Service & Sacrifice: ‘Anytime, Anywhere’
A snapshot of the burdens brave U.S. troops and military families are shouldering around the world.
A U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bomber flies over Luke Air Force Base in Arizona on November 15, 2022.
Middle East
For more than a year, Iran-backed Houthi terrorists have been causing chaos in Middle Eastern waterways. This week, the U.S. military paid their home base of Yemen a visit with a few stealth bombers.
U.S. Central Command announced late Wednesday that “multiple, precision airstrikes” have been launched “on numerous Iran-backed Houthi weapons storage facilities.” Missiles, weapons components and other munitions used by the Houthis to attack international ships and countries, including Israel, were destroyed in the airstrikes. There were no civilian casualties, according to the U.S. military.
Multiple U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bombers participated in the airstrikes, along with other Air Force and Navy assets. In a clear warning to Iran, CENTCOM said “the employment of the B-2 bomber demonstrates U.S. global strike capabilities to reach these targets, when necessary, anytime, anywhere.” We are grateful to the pilots and crew members of these enormously powerful American aircraft.
Speaking of Iran, which is reeling after the Thursday killing of Hamas leader and October 7 mastermind Yahya Sinwar by Israeli military forces in Gaza, things just keep getting worse for the terrorist-sponsoring nation. Amid the Islamic regime’s continued attacks and threats against Israel, the U.S. military recently deployed a special anti-ballistic missile battery system to Israel.
“It is part of the broader adjustments the U.S. military has made in recent months, to support the defense of Israel and protect Americans from attacks by Iran and Iranian-aligned militias,” the Pentagon told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday.
Most notably, the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile battery requires a 100-man crew, which means that U.S. military service members are deploying to Israel to defend against another possible ballistic missile attack by Iran. The Islamic regime most recently attacked Israel on October 1, with the vast majority of missiles being shot down by Israeli and U.S. forces. The Jewish state is widely reported to be planning a substantial counterattack against Iran’s military.
Please ask God to pave the way for the swift and safe return of the thousands of American troops serving in the troubled Middle East region. We appreciate your sacrifices and will keep you and your families in our constant prayers.
Homeland
A U.S. Navy fighter jet crashed on Tuesday during a training mission near Mount Rainier in Washington state.
While wreckage from the EA-18G Growler was located on Wednesday, according to USA Today, the two-man crew had not been found by presstime. The aircraft appeared to have crashed on a mountainside, which spawned an immediate military search-and-rescue effort in the remote surrounding area. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Please pray for these missing Navy crew members and their families. We pray that they are found safe and uninjured.
The Pentagon confirmed this week that a key U.S. military base was swarmed by an unidentified fleet of drones late last year.
The Hill reports that the airspace above Langley Air Force Base, which “houses the nation’s most advanced fighter jets,” as well as Naval Station Norfolk and an area used by Navy SEAL Team Six, were violated in December 2023. Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh did not identify the source of the drones, saying only that they were “unauthorized.” They were also not shot down, according to the Department of Defense.
“It’s something that we have kept our eye on, but I just don’t have more to provide on that,” said Singh, as quoted by The Hill.
The Stream will be keeping an eye on this strange and unsettling story as well.
Coming Home
The command and crew of the U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Russell returned to Southern California this week after spending the past eight months at sea.
A U.S. Navy sailor reunites with his wife and newborn baby during the guided-missile destroyer USS Russell‘s homecoming ceremony at Naval Base San Diego on October 15, 2024.
Welcome home, heroes! Thank you for helping preserve and defend our freedom. We hope you enjoy this special time with your loved ones!
Tom Sileo is a contributing senior editor of The Stream. He is the author of I Have Your Back, Be Bold and co-author of Three Wise Men, Brothers Forever, 8 Seconds of Courage and Fire in My Eyes. Follow Tom on X @TSileo and The Stream at @Streamdotorg.