by responding units from Nantucket Fire Department and Nantucket Police Department," the statement added.

"Combined fire resources responded and contained the fire. Several vehicles were damaged. The Airport is currently coordinating with rental car agencies and agency partners to ensure scene safety, There is no longer an active fire at this time: the Airport is open, and aeronautical operations are not affected."

The Biden family has spent Thanksgiving holidays on the Nantucket island for the last 40 years, which makes it likely that if it was an assassination attempt, it was planned based on knowledge of the yearly trip.

The cars burst into flames less than 24 hours after Biden and his family returned. No one was reported to be hurt in the incident, the fire has since been brought under control, and the cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

11 Countries Placed On Travel Advisory Page In Last 30 Days - 11 countries have been placed on the travel advisory page in the last 30 days, including Trinidad and Tobago, Tonga, Ecuador, Moldova, Nigeria, China, Taiwan, Samoa, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza.

China

Reconsider travel to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), including the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) and the Macau SAR, due to arbitrary enforcement of local laws and COVID-19-related restrictions. See specific risks and conditions in each jurisdiction below. Exercise increased caution in the PRC due to wrongful detentions.

Taiwan

Reissued with updates to health information. Exercise normal precautions in Taiwan.

Trinidad and Tobago

Reconsider travel to Trinidad and Tobago due to crime. Exercise increased caution in Trinidad and Tobago due to terrorism and kidnapping. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.

Tonga

Reissued with updates to health information and removal of natural disaster risk indicator. Exercise normal precautions in Tonga. Read the Country Information page.

Moldova

Exercise increased caution while traveling to Moldova due to unresolved conflict between the breakaway region of Transnistria and the central government. Read the entire Travel Advisory.

Nigeria

Reconsider travel to Nigeria due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, and maritime crime. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.

Samoa

Reissued with updates to health information. Exercise normal precautions in Samoa.

Ukraine

Reissued from October 4, 2022 with updates to security information. Do not travel to Ukraine due to Russia’s full-scale invasion.

The Department of State continues to advise that U.S. citizens not travel to Ukraine due to active armed conflict. Those U.S citizens in Ukraine should depart if it is safe to do so using commercial or other privately available ground transportation options. Read the entire Travel Advisory.

Afghanistan

Reissued with updates to relocation, citizen services, and safety and security information. Do not travel to Afghanistan due to armed conflict, civil unrest, crime, terrorism, and kidnapping.

Travel to all areas of Afghanistan is unsafe and the risk of kidnapping or violence against U.S. citizens in Afghanistan is high. Given the serious risks, U.S. citizens should not travel to Afghanistan to accompany eligible family members for relocation.

Israel

Summary: Terrorist groups, lone-wolf terrorists and other violent extremists continue plotting possible attacks in Israel and the West Bank and Gaza. Terrorists and violent extremists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities. Violence can occur in Israel and the West Bank and Gaza without warning. There has been a marked increase in demonstrations throughout Israel, some with little or no warning.

Camerroon

Last Update: Reissued with updates to health information. Exercise increased caution in Cameroon due to crime. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.

Level 4 Do Not Travel List

The Level 4: Do Not Travel list includes: Afghanistan, Belarus, Faso, Burma, CAR, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Mali, North Korea, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tonga, Ukraine, and Venezuela.

The month of October saw a large number of travel advisory alerts being released. View Travel Advisories

Multiple Countries Urge Citizens To Leave Ukraine Immediately - The following countries have urged their citizens to leave Ukraine immediately: China, Egypt, Kazakhstan. There are alerts for other countries embassy's floating around social media, but many of those look to be older, previously issued embassy alerts.

China's Foreign Affairs agency called on citizens to leave Ukraine immediately due to a "serious security situation".

Kazakhstan began the evacuation of embassy staff from Ukraine on October 11th, 2022, on the same day that Poland advised its citizens to leave Belarus.

Russia Moving Nuclear Capable Missile Systems To Belarus, Converting Belarusian Jets To Carry Nukes, But Not Moving Nuclear Weapons To Belarus At This Time - Russia is transferring dual-equipped Iskander-M missile systems with conventional missiles to Belarus, and converting Belarusian SU-25 jets with the ability to carry nuclear weapons, but it is 'not planned' to equip Belarus with actual nuclear warheads.

Deputy head of the Russian delegation to the UN General Assembly Vorontsov said that nuclear technologies will not be moved from Russia to Belarus.

"In particular, in Poland, for several years now, they have been declaring their desire to become fully involved in joint nuclear missions. Recently, Warsaw's activity in this area has sharply increased. This, of course, was taken into account by Russia and Belarus when considering the issue of countermeasures," Vorontsov said according to Russian state news RIA Novosti.

"At this stage, we are talking exclusively about the transfer to the Republic of Belarus of dual-equipped Iskander-M complexes with conventional missiles, as well as giving some of the Belarusian Su-25 aircraft the technical ability to carry nuclear weapons. At the same time, transferring technology to Belarus for converting aircraft into nuclear weapons carriers not expected".

"It is also not planned to physically equip Belarusian systems with nuclear warheads, nor to move such warheads to Belarusian territory." he added.

NATO To Ship Jammers To Ukraine To Counter Iranian Drones Used By Russia - On Thursday NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the alliance will be giving Ukraine "hundreds of drone jammers" to counter the Iranian Shahed-136 kamikaze drones that Russia is using to target Ukrainian cities with.

During a press conference Stoltenberg said, "Nato will deliver counter-drone equipment to Ukraine with hundreds of drone jammers which can help render ineffective Russian and Iranian-made drones".

Ukrainian officials have claimed that they have shot down Iranian kamikaze drones, and that the drones detonate themselves upon impact with their targets.

The Shahed-136 drones are capable of carrying an 80 pound warhead and have reportedly eliminated an M777 howitzer given to Ukraine by the United States, the New York Times reported.

On Thursday Ukrainian officials said that Russia had used Shahed-136 drones to attack the regions of Kyiv and Odesa. The drones are capable of air-to-surface attacks, as well as electronic warfare and targeting, according to AP news.

US Department Of State: Announcement of Visa Restrictions in Response to the Repression of Women and Girls in Afghanistan - The United States has begun restricting visas from being issued to both current, and former members of the Taliban, as well as others over the repression of women and girls in Afghanistan, according to a statement by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday."

US Department Of State Press Release On Visa Restrictions: "Today I am announcing a visa restriction policy under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to restrict the issuance of visas for current or former Taliban members, members of non-state security groups, and other individuals believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, repressing women and girls in Afghanistan through restrictive policies and violence."

This includes discontinuing and/or restricting access to secondary or higher education for girls and women; preventing women’s full participation in the workforce and their ability to choose their careers; restricting women’s movement, expression, or privacy; as well as engaging in violence and harassment including unjust arrest and detention of women, girls, or their family members for noncompliance with discriminatory policies. Immediate family members of such persons may also be subject to these restrictions.

Despite public assurances that it would respect the human rights of all Afghans, the Taliban has issued and enforced a series of policies or edicts that effectively bar women and girls in Afghanistan from full participation in public life, including access to secondary education and work in most industries. As a grim example, for more than a year, Afghanistan remains the only country in the world where girls are systemically barred from attending school beyond the sixth grade, with no return date in sight.

We call on other governments to join us in taking similar actions and to continue to underscore a collective message that only a government in Afghanistan that represents all its people and protects and promotes the human rights of every individual could be considered legitimate.

The United States strongly supports the Afghan people and remains committed to doing all we can to protect and promote the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Afghans, including women and girls. Read Announcement

Hurricane Ian To Make Landfall In Florida- Hurricane Ian view via null school wind surface map. Hurricane is expected to make landfall in Florida as a category 4 storm with a current wind speed of 140mph.

Pentagon Suspends Deliveries Of F-35 Jets After Finding Chinese Made Component - The Pentagon has suspended deliveries of new Lockheed Martin's F-35 aircraft to the army after finding that a component of the jet uses an alloy made in China, which, according to a CNN report, and Interfax, violates federal defense procurement policies. Read Full Article

Affinity V Has Run Aground In Suez Canal, Halting Maritime Traffic - The crude oil tanker "Affinity V", which is 826 feet long, and 147 feet wide ran aground in the Suez Canal, backing up Maritime traffic, according to local media and analysis of the ship's location in vessel tracking software. It has been released and is now back on course.

Local media reports had said that they were undergoing the process of attempting to float the tanker, in order to free it so that Maritime traffic can continue through the canal.

The Suez Canal Authority has stated that they have successfully floated the oil tanker, about five hours after it ran aground in the Suez canal. It has been moved and now back on course.

Rare Supertyphoon Hinnamnor Has Formed Near Japan, East Of Okinawa - A rare supertyphoon named Hinnamnor has formed over the northern part of the Pacific ocean. This tropical cyclone is currently located east of Okinawa and is presently heading southwest at a speed of around 20 miles per hour. Read Full Article

Security Alert – Montenegro, (Near Kosovo) - A security alert has been released by the U.S. Embassy in Montenegro, which is located near Kosovo. Event: A persistent and ongoing cyber-attack is in process in Montenegro. The attack may include disruptions to the public utility, transportation (including border crossings and airport), and telecommunication sectors. Actions to take: Be aware of your surroundings, Limit movement and travel to the necessities, Review your personal security plans, Have travel documents up to date and easily accessible, Monitor local media for updates. Read Full Article

First Transit Of Taiwan Strait By U.S. Warships Since Pelosi Visited Taiwan - The USS Antietam and USS Chancellorsville transited the Taiwan Strait on August 28th. This is the first transit of the Taiwan Strait since Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, causing a frenzy of live-fire exercises from China. Read Full Article

23 Chinese Military Aircraft, 8 PLAN Vessels Spotted Around Taiwan August 28th, 2022 - 23 Chinese military aircraft and 8 PLAN vessels were spotted around Taiwan on August 28th, 2022, making the total military aircraft spotted this month around the island: 722, and vessels: 160. See Full Month's Activity

Of the Chinese military aircraft that were spotted around the island, three were J-11 fighter jets, two were J-10 fighter jets, two were J-16 fighter jets, one was an SU-30 multi-role aircraft, one was a WZ-10 Attack helicopter, and one was a Y-8 antisubmarine warfare (ASW) aircraft.

Taiwan's Ministry of Defense put out a statement saying, "8 PLAN vessels and 23 PLA aircraft around our surrounding region were detected today (August 28, 2022) until 1700(GMT+8). #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and responded to these activities with aircraft in CAP, naval vessels, and land-based missile systems."

In another statement, the Ministry of Defense said, "10 of the detected aircraft (SU-30, J-10*2, J-11*3, J-16*2, Y-8 ASW and WZ-10 Attack) had flown on the east part of the median line of the Taiwan Strait and our SW ADIZ, flight paths as illustrated."

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Denied Resupply Port Call By Solomon Islands - After completing an international patrol mission on August 26th, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter, Oliver Henry, was denied clearance for a pre-scheduled resupply port call from the Solomon Islands, a country that has been strengthening ties in the Pacific with China. Read Full Article

US Embassy In North Macedonia: Flyover Of B-52s Today - The US Embassy in North Macedonia put out a message saying, "Look up! Today at 2:30 pm there will be a low-altitude flyover of two B-52s in Skopje. The purpose of the flyover is to demonstrate U.S. commitment and assurance to NATO Allies and Partners in the Balkans."

US Military B-52 Nuclear Capable Bombers Return To Base In United Kingdom - On August 18th US military B-52 nuclear-capable bombers returned to the 'RAF' Fairford US Air Force base in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom from the Minot Air Base in North Dakota.

B-52 bombers can travel up to 8,800 miles without needing to refuel, up to 70,000 lbs of equipment and fly up to 50,000 feet. The RAF Fairford base is a forward operating base for the United States while carrying out missions with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies.

The United States Air Force stated that "Regularly integrating with our allies improves our cooperation and operational capacity, capability and interoperability. Occurring since 2018, bomber rotations through Europe maintain our readiness to execute a wide variety of missions across two continents, sustaining peace through deterrence."

Security Alert U.S. Embassy Mogadishu, Somalia August 20th, 2022 - Security Alert for the United States embassy in Mogadishu, Somalia in Africa. The U.S. Embassy in Somalia reminds U.S. citizens that terrorists continue to plot kidnappings, bombings, and other attacks in Somalia.

Event: On August 19, 2022, car bomb blasts and gunfire were reported at Hotel Hayat in Mogadishu and are on-going. Al-Shabaab claims responsibility. Further attacks may occur. The U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu introduced travel restrictions for U.S. government personnel assigned to Mogadishu for the immediate future, including travel throughout the Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu.

The U.S. Embassy in Somalia reminds U.S. citizens that terrorists continue to plot kidnappings, bombings, and other attacks in Somalia. They may conduct attacks with little or no warning, targeting airports and seaports, government buildings, hotels, restaurants, shopping areas, and other areas where large crowds gather and Westerners frequent, as well as government, military, and Western convoys.

Methods of attack include car bombs, suicide bombers, individual attackers, and mortar fire.

The Department of State has issued a Level 4 Travel Advisory for Somalia and advises U.S. citizens not to travel to Somalia due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, health issues, kidnapping, and piracy.

The U.S. government has extremely limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Somalia due to the lack of a permanent consular presence in Somalia.

Actions to Take:

Continue to exercise vigilance while in Somalia.
Review your personal security plans.
Notify a trusted person of your travel and movement plans.
Avoid large crowds, gatherings, and demonstrations.
Stay alert in locations frequented by tourists/Westerners.
Be aware of your surroundings and local security developments
Monitor local media and news for updates.

Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen Hicks Visits U.S. Transportation Command and Purdue University - On August 18th, 2022 the Department of Defense released a statement on Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen Hicks visit U.S. to Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois; and Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.

The deputy met with TRANSCOM Commander Air Force General Jacqueline Van Ovost, Deputy Commander Army Lt. Gen. John Sullivan, and other senior leadership.

During the visit, Deputy Secretary Hicks gained insight into future mobility, lift, and sustainment requirements in contested logistics environments, and received an update on efforts to integrate artificial intelligence and Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) into U.S. logistics systems. She also received an update on TRANSCOM progress toward to leveraging tools to better integrate, analyze, and visualize data to improve situational awareness of global mobility operations; and data modernization initiatives.

Dr. Hicks also received briefings from TRANSCOM leadership on the challenges and opportunities related to the organization’s large global operations footprint, integrating data for global mobility operations, future mobility lift and sustainment requirements, global bulk fuel management, and cyber security mission assurance.

She also met with junior enlisted leaders and junior officers to thank them for their work and dedication to support global supply and transportation operations, and hear directly from them about their perspectives on the department’s challenges and opportunities.

Deputy Secretary Hicks then flew to Purdue University, Ind., where she visited a range of facilities dedicated to advancements in hypersonics testing and research and visited faculty and PhD students who are focusing their work on hypersonics. At Zucrow Lab, she visited the Scramjet Test Cell; the Hypersonics and Applied Research Facility, which will be home to two wind tunnels; and the Hypersonics Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center (HAMTC) to gain greater insight into future approaches to hypersonic systems. Teams also discussed end-to-end manufacturing energetics programs.

At the Birck Nanotechnology Center, Dr. Hicks received briefings on microelectronics programs; the Scalable Asymmetric Lifecycle Engagement (SCALE) microelectronics workforce development program; quantum computing; cybersecurity; and Purdue’s new research support facility.

Following her tours and discussions, Deputy Secretary Hicks met with ROTC students to discuss their academic progress and career goals and delivered a speech to students and faculty highlighting the spirit of American innovation and experimentation which continues to provide the U.S. with an enduring advantage against strategic competitors like Russia and China.

The deputy secretary is finishing a two-day, four-state tour of the Midwest. Throughout her travel, Deputy Secretary Hicks focused on linking the department’s resources to our strategic competition priorities, including the pacing threat of China, and ensuring DoD remains the world leader in cutting-edge innovation.

Read Full DOD Article

Tensions With China Increasing, But US Had Failed Simulated Chinese Attack - During a press briefing in Singapore, the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet stated that the amount of unsafe interceptions by Chinese aircraft has increased over the last few months. The United States had carried out wargames simulating an attack by China in 2021, but failed miserably. Read Full Article

Political Officials from China And Japan Meet Following Taiwan Tensions - CHINA - After post-Taiwan tensions, including live-fire exercises around Taiwan and Chinese missiles falling in Japan's economic exclusion zone (EEC), Akiba Takeo, Japan's National Security Secretariat, and Yang Jiechi, Senior Foreign Affairs Advisor, have met in northern China. Read Full Article

30 Chinese Military Aircraft, 5 Vessels On East Part Of Median Line August 15th, 2022 - 30 Chinese military aircraft and 5 PLAN vessels were spotted on the "east part of the median line" of the Taiwan Strait August 15th, 2022.

The Chinese military aircraft included eight SU-30 multirole aircraft, four J-16 fighter jets, two J-11 fighter jets and one Z-9 antisubmarine warfare (ASW) aircraft.

Taiwan's Ministry of Defense put out a report saying "As PLA Eastern Theater announced a joint combat patrol mission, #ROCArmedForces detected 5 PLAN vessels and 30 PLA aircraft today until 1700(GMT+8). 15 of the detected aircraft had flown on the east part of the median line of the Taiwan Strait, flight paths as illustrated."

"We condemn PLA for jeopardizing the peace and security of our surrounding region with announcements of military drills. #ROCArmedForces monitor activities around our surrounding region and respond to every situation with professionalism to #ProtectOurCountry," they added.

CAP aircraft were tasked, radio warnings issued and air defense missile systems were deployed in order to monitor the activities of the Chinese aircraft and vessels.

Another U.S. Congressional Delegation Is In Taiwan, Less Than Two Weeks After Pelosi - A five-member delegation, led by Senator Ed Markey (D) of Massachusetts, meeting in Taiwan to discuss security, economical, and trade topics, according to the American Institute in Taiwan. Read Full Article

66 Chinese Military Aircraft And 14 Vessels Around Taiwan August 7th, 2022 - 66 Chinese military aircraft and 14 vessels were detected around Taiwan on August 7th, 2022. 22 of the aircraft had flown on the east part of the median line of the Taiwan Strait and the southwest ADIZ according to Taiwan's MOD. Read Full Article

20 Chinese Aircraft, 14 Vessels Conduct Operations Around Taiwan, China Says Drills Will Now Be Regular Occurrence - 20 Chinese military aircraft and 14 Chinese vessels conducted an air-sea operation on the surrounding area of Taiwan. Chinese state-run television also says that China will be carrying out regular drills from now on. Read Full Article

China Shoots Missiles Over Taiwan And Into Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone - Chinese state-affiliated media announced live fire exercises in the Taiwan Strait. The Japanese Ministry of Defense reported that five Chinese missiles are 'presumed' to have landed in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Read Full Article

U.S. Department Of State: Worldwide Travel Alert - The U.S. Department of State has put out a worldwide travel alert, advising against traveling abroad after Sunday's drone strike where two R9X Hellfire missiles killed al-Qaeda leader, and Osama bin Laden successor, Ayman al-Zawahri.

R9X Hellfire are "kinetic kill" missiles, meaning rather than cause an explosion that kills the target, these missiles deploy six metal blades that do the job.

"Following al-Zawahri's death, supporters of al- Qa'ida, or its affiliated terrorist organizations, may seek to attack U.S. facilities, personnel, or citizens," the State Department said.

A second worldwide travel alert was also put out for a "Global Level 3 Health Advisory" that said that citizens should "reconsider travel" abroad due to COVID-19.

The statement put out by the State Department was as follows:

Caution: August 2nd, 2022 - Worldwide Caution: Worldwide Cautions provide U.S. citizens with general information regarding terrorist activities, political violence, and criminal activity that occur abroad, as well as specific recommendations on how to prepare for possible contingencies, receive information on breaking security events and ensure that travelers can be contacted in an emergency. This version replaces the Worldwide Caution dated January 15, 2019.

The Department of State remains concerned about the continued threat of terrorist attacks, demonstrations, and other violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests overseas. The Department of State believes there is a higher potential for anti-American violence given the death of Ayman al-Zawahiri on July 31, 2022. Current information suggests that terrorist organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks against U.S. interests in multiple regions across the globe. These attacks may employ a wide variety of tactics including suicide operations, assassinations, kidnappings, hijackings, and bombings.

As terrorist attacks, political violence (including demonstrations), criminal activities, and other security incidents often take place without any warning, U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to maintain a high level of vigilance and practice good situational awareness when traveling abroad. U.S. government facilities worldwide actively monitor potential security threats and may temporarily close or periodically suspend public services to assess their security posture. In those instances, U.S. embassies and consulates will make every effort to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens. U.S. citizens abroad are urged to monitor the local news and maintain contact with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

When planning a trip and prior to departing the United States, U.S. citizens should consult country specific Travel Advisories and information pages on travel.state.gov. Travelers are also urged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and to make it easier to locate them in an emergency. The Department uses these security messages to convey information about terrorist threats, security incidents, planned demonstrations, natural disasters, etc. In an emergency, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate or call the following numbers: 1 (888) 407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) or 1 (202) 501-4444 from other countries.

Private U.S. citizens should not travel to any country to participate in armed conflict. U.S. citizens are reminded that fighting on behalf of, or providing other forms of support to, designated terrorist organizations can constitute the provision of material support for terrorism, which is a serious crime that can result in penalties, including prison time and large fines.

Speaker Pelosi's Plane Touches Down In Taiwan - U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was confirmed to have been on the aircraft heading toward the Island of Taiwan and has now landed safely. The U.S. air force had been authorized to open fire in case there was any interference from the Chinese on the plane that carried Pelosi.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has strongly protested and condemned Pelosis visit to the island of Taiwan.

Pelosi stated over Twitter upon landing: "Our delegation’s visit to Taiwan honors America’s unwavering commitment to supporting Taiwan’s vibrant Democracy. Our discussions with Taiwan leadership reaffirm our support for our partner & promote our shared interests, including advancing a free & open Indo-Pacific region."

The hours before Pelosi landed in Taiwan, a cyber attack had hit the country. Taiwan said that an "overseas cyberattack" targeted the Office of the President's website. The website was reportedly down for 20 minutes.

The flight monitoring software, Flightradar 24 was also reported by many users to have been taken down during the cycberattacks.

Pelosi is the highest level official to visit the island in 25 years.

China Pools Amphibious Tanks And Military Equipment Adjacent To Taiwan - There have been many reports, and sightings of Chinese military vehicles, equipment and tanks in the Chinese city of Xiamen and the province of Fujian, which sits straight across from the island of Taiwan.

The Chinese military vehicles and equipment have not only been spotted within the city, but also gathering on the Fujian beaches adjacent to Taiwan. China says that the vehicles and equipment is for military exercises that will be held from August 2nd, to August 6th.

Of the vehicles present on the beaches, are Chinese Type 63A amphibious tanks which are used to carry out beachhead assaults and navigate across rivers and lakes.

Large amounts of military equipment continue to be moved by China to Fujian as U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to make a visit to Taiwan, in the midst of Chinese threats of a response.

Chinese Airline In Xiamen Announces Large Number Of Flights Canceled - According to Taiwan's official state news The Central News Agency (CNA) and the Xiamen Airlines website, China's Fujian region has announced August 2nd that airspace flow control will be implemented, and a "large number of flights have been canceled".

CNA reported (translated from Mandarin) "Since the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi will visit Taiwan tonight, there is speculation that the control should be related to this incident."

Taiwan's state news also said, "Xiamen Airlines issued an announcement this morning stating that due to the impact of traffic control in Fujian, some flights will be adjusted today. Although Xiamen Airlines did not further explain the reasons for traffic control, public opinion generally believed that it was related to Pelosi Will arrive in Taiwan tonight to visit."

The news agency added, "After checking the public flight information, there are still a few flights taking off smoothly at Quanzhou Jinjiang Airport and Xiamen Gaoqi Airport this morning, but almost all the flights that have not yet taken off have been canceled."

The Central News Agency also reported that locals in Xiamen who spoke to them said that flights have been adjusted since August 1st, and told CNA that he had never seen such a thing in over 10 years that he's been in Xiamen. He told the news agency, "What is the reason, everyone is tacit".

The person told CNA that Xiamen is said to be "the front line against Taiwan" geographically, and the fact that Pelosi might be taking a delegation to visit Taiwan had caused "a bad atmosphere" and mentioned that it has been very tense.

Pelosi Set To Travel To Taiwan Tuesday, Despite Warnings From Beijing - US Speaker Nancy Pelosi is set to travel to Taipei on Tuesday. Chinese military vessels and aircraft have been spotted carrying out tactical moves by touching the median line in the Taiwan Strait. Read Full Article

First Shipment of Grain Leaves Odessa, Ukraine Monday 5:30 GMT - The first shipment of grain left Odessa, Ukraine on Monday, August 1st, at 5:30 GMT, according to the Turkish Defense Ministry. Read Full Article

Pelosi's Press Release Does Not Mention The Delegation Visiting Taiwan - U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has put out a statement outlining her trip to the Indo-Pacific region. The outline indicates that the Speaker will be visiting Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan, but does not mention visiting Taiwan. Read Full Article

China To Hold Live Fire Military Exercises In Waters West Of QiongZhou Strait - The Chinese Navy will be holding live fire military exercises "in waters west of the Qiongzhou Strait" in the South China Sea on Friday and Saturday.

During the military exercises, entry will be prohibited, according to the Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration.

Three navigation warnings were issued by the Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration (MSA): GD70/22, GD71/22, GD73/22, which have advised vessels against entering three 'designated' areas of the South China Sea during the times set apart for the exercises.

USS Ronald Reagan Battle Group In The South China Sea Amidst Biden Call With Xi - In response to the latest blasts from the east regarding Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, the United States military has decided to send the largest ship in the fleet, the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, along with its battle group to the South China Sea. Read Full Article

USTRANSCOM Moves 2,700 Pieces Of Army Equipment In Europe - The U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) has announced that they have offloaded 2,700 pieces of U.S. Army equipment at the port Antwep-Bruges, Belgium, for onward movement by rail, commercial line-haul and barge in "response to Russia's aggression" in Ukraine.

Four Chinese Military Aircraft Enter Taiwan's ADIZ - Four Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on July 24th, 2022. The aircraft included a reconnaissance plane and flew through the Taiwan Strait, as well as the northwestern part of the Philippine Sea.

The Chinese planes that entered Taiwan's ADIZ included: Two J-16 fighter jets, one Y-8 Anti-submarine warfare aircraft and one Y-8 RECCE (reconnaissance) plane.

Pelosi Says Chinese Military Might Shoot Down Her Plane Over Taiwan - Pelosi would not confirm whether or not she will be following through with her plans to travel to the island of Taiwan in August, but did say that she believes that the military may be afraid her plane would be shot down by Chinese forces as they neared Taiwanese airspace. Read Full Article

China May Declare No-Fly Zone Over Taiwan And Fly Over The Island If Pelosi Visits - Chinese state media says that China might try to impose a no-fly zone over the island of Taiwan ahead of Nancy Pelosi's visit in order to prevent the U.S. speaker of the House from being successful. Read Full Article

China Warns Of Forceful Measures If Nancy Pelosi Visits Taiwan - TAIWAN STRAIT - A US guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold sailed through the Taiwan Strait on July 19th, 2022 with the Chinese military following and monitoring its transit; after which China claims the United States 'hyped' the transit up publicly and slammed the US as a 'maker of security risks'. Read Full Article

New York National Guard Deploying To Train Ukrainian Soldiers - The New York National Guard are deploying to train Ukrainian soldiers. 140 troops Syracuse-situated 27th Infantry Brigade Combat squad deployed to Germany on Friday to assist Ukrainian military members.

The service members will reconstitute 160 Army National Guard from Florida from the 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team Task Force Gator; who are included in the Joint Multinational Training Group mission in Ukraine.

These soldiers have been instructing Ukrainian personnel at the Combat Training Center Yavoriv near Lviv in westernmost Ukraine since November of 2021.

The troops from team Gator were ordered to exit Ukraine for Germany in February of 2022 before Russia's invasion. The Gator team is the primary instructor for Ukrainian forces in Germany and other locations.

The New York team will prepare at Fort Bliss in Texas before situating in Germany. It is anticipated they will relieve the Gator team in September, according to American Military News.

New York's National Guard delivered 220 soldiers to Ukraine in 2017 for a 10-month training cycle involving Ukrainian forces in Yavoriv. That squad was accompanied by the 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry based at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station; but included service personnel from all over New York.

The Joint Multinational Training Group has continually provided instruction and consultation to Ukrainian armed forces since 2015. The Army National Guard unit conflict affiliates supply direct support to the Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine operation in 9-month revolutions as a factor for the army’s rotational guideline.

Some of the other countries that have participated in the JMTG-U missions while at Yavoriv are the United Kingdom, Lithuania, Sweden, Denmark, and Poland.

- Alert Put Out By Matt Pepple

Ukrainian Antonov-12 Aircraft Crashes In Greece, Suspected Of Carrying Dangerous Material - A Ukrainian owned, soviet made Antonov-12 (An-12Bk) plane carrying 8 crew members is reported to have crashed in Kavala, Northern Greece while flying from Serbia to Jordan, carrying 12 tons of dangerous material. Read Full Article

Russian Offensive Intensifying Overnight Striking Odesa and Others - ODESA - The Russian offensive in Ukraine intensified overnight following instruction from Russian Defense Minister, Sergey Shoigu announcing an intensified effort on all fronts in Ukraine to shore up military groups in the south and center. Read Full Article

Saudi Arabia Allows Israeli Aircraft To Fly Over Territory For First Time In Decades - Saudi Arabia on Friday made an announcement that it is lifting restrictions on all [Israeli] carriers, allowing them to use airspace over the country after a decades-long ban. Read Full Article

Russian Vessels Turning Off Their Transponder Trackers - Russian and Syrian vessels have been turning off their transponders and have been accused of deceptive shipping practices in order to sell crude oil and stolen Ukrainian grain while evading the heavy sanctions placed on Russia due to its war on Ukraine. Read Full Article

China Claims Two US Military Aircraft Flew Through Taiwan Strait On June 28th - China has claimed that two U.S. military aircraft flew through the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday, Jun 28th, according to the SCS Probing Initiative (SCSPI).

The SCSPI claimed that a U.S. Navy (USN) EP-3E Aries II electronic warfare and reconnaissance aircraft were "diving into the Taiwan Strait" and claimed that they were supporting the operation of a United States Navy (USN) surface ship.

The statement from the SCS Probing Initiative said "USN EP-3E #AE1D94 is diving into Taiwan Strait this morning on June 28, which is likely to support the operation of USN surface ship".

Another statement by the SCSPI on their Weibo account said that a U.S. Air Force Boeing RC-135W Rivet Joint electronic surveillance aircraft on that day had also flown through the Taiwan Strait, East China Sea as well as the Yellow Sea.

They theorized that the American aircraft had been collecting electromagnetic spectrum signals from Chinese air and sea platforms.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin has said that there is "no such thing as international waters" in the Taiwan Straits and said that China has sovereignty , sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the entire Taiwan Straits, and claims that vessels and aircraft passing through the straits are violating China's territorial sovereignty.

Russian Ships Spotted Transporting Grain From Ukraine To Syria - U.S. Satellite images have spotted Russian-flagged vessels Carrying Grain from Ukraine to Syria, according to the satellite imagery company Maxar, reported by Reuters.

The images by Maxar showed two vessels flying the Russian flag docked in the Russian-controlled port of Sevastopol in May loaded with grain, and then the same ships days later docked in Syria with the vessel's hatches open and semi-trucks waiting to haul the grain away, according to Maxar.

Another satellite image taken in June showed another vessel being loaded with grain in Sevastopol, corroborating reports by Ukraine that Russia had been transporting grain from occupied portions of the country out of the country.

Being one of the world's breadbaskets, the Russian war in Ukraine is contributing to the grain shortage being Reported worldwide.

China Says Taiwan Strait Part Of Their EEZ, Warns US To Stay Out - CHINA - China has notified the United States that the Taiwan Strait is a part of their maritime exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and not international waters, opposing the U.S. view that the strait is part of international waters. They have also given a warning to the U.S. to stay out of the Strait saying that they have sovereign rights over it. Read Full Article

Iran Tests New Trade Route Linking Russia To Asian Export Markets - According to the Iranian state's shipping company, Iran has commenced its first shipment of Russian goods to India using a new trade route that uses Iran to link Russia to Asian export markets.

The first shipment, which consists of wood laminate sheets weighing about 41 tons which began its departure at Saint Petersburg, Russia to the port city of Astrakhan. From there, the shipment will cross the Caspian Sea to the Iranian port of Anzali, where it will be transported by road to the port of Bandar Abbas on the Persian Gulf. After this it will be loaded back onto a ship and transported to the Indian port of Nhava Sheva, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency IRNA.

Dariush Jamali, director of a joint-owned Iranian-Russian terminal in Astrakhan said that the initial shipment is a 'pilot' transfer in order to test the corridor.

Jamali said that the transfer is being coordinated and managed by the Iranian state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines Group along with its regional offices in Russia and India, and expects that it will take 25 days.

After heavy sanctions were placed on Russia, Iran has been Iran has been wanting to revive the North-South Transit Corridor that had previously been stalled. The Times of India reports that eventually the plan will be to build a railroad that transfers goods "arriving at Iranian Caspian Sea ports to the southeastern port of Chabahar".

Marine Corps Aircraft Crashes - No Nuclear Material Onboard - A Marine Corps Aircraft has crashed, leaving four people dead and one missing in California. Contrary to initial media reports, the Naval Air Facility El Centro stated that there was no nuclear material aboard the aircraft involved in the crash.

The aircraft belonged to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. It is not yet known what causes the aircraft to crash. The U.S. military is currently on the scene, which is near Coachella Canal Rd and Highway 78 in Imperial County, California.

The Naval Air Facility El Centro had put out the following statement on their Facebook Page: "EMERGENCY ALERT! #NAFEC has just received reports of a downed aircraft in the vicinity of Coachella Canal Road and the 78. Installation Federal Fire, and Imperial County Fire Department are responding, We have no additional details at this time. As facts become verified and available, information will be released on the base’s Facebook page. Please be patient as the installation team works through this emergency".

Another statement recently put out by El Centro stated, "We can confirm that an aircraft belonging to 3d Marine Aircraft Wing crashed near Glamis, CA. Military and civilian first responders are on site. Contrary to initial reports, there was no nuclear material on board the aircraft. More information will be made available as we receive it".

Facebook page for the El Centro Naval Air Facility: The U.S. Marines have also put out a statement saying "has crashed near Glamis, CA. Military and civilian first responders are on site. Contrary to social media rumors, there was no nuclear material on board the aircraft. More information will be made available as we receive it. An aircraft belonging to@3rdmaw:"

Baby Formula Shortage May Set To Recover As Abbott Opens Back Up - The current baby formula shortage may be on the way to recovery as Abbott Laboratories opens back up for business, after their large manufacturing plant was closed down in February due to safety concerns due to contamination.

The Air Force has been delivering baby formula in an operation dubbed "Operation Fly Formula" in late May in order to try to alleviate the short supply.

Abbott had said in late May that they were planning to open within a week, and that upon reopening it would be a few months after reopening before they would be able to get their product ready to deliver so that they could meet consumer demands for their baby formula products.

In a more recent statement, Abbott said that they will be ramping up production as quickly as possible, and that new formula should be showing up on the store shelves within three weeks time. A statement said, "We will ramp production as quickly as we can while meeting all requirements".

U.S. Navy Jet Fighter Pilot Killed After Crashing In Southern California - A U.S. Navy jet pilot has been killed after crashing a an F/A-18E Super Hornet jet in a desert in Southern California, near Trona. The jet was based at the Naval Air Station Lemoore and crashed at about 2:30 p.m in Bernardino County, according to a statement by the Navy.

There were no deaths or casualties on the ground as a result of the crash, which is located around 236 miles southeast of the Lemoore Air Station.

World Only Has 10-Week Supply Of Wheat Left, Expert Tells UN - A food insecurity expert has told the United Nations Security Council that the world only has a 10-week supply of wheat left stored, and that global food insecurity has now reached levels that hasn't been seen since the 2008 financial crisis. Read Full Article

Air Force C-17 Delivers 78,000 Pounds Of Baby Formula Amid Shortage - An Air Force C-17 plane delivered 78,000 pounds of baby formula to the Indianapolis International Airport in Indianapolis on Sunday, May 22nd 2022 amidst a recent shortage. Read more

USS Harry S. Truman Under NATO Command Once Again - The USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier strike group, along with other United States naval vessels have come under NATO command once again for Neptune Shield Drills in the Baltic, Adriatic, and Mediterranean Seas.

The drills were announced by Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby on May 17th and places the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group in the Mediterranean Sea, the USS Kearsarge amphibious ready group in the Baltic Sea, and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit under NATO operational control to the end of May.

Neptune Shield is the third exercise, in a series of exercises involving the United States and NATO allies.

Kirby stated that "This activity increases the pace and flexibility of command and control of US naval and amphibious forces between Sixth Fleet the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, operating in the Mediterranean Sea, USS Kearsarge amphibious ready group that’s operating in the Baltic Sea, along with the embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit".

United States Deploys B-52 Bombers To The United Kingdom - The United States has deployed B-52 Stratofortress nuclear bombers belonging to the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota to the United Kingdom. Read more

Russia Travel Advisory Now Level 4: Do Not Travel - The U.S. Embassy in Russia has put out a travel advisory for Russia saying that the advisory level is at: Level 4: Do Not Travel, for reasons including 'harassment against U.S. citizens, harassment by Russian government security officials as well as the 'arbitrary enforcement of local law' and 'increased tensions along the border of Ukraine'. Advisories Page

The U.S. Embassy says that Russian officials have "unreasonably delayed U.S. consular assistance to detained U.S. citizens and have arrested U.S. citizens on spurious charges, denied them fair and transparent treatment, and have convicted them in secret trials and/or without presenting evidence. Click here for the full text of the Travel Advisory, for Russia".

If you do decide to visit Russia anyway, the U.S. Embassy advises to "Read the country information page. Familiarize yourself with information on what the U.S. government can and cannot do to assist you overseas".

Additionally, it advises Americans to "Carry proper Identification, including a U.S. passport with a current Russian visa. If you are detained, ask the police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy or Consulate immediately".

For assistance: U.S. Embassy Moscow: Bolshoy Deviatinsky Pereulok No. 8 Moscow 121099, Russian Federation. Telephone: +(7) (495) 728-5000 or +(7) (495) 728-5577. Email: [email protected].

U.S. Department of State – Consular Affairs: Tel.: +1 (888)-407-4747 or +1 (202)-501-4444.

Government Report Indicates As Many AS 9,000 Americans Left In Afghanistan - A new report by the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations released an exhaustive report in February, 2022 about the evacuation from Afghanistan on August 31st, 2021 indicates that 9,000 of Americans were left behind in Afghanistan, as opposed to the estimate of 100 to 150 that had been released to the public. Read more

US And NATO Aircraft Intercept Russian Military Planes Over North Atlantic - United States and NATO fighter jets, which included British and Norwegian aircraft intercepted Russian planes over the North Atlantic on Thursday according to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

A day before the interception on Thursday, Norwegian planes identified and intercepted Russian aircraft in the High North which was announced in a different NATO release. CNN says that the interceptions show that Russia is testing its boundaries with Europe in the air, one the land and in the sea.

Wednesday, and alert from the Norwegian Control and Reporting Center at Sørreisa stated that Russian planes "were detected flying out of the Kola Peninsula". The Kola Peninsula shares land mass with Finland.

Norwegian F-35 jets then "launched over the Finnmark coast," the release said. They identified "and shadowed a Russian A-50 Mainstay aircraft" and then returned to their base.

After the incident "the Russian group of aircraft divided up, some returning to Russian airspace while others continued south into the North Atlantic" the release stated.

Pentagon Announces Troops Being Sent To Poland, High Alert For Deployment To Germany And Romania - The Pentagon has confirmed troops from the 82nd Airborne Division are being sent to Poland in the next few days while others are on high alert for deployment to Germany and Romania.

Russia also made an announcement stating that a squadron of Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets completed a 5,000 mile trip across 11 time zones from their base in the Sea of Japan to Belarus.

US Marine Corps Ban Amphibious Vehicles From Water Permanently - The US Marine Corps have permanently banned all amphibious vehicles from the water, including deploying or training in water after an amphibious vehicle sank in San Diego last year. The decision was made even though the Marine Corps has stated that they believe such vehicles are still 'safe and effective'.

Major Jim Stenger stated "The Marine Corps stands by the efficacy of the recommendations that came from the multiple investigations into the AAV mishap from the summer of 2020, and with those recommendations implemented and sustained, the AAV is a safe and effective vehicle for amphibious operations".

"That said, given the current state of the amphibious vehicle program (the program that manages both AAVs and ACVs), the Commandant of the Marine Corps has decided the AAV will no longer serve as part of regularly scheduled deployments or train in the water during military exercises".

USTRANSCOM: Since August 14th 116,700 Evacuated From Afghanistan - USTRANSCOM: Since August 14th there have been about 116,700 people evacuated from Afghanistan. Since the end of July we have re-located about 122,300 people.

TRANSCOM Commander Vows To Ramp Up One Of Largest Airlift Operations Ever - The commander of the U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) has vowed to ramp up one of the largest airlift operations ever as the U.S. Military coordinates evacuation flights out of Afghanistan in order to meet the August 31st deadline which the Taliban have called their "red line".

Army General Stephen Lyons, the commander of TRANSCOM said on Monday, "I’m very, very confident that we’ll sustain that effort, and improve that effort, to be honest with you. My commitment is to ensure that airlift is never the constraint in this operation.".

At a Pentagon briefing Lyons said that the U.S. Military has "well over 200 aircraft" assigned to Afghanistan at the moment, which includes C-17 transport jets, KC-46 Pegasus and KC-10 tanker aircraft to refuel the cargo planes on the long trips.

Lyons talked about how tired the aircrew are, "I won’t lie to you, they’re tired. They’re probably exhausted in some cases. "I know that the leaders from time to time are pulling crews out to make sure we don’t have safety issues, but they are motivated, they are fired up, and they are committed to complete this mission".

The airlifts won't be scaling back in the last week of August according to Lyons, as he vowed to stay "razor-focused on clearing the Kabul International Airport of every evacuee that can move.

"We’d never want to leave Kabul airport on an empty plane, or even a partially full plane, if we can avoid it. We’re filling the aircraft to about 400, 450 passengers [on the floor seated]."