Remembering
James Robison

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Service & Sacrifice: Defending Israel

A snapshot of the burdens valiant U.S. troops and military families are shouldering around the world.

A U.S. Navy sailor recently shoots a shot-line to the dry cargo ship USNS Amelia Earhart during a refueling-at-sea for the guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane in the Middle East.

By Tom Sileo Published on October 4, 2024

Middle East

The U.S. military helped defend Israel when Iran attacked on Tuesday with ballistic and cruise missiles.

According to ABC News, “two U.S. Navy destroyers located in the eastern Mediterranean — the USS Bulkeley and USS Cole — fired ‘approximately a dozen’ missile interceptors at the incoming barrage.” In all, Iran launched about 200 missiles at Israel without causing any significant damage.

U.S. Central Command subsequently posted remarkable videos of the amazing work performed by Navy sailors serving aboard the two American warships.

Iran’s largely foiled attack on Israel came as a “few thousand” more U.S. military personnel were being deployed to the Middle East. According to a breakdown by The New York Times, about 40,000 American troops are now stationed in the troubled region.

Locations include the aforementioned eastern Mediterranean, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Oman, Iraq, Syria (where the U.S. military recently conducted airstrikes), Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. U.S. troops are also stationed in Jordan, where three American heroes were tragically killed in January.

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In Yemen, Iran-backed Houthi terrorists claim to have shot down an American drone, which the U.S. military acknowledged had been lost.

The Associated Press reports that the MQ-9 Reaper drone may have been hit by a surface-to-air missile if a video released by the terrorist group is authentic. The drone was reportedly shot down this week over Yemen’s Saada province. MQ-9 Reaper drones cost about $30 million apiece.

The U.S. military has been battling the Houthis for the past year as they continue to attack military and commercial ships in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and elsewhere. The terrorist group claims its attacks are in solidarity with fellow Iran-backed terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah, which are being decimated and humiliated by the Israeli military.

Please pray for the tens of thousands of U.S. military personnel stationed in the Middle East and their families here at home.

Hurricane Helene

Thousands of selfless U.S. military heroes are spread across the Southeast to assist in hurricane relief efforts.

As of Thursday afternoon, the death toll from Hurricane Helene was nearing 200 with many more still missing. As The Stream reported last week, thousands of National Guard troops were activated in advance of the storm.

Amid the utter devastation, more than 6,700 National Guard warriors from 16 states are “conducting search and rescue missions, clearing debris to reopen roads, transporting and distributing food, water, and other essential supplies, and more.”

On Wednesday, with the speed of his administration’s response being heavily criticized, President Joe Biden activated 1,000 U.S. Army soldiers stationed at Fort Liberty (formerly called Fort Bragg) to help in hard-hit western North Carolina.

“These soldiers will speed up the delivery of life-saving supplies of food, water, and medicine to isolated communities in North Carolina – they have the manpower and logistical capabilities to get this vital job done, and fast,” Biden said in a statement.

The devastation in North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, and elsewhere is heartbreaking and horrendous. Please pray for all the victims of Hurricane Helene. We ask God to comfort the grieving and to guide the rescuers to the missing.

Coming Home

A group of U.S. Air Force airmen recently returned home to Washington State after spending six months deployed to various overseas locations.

Military Homecoming Washington

A U.S. Air Force airman hugs his girlfriend after returning from a deployment at Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington on September 5, 2024.

Welcome home, warriors! Thank you for helping preserve our freedom, and enjoy this well-earned downtime with your loved ones.

 

Tom Sileo is a contributing senior editor of The Stream. He is the author of the newly released 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.