A US- and Russia-brokered temporary ceasefire took effect in Syria on Monday, calling for a break in airstrikes by the Syrian regime against opposition forces. The ceasefire allows for humanitarian access to areas marred by the conflict, including Aleppo. US Secretary of State John Kerry said the deal could be a “last chance to save a united Syria.” If a ceasefire holds for seven days, the US and Russia will collaborate on airstrikes against extremists, including ISIS, and Syria will not fly military aircraft over rebel-held areas. “This is the only realistic and possible solution to this conflict,” Kerry said during a Monday speech. However, immediately after the deal went into effect, Syrian military aircraft dropped bombs on rebel-held areas of Aleppo, The New York Times reported. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Monday, before the ceasefire took effect, that he is “determined to retake every area from the terrorists and restore security and safety,” the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency reported.
U.S. Air Force F-35s and F-22s regularly deploy deep into the Pacific region from Alaska, Utah, and Hawaii. In the future, though, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command would like to see the Air Force permanently station fifth-generation aircraft west of the international date line—closer to China.