The U.S. Central Command Released Photos Of The USS Gerald Ford, The Worlds Largest Aircraft Carrier, That Is Supporting Operation Epic Fury

The U.S. Central Command released photos of the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), the world’s largest aircraft carrier, in the fight with U.S. forces supporting Operation Epic Fury. 

The aircraft carrier is launching aircraft from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea against Iranian targets. 

You can view the photos below:

Note: Having served as a young sailor on the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk during the Vietnam War, I’m proud of today’s sailors and pilots aboard the Ford and the other ships involved in the Iranian attack.  

The fanatical Iranians have been killing Americans for more than 47 years. They had to be taken off the board before they had nuclear weapons. I salute President Trump’s bold and decisive action. 

U.S. CENTCOM Forces Kill ISIS Chief Of Global Operations Who Also Served As ISIS #2

The U.S. Military’s Central Command released the information below:

Tampa, Fla. – On March 13, U.S. Central Command forces, in cooperation with Iraqi Intelligence and Security Forces, conducted a precision airstrike in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, that killed the Global ISIS #2 leader, chief of operations and the Delegated Committee Emir – Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, alias “Abu Khadijah”, and one other ISIS operative.

As the Emir of ISIS’ most senior decision-making body, Abu Khadijah maintained responsibility for operations, logistics, and planning conducted by ISIS globally, and directs a significant portion of finance for the group’s global organization.

After the strike, CENTCOM and Iraqi forces moved to the strike site and found both dead ISIS operatives. Both terrorists were wearing unexploded “suicide vests” and had multiple weapons. CENTCOM and Iraqi forces were able to identify Abu Khadijah through a DNA match from DNA collected on a previous raid where Abu Khadijah narrowly escaped.

“Abu Khadijah was one of the most important ISIS members in the entire global ISIS organization. We will continue to kill terrorists and dismantle their organizations that threaten our homeland and U.S., allied and partner personnel in the region and beyond,” said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, commander, U.S. Central Command.

The U.S. Central Command Statement On Death Of USS Cole Bombing Operative

The U.S. Navy News Service reports that Jamal al-Badawi, a terrorist involved in the attack on the USS Cole in 2000, was killed in Yemen.

(NNS) -- U.S. Central Command spokesman Capt. Bill Urban released the following statement Jan. 6 on the death of Jamal al-Badawi:

“U.S. Central Command has confirmed that Jamal al-Badawi was killed in a precision strike in Marib governate [Yemen] on Jan. 1.

“Jamal al-Badawi was a legacy al Qaeda operative in Yemen involved in the USS Cole bombing. U.S. forces confirmed the results of the strike following a deliberate assessment process.

“Jamal al-Badawi was indicted by a federal grand jury in 2003, charged with 50 counts of various terrorism offenses, including murder of U.S. nationals and murder of U.S. military personnel; was wanted by the U.S. for his role in the Oct. 12, 2000, terrorist attack against USS Cole; and was also charged with attempting with co-conspirators to attack a U.S. Navy vessel in January 2000.”

USS Cole (DDG 67) was attacked during a brief refueling stop in the harbor of Aden, Yemen. The suicide terrorist attack killed 17 members of the ship's crew, wounded 39 others and seriously damaged the ship. 

After 14 months of upgrades and repairs, the Arleigh Burke-class – "Determined Warrior” – returned to the fleet, departing Pascagoula, Mississippi, April 19, 2002. 

You can also read my Counterterrorism magazine interview with the commanding officer of the USS Cole during the attack via the below link:

www.pauldavisoncrime.com/2012/08/a-q-with-commander-kirk-s-lippold.html 

U.S. Central Command Acknowledges Social Media Sites 'Compromised'

TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 12, 2015 - U.S. Central Command officials today released a statement detailing what they called "cybervandalism" affecting two of the command's social media sites.

The full statement reads:

Earlier today, U.S. Central Command's Twitter and YouTube sites were compromised for approximately 30 minutes. These sites reside on commercial, non-Defense Department servers and both sites have been temporarily taken offline while we look into the incident further.

Centcom's operational military networks were not compromised and there was no operational impact to Centcom. Centcom will restore service to its Twitter and YouTube accounts as quickly as possible. We are viewing this purely as a case of cybervandalism.

In the meantime, our initial assessment is that no classified information was posted and that none of the information posted came from Centcom's server or social media sites.

Additionally, we are notifying appropriate DoD and law enforcement authorities about the potential release of personally identifiable information and will take appropriate steps to ensure any individuals potentially affected are notified as quickly as possible.

Airstrikes Continue Against ISIL Targets in Syria, Iraq

The U.S. Central Command released the below:

TAMPA, Fla., Oct. 21, 2014 - U.S. military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria yesterday and today, using fighter and bomber aircraft to conduct four airstrikes, U.S. Central Command officials reported.

Separately, officials added, U.S. and partner-nation forces conducted three airstrikes using fighter and attack aircraft against ISIL terrorists in Iraq. In Syria, four airstrikes near Kobani destroyed ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL building, and a large ISIL unit. In Iraq, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL fighting position south of the Bayji oil refinery.

Another airstrike southeast of Mosul Dam destroyed an ISIL fighting position, and an airstrike north of Fallujah suppressed an ISIL attack.

All aircraft exited the strike areas safely, officials said, and airstrike assessments are based on initial reports.

The U.S. strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the terrorist group ISIL and the threat they pose to Iraq, the region and the wider international community.

The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project power and conduct operations, Centcom officials said.

U.S. Military, Partner Nations Conduct Airstrikes Against ISIL In Iraq and Syria

The U.S. Central Command released the below information:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27, 2014 - U.S. and partner nation military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria Friday and today, using fighter and remotely piloted aircraft to conduct seven airstrikes. Separately, U.S. military forces used attack aircraft to conduct three airstrikes against ISIL in Iraq.

In Syria, an ISIL vehicle was destroyed south of Al-Hasakah. Also near Al-Hasakah several buildings that were part of an ISIL garrison were destroyed. An ISIL command and control facility near Manbij was damaged.

An ISIL building and two armed vehicles at the Kobani border crossing were destroyed. An ISIL held airfield, an ISIL garrison and an ISIL training camp near Ar Raqqah were damaged.

To conduct these strikes, the U.S. employed U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy attack and fighter aircraft deployed to the U.S. Central Command area of operations.

In addition, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates also participated in these strikes.

All aircraft exited the strike areas safely. In Iraq, three airstrikes southwest of Irbil destroyed four ISIL armed vehicles and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.

All aircraft exited the strike areas safely. The strikes were conducted as part of the President's comprehensive strategy to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL.

U.S., Partner Nations Conduct 13 Strikes Against ISIL in Syria

The U.S. Central Command released the below information:

TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 24, 2014 - U.S. military forces and partner nations, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, attacked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria today, using a mix of fighter and remotely piloted aircraft to conduct 13 airstrikes against 12 ISIL-controlled modular oil refineries in remote areas of eastern Syria near Mayadin, Hasakah, and Abu Kamal and an ISIL vehicle near Dayr az Zawr, also in eastern Syria, U.S. Central Command officials reported.

Centcom officials said they are still assessing the outcome of the attack on the refineries, but have initial indications that the strikes were successful. The ISIL vehicle was destroyed, they added. The small-scale refineries provided fuel to run ISIL operations, money to finance their continued attacks throughout Iraq and Syria, and an economic asset to support their future operations, Centcom officials said. Producing 300 to 500 barrels of refined petroleum per day, ISIL is estimated to generate as much as $2 million per day from these refineries.

The destruction and degradation of these targets further limits ISIL's ability to lead, control, project power and conduct operations, officials said.

To conduct these strikes, the U.S. employed Air Force fighter aircraft deployed to the Centcom area of operations. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates also participated in the airstrikes, officials said, and all aircraft safely exited the strike areas.

Security of Mosul Dam Critical to Iraq's Infrastructure

Claudette Roulo at the DoD News offers the below piece:

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18, 2014 - President Barack Obama has announced that Iraqi forces, aided by on-going U.S airstrikes, have recaptured Mosul Dam from ISIL terrorists.

U.S. military officials said American aircraft had conducted a total of 68 targeted airstrikes since Aug. 8, the majority directed at setting the conditions for Iraqi security forces to retake the dam.

"These strikes were conducted under authority to support Iraqi security forces and Kurdish defense forces as they work together to combat ISIL, as well as to protect critical infrastructure, U.S. personnel and facilities, and support humanitarian efforts," a release from U.S. Central Command said.

The attacks are aimed at preventing ISIL forces from receiving reinforcements, Pentagon Spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren said, as well as reducing their defenses. This "will allow [Iraqi security forces] to conduct maneuvers around the dam," he explained.

No U.S. military personnel were involved in the ground operations, the colonel said. "We do have U.S military overhead in these aircraft that are conducting airstrikes and of course in our [joint operation centers]," Warren said.

The Mosul Dam captures the flow of the Tigris River, providing flood control, water and electricity to Mosul's 1.7 million residents. First opened in 1986, it is the fourth-largest in the Middle East.

"If the Mosul Dam were to fail, that would lead to a humanitarian disaster," Warren said.

And failure is a real concern, he added.

The dam's location was "chosen for reasons other than geologic or engineering merit," according to a 2007 report by the Army Corps of Engineers.

While the report found that the dam itself was well-constructed, the underlying geology is a cause for "intense concern about the safety of the structure." The dam's bedrock foundation consists of water-soluble rocks, such as gypsum, marl and limestone, and the presence of the dam's reservoir is hastening subsurface dissolution.

The geologic conditions under the dam necessitate "extraordinary engineering measures to maintain the structural integrity and operating capability of the dam," the report said.

A constant program of maintenance is needed to ensure the dam is not undermined, which could unleash a floodwall that would travel southward down the Tigris River valley all the way to Baghdad, nearly 300 miles away.

A letter sent by President Barack Obama to Congress yesterday said the dam's failure would endanger the lives of large numbers of civilians, U.S. personnel and facilities, including the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, and prevent the Iraqi government from providing critical services to the Iraqi populace.

Note: The above U.S. Army photo of the Mosul Dam was taken by Staff Sgt. Brendan Stephens.

Iran Is Most Significant Threat To Regional Stability, Says Marine General Mattis

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Tyrone C. Marshall Jr at the American Forces Press Service offers the below piece:

WASHINGTON, March 5, 2013 - Iran's behavior poses the greatest risk to stability in the Middle East, the commander of U.S. Central Command said here today.

In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis said "Iran remains the single-most significant regional threat to stability and prosperity," adding that the Iranian government's "Reckless behavior and bellicose rhetoric characterize a leadership that cannot win the affection of its own people or the respect of any responsible nation in the region."

Iran's continued support for the Assad regime in Syria, Mattis said, coupled with its maligned activities in the Middle East raise the risk of Iranian miscalculation sparking a disastrous conflict.

The general cited Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Bahrain, Yemen and Gaza as places where Iran has attempted to derail stability in the region.

Globally, Mattis listed Sudan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Thailand, India, Georgia, Bulgaria, and Nigeria as other sites for Iran's clandestine activities.

"Even here in Washington, D.C., [Iran made] an attempt to kill the Saudi ambassador," he said. Iran remains a threat elsewhere in the world, as well as in the cyber domain, he said.

On Syria, Mattis was asked by a committee member if all options, including a military option are still available to President Barack Obama, and if so, if a plan was fully prepared.

"Those plans are fully developed," he said.

Mattis also said he would have reservations about arming Syrian rebels battling the Assad regime.

"The situation is so complex that I have to get some degree of confidence that the weapons that we would be arming them with would not be going to people who are enemies," he said.

"[This] would be the one caveat that I would put on any military advice to go forward along those lines," Mattis added. "We don't want, inadvertently, with the best of intentions, to arm people who are basically sworn enemies."

Mattis noted he has not been tasked with such a mission and hadn't "looked deeply" into implementing such a plan.

The general was also asked by the committee how long he believed rebels can sustain their resistance to the Assad regime, and if President Assad would be able to maintain control in Syria.

"We're dealing with a fundamentally unpredictable situation. However, [the rebels are] eroding his power base," Mattis said. "It is eroding the geographic base he controls daily.

"You see him using ballistic missiles to impact the areas he's lost control [over]," the general continued. "Notice how the increased use of those missiles over the last month or two has been evident."

Though Assad is losing ground, Mattis said, it's difficult to forecast how long his regime can hold out.

Somali Pirates Kill 4 Americans On Hijacked Ship

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22, 2011 - Somali pirates killed all four Americans they had held hostage aboard a sailing vessel in the Indian Ocean this morning, U.S. Central Command officials announced.

U.S. officials were negotiating with the pirates for the safe return of the captured Americans when the murders took place, officials said.

Centcom officials said that in the midst of negotiations, U.S. forces responded to gunfire aboard the S/V Quest. When the forces reached the boat, officials said, they discovered all four hostages had been shot by their captors. Despite immediate steps to provide life-saving care, all four hostages ultimately died of their wounds.

During the boarding, the Somali pirates fired on the U.S. forces, who killed two pirates and captured 13 others. U.S. forces already had captured two other pirates, and the servicemembers boarding the Quest found the remains of two other pirates.

"In total, it is believed 19 pirates were involved in the hijacking of the S/V Quest," Centcom officials said.

"We express our deepest condolences for the innocent lives callously lost aboard the Quest," said Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis, Centcom's commander.

The pirates seized the boat Feb. 18 off the coast of Oman. Somali pirates -– often operating from mother ships far out to sea -- have captured scores of ships and generally have held the ships and crews for ransom. News reports indicate Somali pirates currently hold 29 ships with more than 660 hostages.

Piracy in the region occurred originally off of Somalia's east coast for several years. In August 2009, the pirates extended their attacks to the Gulf of Aden, between Yemen and Somalia's north coast. The pirates since have ranged farther out to sea -– up to 600 miles –- and now affect more than a million square miles in the Gulf of Aden, the west Indian Ocean and the Red Sea.

The United States has worked closely with regional and international partners to attack the problem. In this case, American forces closely monitored and tailed the Quest. Four U.S. Navy warships made up a response force dedicated to recovering the S/V Quest: the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (seen in the U.S. Navy photo above), the guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf, the guided-missile destroyers USS Sterett and USS Bulkeley.