WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Wednesday the U.S. would soon be imposing visa restrictions on more countries — though it's not clear yet how many nations will be affected by his expansion of the travel ban. Seven additional nations were listed in a draft of the proposed restrictions —...
Lemoore Navy Fighter Squadrons Return After Historic Deployment
Two U.S. Navy fighter squadrons based in Lemoore returned home to loved ones Saturday following nearly 10 months away in the Mediterranean and Middle East. The squadrons were assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which just completed a 294-day deployment — the longest since the end of the Cold...
Iran-Backed Iraqi Militia Vows Revenge to US Airstrikes
BAGHDAD — An Iranian-backed militia said Monday that the death toll from U.S. military strikes in Iraq and Syria against its fighters has risen to 25, vowing to exact revenge for the "aggression of evil American ravens." The U.S. attack — the largest yet targeting an Iraqi state-sanctioned militia —...
Trump Warns of 'Carnage' in Rebel Stronghold in Syria
PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Donald Trump is speaking out against the “carnage" involving thousands of civilians in a rebel stronghold in Syria. In a tweet Thursday, Trump wrote: “Russia, Syria, and Iran are killing, or on their way to killing, thousands of innocent civilians in Idlib Province. Don’t do...
Conan the Dog, Hurt in Terror Raid, Welcomed at White House
WASHINGTON — A U.S. military dog that played a starring role in the raid that killed Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi seemed oblivious to the praise that President Donald Trump heaped on it Monday at the White House. Conan, a Belgian Malinois, seemed much more interested in the head...
Israel Strikes Iranian Targets in Syria After Rocket Attack
JERUSALEM — Israel said it struck dozens of Iranian targets in Syria on Wednesday in a “wide-scale” operation in response to rocket fire on the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights the day before. A Britain-based war monitoring group said the strikes killed at least 23 people, including 15 non-Syrians, some of them...
Israel Kills Islamic Jihad Leader, Setting off Fierce Clash
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Israel launched airstrikes Tuesday against two senior Islamic Jihad commanders, killing one in Gaza but missing another in Syria in a sharp escalation of Israel's regional conflict with Iran, which backs the Palestinian militant group. The attack led to retaliatory rocket fire from Gaza and...
Syrians Hope US Troops Will Bring Revived Oil Fortunes
BEIRUT — As U.S. troops beef up in eastern Syria to protect oil fields, residents hope their mission will bring stability and prosperity to the remote and resource-rich region —and keep the Syrian government out. Their hopes reflect the expectations being piled onto the operation, even as President Donald Trump...
Joint Turkish and Russian Patrols Begin in Syrian Region
SEVIMLI, Turkey — Turkey and Russia launched joint patrols Friday in northeastern Syria, under a deal that halted a Turkish offensive against Syrian Kurdish fighters who were forced to withdraw from the border area following Ankara's incursion. The Turkish Defense Ministry said an initial patrol covered an area 54 miles...
US Role in Syria Grows More Complex With Trump Claim to Oil
WASHINGTON — By claiming a right to Syria's oil, President Donald Trump has added more complexity — as well as additional U.S. forces and time — to an American military mission he has twice declared he was ending so the troops could come home. Extending the mission to secure eastern...