Category: US CENTCOM

Source: United States Central Command (CENTCOM)

July 20, 2024
Release Number 20240720-02
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 TAMPA, Fla. – Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, Commander, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM), visited Cairo, Egypt, from July 17-18, 2024. While in Cairo, Gen. Kurilla met with Gen. Abdel Majeed Saqr, Minister of Defense and Military Production, and Lt. Gen. Ahmed Fathy Khalifa, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces. 

Gen. Kurilla congratulated both leaders on their recent appointments to their positions. He reaffirmed CENTCOM’s commitment to working closely with Egypt to address regional challenges and enhance security through the strong, 45-year mil-to-mil relationship. Their discussions focused on regional security concerns in Gaza and the Red Sea and the need to reestablish security. 

Gen. Kurilla also visited the Suez Canal Authority where he met with Adm. Osama Rabie, the Authority’s Chairman and Managing Director. The visit focused on the economic impact of attacks on international shipping from Iranian backed Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. 

Source: United States Central Command (CENTCOM)

July 20, 2024
Release Number 20240720-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TAMPA, Fla. – In the past 24 hours U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces successfully destroyed one Iranian-backed Houthi uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) over the Red Sea.

It was determined the UAV presented an imminent threat to U.S. and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region. These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure.

Source: United States Central Command (CENTCOM)

July 18,2024
Release 20240719 – 01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TAMPA, Fla. – Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, Commander, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM), visited Israel from July 14-17, 2024. During his visit, he met with the Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, and key members of the Israeli Defense Forces and other national security agencies.

The leaders shared intelligence assessments and discussed the security challenges faced in both the southern and northern arenas of Israel as well as broader regional security concerns. The discussions emphasized enhancing defense and technological cooperation in order to strengthen Israel’s security and bolster deterrence against regional threats. Gen. Kurilla underscored the strategic opportunities inherent in the close U.S.-Israel military partnership.

Source: United States Central Command (CENTCOM)

July 18,2024
Release 20240718 – 02
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TAMPA, Fla. – U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) personnel have concluded operations for the USAID-led mission to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza from the sea using the Joint Logistics Over the Shore (JLOTS) capability.

With collaboration from multi-national organizations and our regional partners, the JLOTS capability enabled the delivery of the highest-ever volume of U.S. military-supported aid in the Middle East. Since May, nearly 20 million pounds of humanitarian aid have been delivered to Gaza.

The U.S. military’s temporary mission in support of USAID achieved the goal of providing an additional means to deliver high volumes of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza during a period of intense need.

The U.S. government’s efforts to increase the volume of aid delivered to affected populations in Gaza will continue beyond the end of the JLOTS mission. USCENTCOM will work with USAID to deliver the remaining aid commodities currently afloat to the Port of Ashdod in Israel for onward distribution to Gaza and will provide coordination and liaison support for HA deliveries at the request of USAID when appropriate.

Source: United States Central Command (CENTCOM)

July 18,2024
Release 20240718 – 01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TAMPA, Fla. – In the past 24 hours, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces successfully destroyed two surface-to-air missiles (SAM) and four uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV) on the ground in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

It was determined these weapons presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region. These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure.

Source: United States Central Command (CENTCOM)

July 16,2024
Release 20240716 – 01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TAMPA, Fla. – From January to June 2024, ISIS has claimed 153 attacks in Iraq and Syria. At this rate, ISIS is on pace to more than double the total number of attacks they claimed in 2023. The increase in attacks indicates ISIS is attempting to reconstitute following several years of decreased capability.  

To continue the effort to defeat ISIS and prevent its ability to conduct external attacks, United States Central Command, along with our Defeat ISIS partners, Iraqi Security Forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces, conducted 196 Defeat ISIS Missions resulting in 44 ISIS operatives killed and 166 detained in the first half of 2024. In Iraq, 137 partnered operations resulted in 30 ISIS operatives killed and 74 ISIS operatives detained. In Syria, 59 operations conducted alongside the SDF and other partners resulted in 14 ISIS operatives killed and 92 ISIS operatives detained.  

The above operations resulted in eight senior ISIS leaders killed and 32 captured in both Iraq and Syria. These leaders include those responsible for planning of operations outside of Syria and Iraq, recruiting, training, and weapons smuggling. The removal of these individuals from their leadership positions further degrades ISIS capabilities to conduct external operations in the U.S. and allied nations.  

The continued pursuit of the approximately 2,500 ISIS fighters at large across Iraq and Syria is a critical component to the enduring defeat of ISIS.  Equally important are the ongoing international efforts to repatriate more than 9,000 ISIS detainees in detention facilities in Syria, and the repatriation, rehabilitation, and reintegration of more than 43,000 individuals and families from the Al Hol and Al Roj camps. This is down from the peak of over 70,000 in 2019.  

“The global enduring defeat of ISIS relies on combined efforts of the Coalition and partners to remove key leaders from the battlefield and the repatriation, rehabilitation, and reintegration of families from Al Hol and Al Roj,” said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command. “We continue to focus our efforts on specifically targeting those members of ISIS who are seeking to conduct external operations outside of Iraq and Syria and those ISIS members attempting to break out ISIS members in detention in an attempt to reconstitute their forces.”

Source: United States Central Command (CENTCOM)

July 15, 2024
Release Number 20240715-02
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TAMPA, Fla. – In the past 24 hours, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces successfully destroyed five Iranian-backed Houthi uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV), three over the Red Sea and two over Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. 

It was determined these UAVs presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region. These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure.

Additionally, Iranian-backed Houthis launched multiple attacks against MT Bentley I, a Panama-flagged, Israel-owned, Monaco-operated tanker vessel in the Red Sea carrying vegetable oil from Russia to China. Iranian-backed Houthis used three surface vessels in this attack, one uncrewed surface vessel (USV) and two small boats. No damage or injuries have been reported at this time.

Later, Iranian-backed Houthis launched an anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen, over the Red Sea toward MT Bentley I. No damage or injuries have been reported at this time.

Separately, Iranian-backed Houthis attacked MT Chios Lion, a Liberian-flagged, Marshall Islands-owned, Greek-operated crude oil tanker with a USV in the Red Sea. The USV caused damage, but MT Chios Lion has not requested assistance. No injuries have been reported at this time.

This continued reckless behavior by the Iranian-backed Houthis threatens regional stability and endangers the lives of mariners across the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The Houthis claim to be acting on behalf of Palestinians in Gaza and yet they are targeting and threatening the lives of third country nationals who have nothing to do with the conflict in Gaza. USCENTCOM will continue to act with partners to hold the Houthis accountable and degrade their military capabilities. 

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Source: United States Central Command (CENTCOM)

July 15, 2024
Release Number 20240715-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Tampa, Fla. – CENTCOM Commander Visits Leaders and Troops in Jordan and Syria from July 12 to 14, USCENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla visited the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and Syria to meet with leaders and U.S. service members and gain a better understanding of the regional security situation. On July 13, Gen. Kurilla met with the Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Maj. Gen. Yousef Alhnaity and key members of his staff to discuss regional security concerns, including the Israel-Hamas War and Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. Gen. Kurilla also traveled to several U.S. military facilities in Jordan and Syria to assess force protection improvements and the overall defeat ISIS campaign.

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Source: United States Central Command (CENTCOM)

July 14, 2024
Release Number 20240714-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TAMPA, Fla. – In the past 24 hours, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces successfully destroyed two Iranian-backed Houthi uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV) over the Red Sea and one uncrewed surface vessel (USV) in the Red Sea. 

USCENTCOM forces also successfully destroyed one Houthi UAV in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen. 

It was determined these systems presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region. These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure.

Source: United States Central Command (CENTCOM)

July 12, 2024
Release Number 20240712-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TAMPA, Fla. – In the past 24 hours, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces successfully destroyed three Iranian-backed Houthi uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV) in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen. 

It was determined these UAVs presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region. These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure.