US aircraft carrier transits Strait of Hormuz by Staff Writers Washington (AFP) Nov 19, 2019 The US aircraft carrier strike group Abraham Lincoln sailed through the key Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday to show Washington's "commitment" to freedom of navigation, the Pentagon said, amid tensions with Tehran. The group's move through the strategic waterway separating Iran and the United Arab Emirates towards the Gulf was scheduled, and unfolded without incident, the US Navy said in a statement. The strait is a chokepoint for a third of the world's seaborne oil. A Pentagon official who spoke on condition of anonymity said exchanges between US forces and Iran's coast guard were "safe and professional." It was the first time a US aircraft carrier group went through the strait since Iran downed a US drone in June in the same area. Also in June, two foreign tankers were attacked in the area. Those attacks were blamed on Iran, though it denied involvement. The last time a US aircraft carrier transited the strait was in April, the Pentagon official said. The Strait of Hormuz is particularly vulnerable because it is very narrow -- about 50 kilometers (30 miles) wide -- and not very deep. Iran, which has a sophisticated military and controls much of the oil shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz, regularly threatens to shut it down if its enemies, such as the United States, commit hostile acts.
Esper: U.S. will keep 500 to 600 troops on the ground in Syria Washington (UPI) Nov 14, 2019 Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has confirmed that the United States plans to keep 500 to 600 troops on the ground in Syria and that the U.S. would continue to partner with Syrian Democratic Forces. That number is consistent with a statement made by Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley earlier this week, telling ABC News that the U.S. footprint in Syria would be reduced to "less than 1,000 for sure, and probably in the 500-ish range, maybe six." "We're going to have about 500 ... read more
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